Motorola DEFY XT Pro Reviews

Republic Wireless has a great idea, but it isn’t followed up with a great phone. The new wireless carrier wants us to rely on Wi-Fi for our phone calls, and it’s willing to offer unlimited data usage for only $19 per month. That’s awesome! Unfortunately, it’s hung its hat on a single slow, unsatisfying phone with wobbly call quality. We love Republic’s plans, but we can’t recommend this device.

There's no denying that there's a real need for tough mobile phones, since these devices tend to take a lot of abuse on the go. Certainly the $99.99 Motorola Defy XT is a big improvement over rugged handsets that came before it. Its compact and classy styling doesn't scream armor-plated like, sa,y the Casio G'zone Commando or even Motorola's previous Defy model. Still, the Defy XT's archaic components won't just be a buzz-kill for hard-core Android users who demand cutting-edge power. Average users too will be unsatisfied by the Defy XT's slow performance tackling everyday tasks. If you're shopping for a highly portable Android phone on U.S. Cellular and for you, features play second fiddle to ruggedness, the $129.99 HTC One V boasts a better camera and a stylish metal design, plus it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. And of course, those who have money to burn should strongly consider the current Android king of the hill, the $299.99 Samsung Galaxy S3. Even so, if you're set on buying an Android handset for U.S. Cellular that can really take a licking, the Motorola Defy XT is your best option.

The water-resistant, dustproof Motorola Defy XT for U.S. Cellular is good for a trip to the beach, but is otherwise best left on the shelf.