Motorola RAZR V3i

Motorola RAZR V3i

Introduction

The original Motorola RAZR V3 was released for Cingular in late 2004. And while other carriers have gotten newer and more advanced versions of the iconic handheld, Cingular customers have patiently waited for a successor.

With the new RAZR V3i, Motorola undertook the challenge of improving upon the look, design, and features of the popular original. Replacing a legend is never easy, but the V3i presents a long overdue upgrade over the original while offering a design update that maintains its trademark ultra-slim profile.

The V3i was originally scheduled for release at the end of 2005, but mysteriously delayed until now. Consequently, some of the phone's features are dated and no longer cutting edge, but the addition of a memory card slot, 1.23-megapixel camera, and iTunes make the V3i a welcome improvement over the original RAZR.

Having addressed the shortcomings of the original RAZR, the V3i provides an attractive new design to once again stand out in an ultra-thin market.

Design

Building on the V3's popular design, the V3i offers an updated and streamlined look while maintaining its ultra-slim profile. Dark gunmetal gray casing that features a brushed texture on the upper section gives the phone an interesting and stylish look. The solid feel and smooth lines of the V3 have only been enhanced by the V3i's updates.

The clear area that surrounds the 65K-color external LCD has grown and now encompasses the Motorola logo that glows blue whenever the external screen's backlight is activated. The small external screen offers at-a-glance access to the time, network status, and battery strength.

Located at the top of the phone is the 1.23-megapixel digital camera which allows the user to take photos up to 1280 x 960 px. For self-portraits or group shots the external LCD can be used as the viewfinder.

Along the sides of the phone are shortcut keys that allow for easy access when the clamshell is closed or while speaking on the phone. A dedicated Voice Key on the right activates the MotoSpeak advanced speech recognition feature. Along the left side, the Volume Keys can be used to adjust the volume of the ringer, earpiece, and external speaker. Below the volume buttons, a Smart Key has a variety of uses - including as a selection key or to take a picture with the clamshell closed. A multi-function port on the bottom left accommodates the charger, Motorola headset, or USB cable to connect to a PC.

The external speaker for use with the Speakerphone or MP3 player can be found on the bottom of the handset's back. The upper half of the back comes off to reveal the battery, memory, and SIM cards.

Minor improvements are offered on the stylized interior that features the nickel-plated copper alloy keypad and blue electro-luminescence panel. With the removal of some superfluous lines, the keypad offers a cleaner look and raised arrows on the 5-way navigational button make it easier to navigate. An iTunes button has also been added to the keypad - replacing the messaging key - to make it easier to access the music player.

A new 262K-color LCD offers bright and vivid images at 176 x 220 px in resolution. At the top of the keypad, the Menu and Left and Right softkeys offer intuitive control while MEdiaNet and iTunes buttons offer convenient shortcuts. Send and End Keys fill out the rest of the top section which features the 5-Way Navigation Button in the middle. The V3i's unique and ultra-thin keypad features a cool blue glow, and is easy to use but does have a different feel that may require some adjustment for heavy text messagers.

Inside and out, the RAZR V3i combines style with cutting edge details that make it unique from other phones on the market and even manage to set it apart from the original V3.

Out of the box, the Motorola RAZR V3i comes with a Standard 750 mAh Li-Ion Battery, Charger, 512 MB Memory Card, Headphones with Hands-Free Speaker, USB Cable, iTunes CD, Quick Reference Guide, and User Manual.

Camera

Built in to the V3i's slim case is a 1.23-megapixel digital camera that can be operated by the Smart Key. Using the internal LCD as a viewfinder, the user is able to take pictures up to 1280 x 960 px; a significant step up from the V3's VGA camera.

In addition to high resolution (1280 x 960 px) photos, the V3i can also take pictures at 640 x 480 px, 320 x 240 px, and 160 x 120 px. The navigation pad adjusts the lighting conditions (Automatic, Sunny, Cloudy, Indoor Home, Indoor Office, Night) and the 8x Digital Zoom. Available at all resolutions, the digital zoom does not allow for finer detail as it merely crops the image further with each level of zoom. A Self-Timer (Off, 5 sec, and 10 sec) is also offered on the V3i.

Self portraits are easy to take with the V3i through the use of the external LCD. Using the Smart key on the side of the phone, the user can take photos without opening the clamshell.

Lacking flash, low light conditions can present a problem for the V3i's camera. The Indoor and Night lighting modes can improve the camera's performance but its effectiveness is limited when the lights go down.

Video clips can be taken with the V3i and stored or sent through the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). Zoom is available for video clips but the zoom level can not be adjusted once recording has begun. Video length is limited only by the amount of space on the memory card but for sending through MMS they are restricted to around 30 seconds.

At 1.23-megapixels, the V3i's camera is a mid-level offering that can serve as an adequate replacement for a full time digital camera under regular lighting conditions. While it doesn't boast the resolution of the 2 or 3-megapixels cameras that are available on the newest phones, it is far superior to the VGA cameras on entry level phones. While the camera is able to take print quality photos, its video capabilities are limited, making it a fun, novelty feature but little else.