Razr2 V9 on AT&T Cell Phone Review - Tour & Design
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Mark Brezinski Published on October 02, 2007 Comment on this |
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Front Closed
The very top of the front of the Razr2 V9 is home to its camera lens. Below that, to the top left of the Motorola insignia, is a small LED that glows green when the phone is charging. Below this is the external screen.
Front Open
The top half of the open Razr2 V9 is dedicated to the main screen. The bottom half starts out with the d-pad and its entourage. The top row of buttons consists of the two soft keys. The next row down sports shortcuts to the browser and cellular video, and the last row is where you can find the send and end keys on either side of a back/clear key.
Left
The left side of the phone starts with the volume rocker, below which is the "Smart Key." The Smart Key is the external screen's select button and unlock key. At the opposite end is the data/power micro USB port.
Top
There's nothing on the top but the phone's casing.
Bottom
The bottom has a couple of slits for the microphone.
Right
The right side features the shutter button.
Back
The only notable feature on the back of the phone is the battery cover.
Battery Out
With the battery cover off, you can see the Micro SD and SIM card slots. Removing the battery doesn't reveal any particularly interesting features, but is necessary to get to the SIM card.
In the Box (3.0)
In our other reviews of the Razr2 we pointed out that, for an expensive phone, it really doesn't come with much in the box. In an interesting twist, our AT&T-branded Razr2 came with no box at all; it came inside a plastic sandwich bag. Inside our Ziplock was the phone, its charger, and a USB cable for micro USB ports. It didn't even come with any manuals, but we're assuming AT&T will at least include a few advertisement flyers in your plastic bag. Of course, if you were to receive your phone in an actual retail box, you'd find everything we did, plus manuals and a 3.5mm headphone adapter.
Handling (5.0)
The new Razr has a bit more heft to it than the original did. It feels really solid and fits comfortably in the hand. While the front and back do tend to feel slippery, the sides have a texture to them that should help with grip.
Portability (8.0)
The Razr is just as portable as ever, sized to fit in pockets, purses, and bags with equal ease.
Aesthetics (8.0)
The Razr2 V9 looks good. It's nothing flashy like the iPhone or E90, but that's what happens when your design sets an aesthetic standard; subsequent renditions come off as a bit ... standard. The huge external screen helps a lot in reinventing said standard, however. While you won't run into any obnoxious case colors at the moment, we're sure your hot pinks and retina-burning oranges will be available once again. One knock against its aesthetics is its shiny metal casing and glossy screen, since they do nothing but showcase hand grease all day long. The new Razr is the greasiest phone we've reviewed since the new Chocolate. Again, however, keep it clean and it's quite the looker.
Durability (7.0)
The Razr2 seems to be well constructed. It's sturdy overall, though the halves can move parallel to each other slightly in the closed position. Moving parts are always a concern, but the Razr2 seems to be solid; the hinge feels tough enough to stand up to extended use. Compare this to the Samsung Blast if you wish to assuage any durabilty fears.
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