Motorola Razr2 V9m on Verizon Cell Phone Review - Making/Receiving Calls
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Alfredo Padilla Published on September 12, 2007 Comment on this |
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Dialing Speed (5.75)
To test how easy it is to make a call on the Razr2 V9m we time how long it takes to go from phone closed until we have dialed each of five different phone numbers. As you would expect, Verizon's version of the Razr2 V9m took just about the same time in this test as Sprint's version, 3.48 seconds on average. Overall this is a solid time, better than the old Razr V3m, but not as good as the new LG Chocolate.
| Cell Phone | Time (sec) | Score |
| Razr2 V9m (Verizon) | 3.48 | 5.75 |
| Helio Fin | 3.64 | 5.49 |
| Razr2 V9m (Sprint) | 3.58 | 5.59 |
| Razr V3m | 4.90 | 4.08 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 2.96 | 6.76 |
| Apple iPhone | 3.96 | 5.05 |
Talk and End Buttons (6.5)
The talk and end buttons on the Razr2 V9m are located above the keypad and flanking the d-pad. The buttons are easy to find by feel and roomy enough so you don't get any mistaken presses. Our problem with them is the same we've had about all Razrs with the one piece metal keypad/controls, namely that key travel is almost non-existent and tactile feedback isn't very good. Still, these issues don't detract too much, and the keys otherwise do a very good job.
Call Management (6.5)
The call history on the Razr2 V9m can be accessed in a couple of ways. From the home screen you can simply hit the send key to see a list of all calls, incoming or outgoing. Or you can enter the menus and see a more complete call history, which can be filtered by missed, received, dialed, or all calls. Unlike the Razr2 V9m from Sprint, where you can easily move between these filters by moving left/right on the d-pad, the Verizon version requires you back out to the Call History menu to view a different filter. Items you don't get on the Sprint version include total call and data counters, which we like to see. During a call the left soft key is assigned to the mute function and the right soft key opens a menu. This menu gives you access to various programs like notes, messaging, and recent calls, and also allows you to control Bluetooth and record the call. Like the Sprint version of Razr2 V9m there is a dedicated key for speaker phone, although on the Verizon Razr2 it is located on the left side of the phone beneath the volume keys rather than to the left of the d-pad. We like the ability to record a call and think a dedicated speaker phone key is a little bit of a waste. Other than these items it's pretty standard fare.
Startup to Call (4.38)
To find out how quickly you can turn your phone on and make a call we test the same five numbers we use for our calling test above. Verizon's Razr2 V9m took an average of 22.82 seconds to start up and make a call. This is significantly better than Sprint's version, which took more than five seconds longer on average. Because the hardware is exactly the same we can only speculate that the difference is due to the different software interface used on the two devices. The Razr2 V9m performed very well compared to other phones, as well.
| Cell Phone | Time (sec) | Score |
| Razr2 V9m (Verizon) | 22.82 | 4.38 |
| Helio Fin | 28.18 | 3.55 |
| Razr2 V9m (Sprint) | 37.90 | 2.64 |
| Razr V3m | 35.70 | 2.80 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 22.37 | 4.47 |
| Apple iPhone | 26.12 | 3.83 |
Ring Volume (8.57)
To test ring volume we set handset volume to maximum and run through all the ringtones on the device until we identify the loudest. We measure volume using a sound pressure meter from a couple of inches away. The Razr2 V9m's loudest ringtone measured 85.7 decibels, which is pretty standard.
| Cell Phone | Volume (decibels) | Score |
| Razr2 V9m (Verizon) | 85.70 | 8.57 |
| Helio Fin | 85.60 | 8.56 |
| Razr2 V9m (Sprint) | 84.70 | 8.47 |
| Razr V3m | 88.00 | 8.80 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 85.40 | 8.54 |
| Apple iPhone | 84.90 | 8.49 |
Ringtone Customizability (0.0)
Like the Sprint version of the Razr2 V9m, Verizon's version does not allow you to use your music files as ringtones. Unlike the Sprint version you also can't use recordings from the voice recorder as ringtones.
Non Audio Alerts (6.0)
The Razr2 V9m's vibrate alert is not very impressive. You could easily miss a call if the phone is in a pants pocket, and you're very unlikely to notice it if it's in your bag or jacket. The external screen does a very good job of making it clear when a call comes in, lighting up with information about the incoming call. This is only helpful, however, if you happen to be looking at the phone when the call comes in.
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