The device gods were good to me last weekend when I got the new Motorola Q9. A lot of people dismiss this phone as a slightly improved Q, which I understand. However, I was excited about this phone as I have high expectations for the Q9 to be my new primary phone replaing my fantastic Dash.

So I popped an AT&T 3G SIM card and started using the Q9 yesterday. Here are my initial impressions:

• Battery life is great - I am using the standard slim battery. Started syncing yesterday at 7:30 AM, my phone is scheduled to sync "as items arrive" (i.e. in real time) from 7 AM to 9 PM. I browsed the web, downloaded a couple megabytes of stuff, played a few games, made phone callls, etc. Right now it is 9:30 AM of the next day and I still have one power bar (out of three). If this is not enough for you, the phone comes with an extended battery which should last about twice.
• It is wide. When you first look at the phone next to a Dash or a Blackjack it looks pretty wide. However, it is really comfortable for me to hold and it fits just as well in my pocket or my portfolio. The benefit of the wider design is a super comfortable keyboard. I had heard from every other person I know who has a Q9 that it is the best keyboard in a mobile device and I have to say I agree. Plus, it is only 11.8 wide.
• It feels solid. A bit heavier than the Dash, it looks like it is a very durable, well-built phone. The screen is beautiful - high contrast and easy to read. It looks professional and sturdy. My Dash starts to look a little roo rounded for me.
• It is screaming fast. Using the online test at http://text.dslreports.com/mspeed I got consistently 500-620 Kbps. Most of the credit goes to AT&Ts HSDPA 3G network (why people complain of AT&T when the iPhone is the one that is slow). Your speed may be different based on HSDPA coverage, proximity to the tower and number of concurrent users at a given point in time.
• Awesome Camera. 2 megapixels are notimpressive anymore, but there is no lag, as in zero, as in click - done, here is your picture. The quality is petty good too.

So, does it trump the Dash as my personal favorite? I need a few more days to decide but it is looking really good for the Q9. I have no problem recommending it to anyone.