Motorola MILESTONE 3 XT860 Comprehensive Specs Pricing & Insights

Overview

Motorola MILESTONE 3 XT860, released in September 2011, represents a significant milestone in the evolution of smartphones, notable for its robust QWERTY keyboard and the feature-rich Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread operating system. Despite being discontinued, this device maintains a place in tech history owing to its unique combination of hardware and software capabilities.

Design and Build

The MILESTONE 3 XT860 sports a compact design measuring 123.3 x 64.1 x 12.9 mm and weighs 184 grams, making it relatively easy to handle despite being slightly heavy by today's standards. The physical QWERTY keyboard is a standout feature, catering to users who prefer tactile feedback for typing. The phone's exterior is reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass, providing durability and resistance to scratches and minor impacts.

Display

Featuring a 4.0-inch TFT display, the device offers a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 275 ppi. While it might not compete with modern high-resolution screens, at its launch, this display provided a decent visual experience, adequate for browsing, media consumption, and gaming.

Performance

Under the hood, the Motorola MILESTONE 3 XT860 is powered by a TI OMAP 4430 chipset with a dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU and PowerVR SGX540 GPU. This setup was considered quite competent for multitasking and running applications smoothly when the device debuted. Although limited by today's standards, it offered satisfactory performance for basic smartphone functionalities and supported numerous apps available on Android 2.3.4 platform.

Memory and Storage

The device comes with 512MB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which may not seem substantial now, but were standard for smartphones of its era. The inclusion of a microSDHC slot allowed users to expand storage, providing more flexibility for multimedia storage and application usage.

Camera

Photography enthusiasts had access to an 8 MP main camera with autofocus and LED flash, capable of capturing relatively high-quality images and videos at 1080p@30fps. The VGA front camera, while modest, was suitable for video calls, which were just gaining popularity. Though basic by today's standards, the camera system was competitive at launch, especially in good lighting conditions.

Battery Life

Equipped with a removable Li-Ion 1540 mAh battery, the MILESTONE 3 XT860 could hold up to 240 hours on standby and offered talk time of up to 9 hours and 20 minutes. This was sufficient for a day's worth of moderate usage, depending on the extent of use of power-intensive features like GPS and mobile data.

Connectivity and Network

The phone supports GSM and HSPA network technologies, with 2G and 3G band compatibility ensuring strong connectivity for calls and mobile internet. It can reach speeds up to HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps, adequate for the internet needs at that time. The inclusion of GPS with A-GPS support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, and a stereo FM radio further enhance its connectivity options.

Audio and Multimedia

In terms of sound, the device includes a loudspeaker and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, providing good audio output for music and calls. The device also supports a variety of media formats, making it a suitable companion for entertainment on-the-go.

Software and User Interface

Running on Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, the MILESTONE 3 XT860 offers a user-friendly interface with customizable home screens and access to a wide array of apps from the Android Market. However, the device is not upgradable to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, limiting its ability to run newer apps and features introduced in later versions of the OS.

Additional Features

Useful sensors like the accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass increase its functionality, allowing features like auto screen rotation and enhanced navigation. The phone's SAR values are 0.77 W/kg for head and 1.46 W/kg for body, staying within safe exposure limits.

Market Presence and Legacy

Initially launched at around 180 EUR, the Motorola MILESTONE 3 XT860 attracted a demographic interested in physical keyboards and a robust Android experience. Even though it has been discontinued, its design and feature set continue to resonate with fans of vintage technology and those who appreciate the tactile feedback of a QWERTY keyboard.

Conclusion

The Motorola MILESTONE 3 XT860 stands as a testament to a transitional period in smartphone development, where the move toward full-touch interfaces was beginning but had not yet fully taken over. With its rich feature set and focus on usability, it carved out a niche among users who valued physical keyboards and solid build quality. Though it might not keep pace with today's technological advancements, it remains a cherished piece of mobile history.