Motorola Droid 2 released in US with Android 2.2 goodness

The Motorola Droid 2, a sequel to the phone known in the UK as the Milestone, has been launched in the US. The phone will run Android 2.2 and look similar design-wise to the original Milestone, but there are noticeable differences under the hood.

The processor has been given a boost to 1GHz, up from 550MHz. The Droid 2 has a better memory than its older model, with an increase in RAM from 256MB to 512MB. On-board storage has also been significantly increased, from a piddling 256MB to a much beefier 8GB.

A redesign of the slide-out keyboard means it won't carry directional keys. It will, however, still have a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash. The Droid 2 also offers a significant increase in talk and standby time.

Due to the increased capability of Android 2.2, there are two major software differences. Firstly, the Droid 2 can run Adobe Flash Player 10.1. Secondly, it can be used as a 3G mobile hotspot -- for a fee. The original Milestone doesn't have Flash support and it can't be used as a hotspot at all.

There's no indication of when the Droid 2, will be available here or whether it will be called the Milestone 2 as we expect. There was quite a lull between the original Droid coming out in the US and its arrival in the UK, so you might be twiddling your thumbs for some time.

A pimped-up Star Wars version of the Droid 2 is also in the pipeline. The phone is rumoured to carry exclusive Star Wars content as well as external hardware that makes it look like R2D2. This version doesn't look likely to become available in the UK, unfortunately, because it'll probably keep its boring Milestone moniker.

That's not all from Motorola, which seems to have been hard at work on its Android development. Another device, the Motorola XT806, has been spotted on a Chinese Web site by Engadget, this time sporting the same flip style the company had so much success with in its Razr days.