The Black RAZR V3 is the wireless phone I have always wanted. It's that simple.
Before having bought mine, I would read commentary from people who would cite all of the features the RAZR doesn't have: "I could buy the (insert model number of cheaper, but still expensive phone which does 100 different things--all of them poorly) and get more for a lot less money." When I would research a model recommended by these self-proclaimed gadget freaks, I'd find that it's dimensions make keeping it in a pocket an awkward and uncomfortable proposition; I'd find that the pictures it takes are not nearly of comparable quality to those taken by even a modest digital camera; I'd find that the lo-res video it can shoot serves no practical purpose; I'd find that web-browsing, game-playing, Instant messaging, streaming television content, all suck up battery-life and ultimately make the device useless for the unlikely purpose of placing and taking phone calls; I'd find that the phone casing is composed of cheap and flimsy plastics which make me wonder how long it wll last; I'd find that little attention had been paid to how the phone's design will contribute to, or detract from, user comfort. After my investigation, I concluded that for all the money I would save by buying "Phone X" over buying a RAZR, I would still have paid hundreds too much for a filmsy hunk of cutting-edge technojunk. (Don't take my word for it. Look around on the Net for comments about the RAZR around the time of its inroduction and see the recommendations from consumers that people choose the Motorola V600 instead. Then look at the consumer reviews of the V600 on this site.)
The RAZR has a camera, a web-browser, Instant messaging capability, and a whole array of other features all of which are listed in the product description. To the extent that the RAZR does these things adequately I will offer little, if any, comment--mainly because I don't care about them. That to which I can and will attest is that the RAZR exceeds my expectation on how it serves AS A PHONE.
Using my own criteria, a wireless phone should draw and hold a signal; It's earpiece should deliver clear sound at a volume which can compete with background noise; it's mouthpiece should pick up the users voice clearly; it should be compact enough to allow for placement in clothing pockets without creating prominent bulges; it should be solidly built out of durable materials which are not prone to scratching; it should have decent battery life. And yes, anything for which I pay hundreds of dollars should be designed with aesthetics in mind: there are far too many wireless phones which look like disposable children's toys, or like awkward, all-purpose, button-riddled gadgets.
Using the above criteria, the RAZR V3, particularly the Black model, is close to perfect. The sound from the ear piece could certainly be louder, but I have yet to have a caller's voice drowned out by the noise of busy New York City streets. The people to whom I'm speaking have reported to have heard my voice loudly and clearly. Battery life could be longer, but then, the same could be said about many wireless phones which are bulkier and have larger batteries. I have used the phone on both T-Mobile and Cingular networks and found that it draws a strong signal on both; it has never dropped a call. I found the speaker phone to be loud and clear despite my expectations to the contrary. Is the much-lamented Motorola phone book program clunky? Yes it is. But the RAZR's voice-dialing works well, making it possible to avoid scrolling through the phone book if one hates it that much.
I'll try to boil it down with a somewhat clumsy analogy: Complaining that the RAZR doesn't do enough in the way of tech-gimmicks to justify its price (which is considerably lower that it was when it was introduced) is like complaining that an exotic sports car isn't worth the money because it doesn't have a cup holder, a GPS system, and DVD player like the Minivan you've been looking to buy. That ridiculousness ignores the engineering that makes the sports car a superior performer on the road, and the attention put toward making it sleek and aesthetically pleasing. The RAZR's performance has made concern over signal strength a thing of the past. and its design is unmatched--not just for it's ultra-compactness, but for the solidity of it's build. That makes it worth what I paid for it. And my inability to speak to the quality of other phones on the market put them out of consideration.
Besides, as they say, black is beautiful.
That the RAZR cannot serve as a business-card scanner doesn't trouble me. For those who need to have whichever feature-laden mobile gadget is most desired at the moment, buy a Samsung MM-A800, clip it on you belt (you'll need to), and earn yourself the right to say your phone can do just about everything--poorly. Motorola RAZR V3 Unlocked Phone with Camera, and Video Player--International Version with No Warranty (Black) - Motorola - Cell Phone - Unlocked - Razr'
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