Moto Q9h vs. BlackJack II

Pocketnow.com has just finished up a spate of articles pitting the Motorola Q9h against the BlackJack II (Samsung Jack if you're nasty). Go on and take a look at Brandon's opinions (including some nice videos), then come on back and take a look at mine.

These two devices are particularly well-suited to a head-to-head, both seemingly have identical feature sets. Once you move past a spec listing, though, and actually use the device day to day, you'll find that it's the little things that get ya. I initially took a look at the BlackJack II and the Q9h and saw that both phones share:

• Windows Mobile 6 Standard
• HSDPA
• GPS
• 240x320 Screen
• TI OMAP 2420 Processor (more on that in a bit)
• 256mb ROM, around 100mb RAM

You look at the above and you think - “These are basically identical phones. Obviously I want the one with the better form factor and the better battery life.” That, my friends, would be the BlackJack II. Done, right? Not so much - read on to find out why.

The other specs

On paper, the BlackJack II seems to have only one downside -- its processor is clocked at a slower speed. On the other hand, combine that slower speed with a relatively large battery and you have a device that should last from here to eternity. Add in the fact that the BlackJack II has a much more holdable form factor and you have a clear winner. On paper.

...You see where I'm going with this, don't you? Yes, I prefer the Q9h. Below are the reasons why, but please bear the following in mind: these are niggles. Tiny complaints. The BlackJack II is a stupendously good device and I would be proud to carry one. I just like the Q9h a stitch more.

The Little Things

Here's what turned me off on the BlackJack II:

Battery Life
It was so-so. Yes, I may have a bum unit, or just need to condition the battery, or am cursed. But the BlackJack II should have just kept going on and on and on and, well, it didn't. Day and a half is what I averaged. The Q9h wasn't quite that good, mind you, but it did make it a day. In fact, where the BlackJack II didn't seem to live up to its battery, the Q9h seems to keep going when it ought not, like it's running on fumes. Maybe it's the automatic screen brightness adjuster, I don't know.

In any case, to make up for the compromises I'm about the enumerate, I needed more from the BlackJack's battery.

Connector
It's not just the fact the BlackJack II use a proprietary, non-standard connector; nor is the fact that this proprietary, non-standard connector different from the original BlackJack's; no, it's the fact that this proprietary, non-standard connector sucks. It jiggles. It charges intermittently over USB. It's a horrible piece of engineering that seems custom-designed to either break or make me feel like I'm about to break it. Not since the Treo's Athena connector has a plug aggravated me so.

Now, the Q9h's connector is no great shakes either. Sure, it's microUSB (and comes with a convenience mini->micro adapter), but Motorola decided to follow in the original Q's “grand” tradition of not charging off of non-Moto USB chargers. But it's a reliable plug and (nominally) standard, so I'll take it.

Speed
The Q9h is faster. Period. You might be thinking “I'm willing to give up some speed in exchange for battery life.” I thought I was. Turns out, I'm not. Everything from web page rendering to mulitasking to, well, you name it and it feels faster and better on the Q9h. Not by a ridiculous amount, mind you, but enough for me to notice. I'll also mention here that “speed” applies to GPS fix time.

Feel
This one surprises me, because initially I was very much turned off by the Q9h's form factor. The BlackJack is just about the perfect width for a smartphone, just the right compromise. As for the Q9h... I've taken the liberty of placing the Q9h in context so you can get an idea of just how wide it feels in your hand (especially when holding it up to your ear), pictured at right.

It's wide.

However, the Q9h also feels 10 times better than the BlackJack when you're typing on its spacious keyboard. It also doesn't pick up fingerprints like an intern at CSI like the BlackJack II does. It also has more hardware shortcut buttons (customizable via the registry). It also doesn't have a annoying power button on the top, it uses the END key for power like a proper phone should.

We could probably call this category a draw, actually, but I'm finding I just slightly prefer the Q9h. Strange but true.

It's the Software, Stupid

The long and the short of why I like the Q9h better is that it has better built-in software:

• Opera Mobile.
• DocsToGo. (No notes app though, but DocsToGo fills in fine since the processor is so quick).
• Quick access to changing ring volume without resorting to changing profiles.
• Very convenient software controls for bluetooth control (a must when dealing with multiple A2DP devices).

The BlackJack II has a few nice “traditional phone” apps -- including a default alarm app that beats the WM Standard alarm, but these little apps don't compare to having DocsToGo and Opera Mobile come standard.

So there you go, I agree with Brandon that the Q9h is slightly better than the BlackJack II. “Great minds,” eh? I'll be giving the BJII another shot here in the coming weeks, but for now I'm happy on the Q9h side of life.

[Note - it seems clear that the Q9h has Bluetooth 2.0, not 1.2. Story updated]