Cyber Monday 2011: iPhone 4 vs Motorola Atrix 4G

AT&T offers both the iPhone 4 and Atrix 4G for $100 on their Web site, but which one is better? iPhone 4 is over a year old now, and Atrix will be getting the Android 4.0 update next year. Besides the new software update, Atrix has a bigger screen and one of the highest resolution displays out there. It's even got a fingerprint scanner so once the 4.0 update hits, you'll have a bevy of security features to choose from including the Face Unlock. iPhone 4 has a better camera to go with its top notch screen resolution.

Atrix is being sold with the newest Android version, but it also includes a custom Motorola skin called MotoBlur. The interface won't look like many other Android devices, and it includes some apps, like Blockbuster, that tend to ping you with notifications about registering and using them. Some of these apps cannot be deleted, and even some of the Android customization is disabled on the device.

It does have a huge battery, though, and it's in a chassis that is not much thicker than the iPhone. So on the tech specs front, it's pretty evenly matched with iPhone 4. What really separates Atrix from iPhone 4 is its ability to function as a quasi laptop with the addition of one of the docks Motorola sells separately for the device. There is a laptop or desktop dock, but both are quite expensive, and as mentioned are sold separately.

These two devices are so closely matched, it is hard to recommend one over the other. If you live in one of the few cities where AT&T's 4G is enabled, the Atrix will let you take advantage of that. Combined with the promise of the Android 4.0 update, that might be the way to go. If neither of those features really excites you, then you should go with the one you like best or the one that offers the apps you are looking for. As with so many devices, you should head over to the AT&T store to get a good feel for the devices before buying. Tell us in the comments if you are shopping for AT&T devices this holiday season.