Razr2 V9 on AT&T Cell Phone Review - Software
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Mark Brezinski Published on October 02, 2007 Comment on this |
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OS (1.0)
Like the Sprint and Verizon versions, AT&T eschews Motorola's new Java/Linux-based operating system for an old proprietary one. Just as on the other two phones, the OS feels vapid and inappropriate for the hardware. Like its brethren, this Razr2 can't play videos on the external screen. Unlike the other Razr2 phones, however, the external screen can only handle music playback; the other two phones have a few applications that can be run on the outside display.
Also, some of the applications are hidden away in locations. For example, e-mail isn't included in the Messaging menu, and can instead be found in the "Games & Apps" folder. The same goes for IM. Though a passable OS in a lower-end phone, it simply isn't appropriate in a mid-range device like the Razr2. The OS's insufficiency is compounded by the availability of a better operating system and advanced hardware that isn't being taken advantage of.
Home Screen Score (5.0)
The home screen on the V9 is standard. At the top you'll find signal strength and battery life. At the bottom is the time, as well as the soft key descriptions, which are Options and Main menu. The select button also opens the menu. The four directions of the d-pad also have default shortcuts: up links to a new text message, right boots up the IM client, left opens up mobile e-mail, and down brings up the address book. The mobile e-mail and IM shortcuts are really useful, as both programs are otherwise hidden in a nest of menus. We would've liked the shortcuts to be visible at all times, or for the right soft key and select to handle different functions, but other than that, the home screen is good for a non-business device.
Extensibility (3.0)
The V9 isn't very extensible. You can install some Java applications, but third-party programs aren't supported.
Customizability (3.0)
OS Responsiveness (7.0)
The OS is fairly responsive, and we didn't experience much lag while opening menus or applications. We liken the Razr2's ability to handle its OS to a state-of-the-art gaming rig being able to run Minesweeper. Though it's faster than the previous Razr, we can't help but wonder what else the Razr2's hardware could have handled. We normally reserve scores above 7 for phones that are capable of running complex applications smoothly. While we're sure the Razr2 V9 could've done this to some extent, there are no such applications currently available for it.
Browser Features (7.0)
The Razr2 V9 runs Opera 8.0, which is a solid browser for a mobile phone. It can handle WAP, HTML, images, frames, and cookies. It also allows you to save websites and has URL prediction based on your Web history. You can store bookmarks, but there isn't much offered in the way of organization. The phone does support Javascript, but had some problems with our test Javascript sites. The browser lacks password management or encryption, and was unable to handle Flash or Java applets. There also isn't any support for feeds.
Browsing Interface (5.0)
Web pages are reformatted a bit to fit on the Razr2's display. This might make the text appear small at first, but the zoom in function allows you to change the font size (Note: this doesn't actually zoom; images remain the same size). There aren't multiple view options, but getting around is fairly easy with the "Scan Page" scroll setting enabled. The screen can't be rotated, however, and you can't view Web pages using the external screen.
History on the V9 is a bit of an urban legend. Though alluded to in menus, no one has actually seen this "Internet history." The same is true of the cookies and cache: although you can choose to clear them, you can't actually view them. Just about the only tangible hint there is of a history besides being able to empty it is the predictive URL entry. Also, the last URL you've typed in is saved in the URL entry form, and must be erased in order to type in another one. We found this incredibly annoying. Bookmarks, on the other hand, are very simple and to the point. Newer bookmarks just get dropped at the bottom. While there isn't any file structure you can create, you can organize your bookmarks somewhat via a grab and drop system.
Though a bit basic, the V9's browser is certainly easy to use. Our main gripe was the URL entry's memory. We also would've liked to see more advanced functionality, given this phone's class. As it is, some lower-range phones have comparable browsers.
Browser Access (5.0)
Unlike our other timing tests, we measure the speed of browser access in steps. We would normally use time as we feel it more accurately captures complexity, but browsing, carriers, and reception could drastically affect the score. Again, we begin with the phone closed and unlocked, then count how many input steps are necessary to open a website. We count opening the phone (if necessary) and entering in the URL as one step each. The V9 managed to get a Web page up in 8 steps. Once opened, we pressed the browser shortcut key. From there four steps were spent in menu navigation bringing up the URL entry dialogue. Once you've deleted in the old URL and entered in the desired one, all that's left is hitting OK.
| Cell Phone | Steps | Score |
| Razr2 V9 | 8 | 5.00 |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 8 | 5.00 |
| Nokia N75 | 8 | 5.00 |
| Samsung Blast | 6 | 6.67 |
| Helio Fin | 6 | 6.67 |
| Apple iPhone | 4 | 10 |
Gaming (5.0)
The V9 actually has a decent array of games. Granted, they're all trial versions, but they aren't all Tetris, Breakout, or Bejeweled rip-offs, which is refreshing. One of the demos is for Diner Dash, which is basically a multitasking game that has you pressing buttons that correspond to a table, food, or patron. It also has a ridiculous combo system where you can chain together actions for more points. There are the typical bowling/golf/billiards games and lounge games, as well as a Tetris and Bejeweled knock-off and a Scrabble game that's more like Boggle than anything else. This phone's Tetris look-alike is Lumines, which has held its own on the PSP despite being only barely dissimilar from Tetris. The Bejeweled clone is differentiated by its desert treasure-hunting theme and is augmented by a storyline, however needless these inclusions may be. It is also slightly more complex, as each stage has a larger objective than the swapping action of regular Bejeweled. Overall, a solid selection of games that only allow 15-20 seconds of free gameplay each.
Calculator (4.0)
The calculator on the V9 is quite poor. It has a flagrant disregard for mathematics, and only takes one operator at a time. This means 2 + 3 * 5 will output 25, since the Razr2 can't handle order of operations. This means you'll have to save math above second grade levels for your Ti-83, or perhaps an astute eight-year-old. The V9's calculator has memory functions, a percentage option, and can handle negative numbers. It even has a do-it-yourself exchange rate calculator, but can't perform square roots or exponents. The only saving grace of this calculator is that it's relatively easy to use, given you're only trying to solve relatively easy-to-solve equations. In summary, if you have problems adding in your head, or your abacus is busted, the Razr2 can help.
Alarm (2.0)
Alarms on the V9 are very basic. You set a title, time, alert, and volume. You can make multiple alarms, but you can't set them to repeat. If you want a daily reminder to wake up, you'll have to go through the calendar application every time.
Document Software (0.0)
The V9 doesn't allow you to view or edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF documents.
Other Software (0.0)
The V9 has no other software of note.
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