Every day, a new surprise!

[cmusciano]

I have to say, every day I discover something new and fun about this phone.

My latest discoveries:

* The car dock app (that launches when you plug the phone into the car dock) is really well done. Integrated map view, with quick links to Google maps and nav, a nice dialing interface, and a clean display that is easy to use while driving. Voice dialing and voice commands worked very well.

* The web-based configuration tool. With the phone on your wifi network, check out the "Phone Portal" app on the phone. Touch "Connect with Wifi" and you'll be able to open a browser on a PC on the network and manage the phone from a web-based interface. This is so slick and easy, and allows full device control without needing a USB cable or installing any drivers on the PC. It's a really good solution for Mac owners.

* If you do connect by USB, you get the choice of installing both Windows Media and iTunes sync software. This is a very nice add-on that shows that Motorola was really thinking about how people will really use their phones.

This goes to show the real power of the Android platform. With hardware becoming a commodity, the real competition will be in the value-added apps and features atop that hardware.

Anyone else? What clever little feature have you found that makes this phone stand out?

 

[tekonus]

Just curious. Have you used the iTunes sync software? I've been using strictly the Wifi Phone Portal you mentioned to manage my phone, and haven't put any music on it yet. I'm curious how the iTunes sync works.

 

[ThickG]

I used the phone portal, but the only useful feature I saw was the file transfer, but it kept saying that I have to use Internet Explorer. Does anyone know a way around this?

 

[ranova]

I wouldnt bother with the file transfer over wifi; its slow as molasses and I have Wireless N

 

[Rockinfigs]

where does one get this itunes sync software?

 

[mbranscum]

where does one get this itunes sync software?

If you do connect by USB, you get the choice of installing both Windows Media and iTunes sync software.

 

[diet]

If you do connect by USB, you get the choice of installing both Windows Media and iTunes sync software.

I only see

-Motorola Phone Portal
-Windows Media Sync
-USB Mass Storage

 

[cmusciano]

"Windows Media Sync" is a misnomer. They really mean syncing any media on your Windows device, including both Windows Media Player and iTunes.

The IE restriction is odd. If you do connect via IE, the File Explorer launches Windows Explorer to view your device.

 

[tekonus]

The IE dependency is annoying. I use Ubuntu. So it's Firefox or Chrome for me. No big deal, though. I can still transfer things using mass storage.

 

[GrayKode]

If you do connect by USB, you get the choice of installing both Windows Media and iTunes sync software.

Dude...thanks for the heads up..after viewing this, i install motorola media link on my macbook..now im able to sync my itunes library to my Atrix!!! wohoooo..looks like im going to have to bump from a 16GB to 32GB memory card real soon

 

[AustinTech]

very cool, the iTunes sync...

 

[tical2k]

Dude...thanks for the heads up..after viewing this, i install motorola media link on my macbook..now im able to sync my itunes library to my Atrix!!! wohoooo..looks like im going to have to bump from a 16GB to 32GB memory card real soon

Does it not sync only to the internal storage? I initially used the Moto software, but found I had to drag and drop all my music (8gb on internal 14gb on sd card). Perhaps I did it wrong?

 

[diet]

Does it not sync only to the internal storage? I initially used the Moto software, but found I had to drag and drop all my music (8gb on internal 14gb on sd card). Perhaps I did it wrong?

If you have a SD card installed in your phone and you connect to MML it should detect it and ask you if you want to sync it to your SD card and if your iTunes is linked with MML then all you have to do is press sync at the bottom left and it should sync everything from your iTunes (ie: all music, playlists, artworks)

 

[GrayKode]

Does it not sync only to the internal storage? I initially used the Moto software, but found I had to drag and drop all my music (8gb on internal 14gb on sd card). Perhaps I did it wrong?

Yeah, once your atrix is connected to your macbook and the Motorola Media Link pops up and your able to see your Atrix connected, at the top go to Device and Select removable storage, and then it should allow you to sync your itunes songs, photos etc to your atrix memory card. let me know if it works for ya

 

[oHIobellboy]

Just tried the wifi thingy with FF and it worked. Slow as anything but it's a cool gimmick.

 

[Roze]

A new surprise I found is that in the field text, if you long press on one of the words you type, a big magnifier pops up and it makes it easier for you to move the cursor on a selected area.

 

[Evil.Bonsai]

A new surprise I found is that in the field text, if you long press on one of the words you type, a big magnifier pops up and it makes it easier for you to move the cursor on a selected area.

that's also, I believe, the way to copy text and paste elsewhere.

 

[Roze]

that's also, I believe, the way to copy text and paste elsewhere.

I don't believe this featue is native to Froyo. It is something similar to what is found in Gingerbread and as this isn't Gingerbread, it's part of Motoblur Not everyone is accustome to Motoblur's features So this was a delightful new surprise for me It helped me getting over my trackball blues lol.