Motorola RAZR2 V8
Average Ratings
Quality and Luxury. Great phone!!!
Build Quality
========
I must say, this phone is VERY well put together. This truely looks like a 21st Century phone. The vacuumed glass and metal body fits together nicely and now you dont have to be "lucky" to get a battery cover that fits properly.
It's truely exudes luxury and exclusivesity.
RF Performance
==========
On par with the V3xx as I use this phone with AT&T service. I get the same RF performance (subjective because I can only look at the bars) while i drove around with both phones.
This will definately pull in a signal in fringe areas. (For those of you who have 1900Mhz service or T-Mobile--your mileage may vary.)
Call Quality
=======
I live in a GSM/EDGE only area. Compared with my V3xx the calls come thru a little louder and a lot clearer, especially in louder environments such as a shopping mall or the beach.
I imagine this has something to do with the Crystal Talk technology.
Sound Quality
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The speakerphone and audio playback definately sounds better than the sounds from my V3xx. While the V8 doesnt have TRUE stereo speakers (the main speaker is still on the back), it does have a deeper, richer and more full sound to it.
Operating System
============
The LJ (Linux/Java) interface is certainly a welcome change over the Synergy interface. With a memory manager this phone would be a perfect multitasking platform.
The home screen is fully customizable (for the most part) and you can move folder/icons around, create new folders, etc. I say for the most part because there are a few applications that you cannot rename or change.
Displays
======
I agree with Alpha that the internal 2.2" display could have been a little bigger. Your eyes do play tricks with you because of the designof the top clamshell, but it in noway detracts from the effectiveness of image quality.
For the external screen. This screen is beautiful.
CONS
====
1. Needs more outer screen functionality.
2. Needs 3G.
Nice exterior package...
The RAZR2 V8 (V8 for T-mobile, V9 for most others) is a pretty device, no doubt. The exterior screen is probably the first and most impressive feature you'll notice, as it is huge and has high resolution. It also has touch-sensitive keys and a nice glossy look. Open it up and you see another 240x320 screen, a big flat keypad, and a good looking UI. All in all, it casts a very favorable first impression, much like its namesake the V3 RAZR initially did.
Unfortunately, it shares something else with the V3. That is, when you actually start using the thing, you become less and less impressed with it.
Pros: As you might have gathered by now, it's a very pretty device. It looks futuristic and has a nice metal/rubber finish.
Screens are both very big and easy to see. A massive improvement over even the latest V3 series (e.g. V3xx).
Download/call quality is good.
Battery life is better than average for an ultraslim handset.
Keypad is large and feels solid.
Nice browser.
Lots of internal memory.
Cons: UI performance is actually quite sluggish, especially for something vaunted for its processing power. You will often accidentally toggle an item on a previous menu, because it took too long to load your selection. Yikes.
The UI in general is poorly designed and less than intuitive. I guess if you're used to Motorola, however, you'll be used to this.
It's pretty much impossible to open the phone with one hand, unless you have really big hands.
The device is quite heavy for its size.
Though the exterior display is huge and nice, it's not really that useful.
Memory can't be expanded... odd.
Considering how much it costs, the V8 isn't really as good a device as it should be. It looks and feels impressive, but when you power it on and play around with it you find it's just another phone with no particularly unique features and as many bugs as any other new handset.
Great looking but fragile
I recently owned a T-mobile branded V8 and was impressed with it overall. The product description from Motorola and several reviews touts the phone as "strong", "solid" and "well built". I can't agree with most of those adjectives as my V8 hinge completely failed after dropping it on a carpeted floor (it separated into two halves). I've owned several Razr V3's and none of them were that fragile.
When the phone was operational, the bottom buttons on the keypad felt very flimsy - as if there was much behind them to keep the keypad itself from snapping.
The phone is extremely attractive though and the glass covering over the exterior screen is tougher than it looks. I had no problems with the functions working properly, but the battery life was definately sub par (had to recharge it every night or else it would die).
If phone appearance and cell "bling" are important to you, then you might be able to deal with the shortcomings of the V8
Some of the other reviews here aren't very fair to the phone, as some "cons" are the result of user error:
The phone DOES support vibe and ring profiles - it just does it in a very different way. This is actually a strong point of the phone, as it not only lets you select different sounds for the alert profiles, but also lets you mix alert styles unlike other Moto phones
Also the backlight doesn't have to stay on if the external keys are locked. Backlight duration can be setup in the settings.
I just dont know
I have worked in wireless for 4 years and never in my life have I ever been so excited about a phone release!!! Even playing with the demo from tho Motorola rep I truly thought I had found the phone for me. Over the past few years I have carried the v3 and the v3t i really liked those phones and restored my faith in Motorola, but they were just falling short of perfect.
Once I got the phone I noticed many pros and cons.
Pros:
*Its pretty... All the way around.
*2gb of on board memory is awesome and explains part of the price tag.
*Crystal Talk rocks
*The web browser is good (keep in mind its NOT a pda or smart-phone). Not many phones will go to myspace :)
*Being able to customize the menu is great I love being able to make my own folders for the main menu.
*The MP3 player doesn't kill my battery.
*It plays movies (come on for not being a smart phone thats awesome)
The phone is in a class all of its own!!!
Cons:
*In the shortcuts my alarm option will disappear
*you can not add your own shortcuts in that area.
*I have had my keypad freeze up on me 2 times.
*The phone has issues connecting calls it will show full bars but it just keeps redialing and sayscall failed, then i have to power cycle.
*If you don't like itap tuff!! you can not set reg. ABC mode as your default text mode you must change it every time.
*Text issues... not sending, receiving...
*Other than listening to music bad battery.
*I have a moto bluetooth and I have a lot of problems with it staying connected, connecting and disconnecting.
*I love all the memory but I wish it had a slot.
*Menus remind me of Nokia (Lame)even down to "profiles"
*I hate the back buton I want my text key back
I will keep the phone but I have REALLY mixed feelings. I really do feel it was an awesome concept but poorly executed. Maybe down the road it will rock my face off :) just not now... Maybe the RAZR2 revisited, just an idea.
Still A Slow Razr, But With a Big Screen!
OK they could have done a lot better with the phone. Ive had it now for almost a month and it has froze up on me numerous amounts of times... they created a touched screen jumping its value, but when you figure out tmobile once again bought the lame model... it only has a play/pause,rew,ff feature which the better models that the other carriers have include stuff like menu browsing on the exterior touch screen, message app access ect. tho this device you're able to to view an incoming text message on you aren't able to use the touch screen to hit view or ignore you simply must take your phalanges and hit either the up or down arrow on the side and the select button on the side to accept your option... NOT COOL!!! i was hoping ide get something nicer than this... the camera is a 2.0mp but it still has no flash which makes it horrible... they did a really good job on the 2gb internal memory, but bad on the whole nothing more that that memory... the speaker is really loud but it is very crackly... the inner screen has too much border around it meaning unlike the previous razr this screen is clearer but smaller... the vibrate mode is not worth using because your luck is just as good as having it on silent when someone is calling... i love the message readout feature its great in the car tho you have to open the phone and he doesn't always say the right readout of most words... kind of like that random foreigner trying to give you directions when your lost in a car on your vacation... not a very good thing. but I'm now stuck with it for the next 2 years so whatever i am happy i bought another Motorola due to the fact any mp3 you put on this it can be set as a ring tone! don't recommend but its the best flip phone tmobiles got so its your pick!
Big Beautiful, not enough brains
I had this phone for T-mobile before I returned it. It is a stunningly beautiful phone, but for me phones are more than a fashion statement. For how big and expensive it is, it just doesn't deliver enough, was expecting more. It doesn't have that many features for the price, but it is loaded with tons of useless gimmicks. If you gotta have the coolest, cutest phone regardless of cost, it's a no brainer to get this phone.
PROS :
1. Extremely beautiful, attention-getting
design.
2. Super bright, sharp, wide-angle screen
3. Fast processor for EDGE
CONS :
1. Extremely short battery life, using mp3
player and videos will quickly kill the
battery. As if that's not bad enough, the
phone makes incesstant beeping on your
ear while you're on call if it's being
charged. I talked for 110 minutes one day
on full charge and the battery died.
2. The huge external LCD only touch-screen
for MP3, nothing else
3. Side buttons are not customizable and
are hard to find, and hard to press
without pushing other buttons
4. Lots of gimmicks such as the talking
phone and stupid-ass voice commands.
What dude wants to listen to another
man's voice anyway?
5. Impossible to keep it clean, shows every
fingerprints and smudges, if you clean it
will become dirty in a minute
6. The phone is actually huge once it's
opened, almost 8 inches. Uncomfortable
to hold and press buttons becuase it's
very wide and flat
Razr2 V8
I ordered this phone from T-Mobile the first day it came out, had it for 1 day and decided to return it. First of all it is way bigger than the original Razr, battery life is very short, making a few calls, plus T-zones, plus music player for 1 day completely drains the battery. Camera shoots pics in portrait mode instead of landscape. New Linux user interface takes some getting use to. I had the phone freeze twice hooking up the USB to computer to transfer songs, and just using the menu, had to take out battery to restart. Just too many cons for a phone that would have costed me $327.00, with two year contract extension. I decided to return it in exchange for a RIZR Z3 instead costs half the price, and is smaller.
Pros:
Nice bright screen, great resolution
Fast Web browser using EDGE and
the 500mhz processor
Large internal 2 GB of flash memory
nice music player with stereo headphones
pictures come out very good
Cons:
short battery life
UI takes some getting use to
outside screen very dim
feels the phone will break if dropped
expensive
no removable memory card
I might give it try again after it has been out longer and some bugs get worked out. Next time I will wait until a phone has been out for a while before I buy.
My review mind has changed/ V3M
While I like my RAZR v3m, I find that the battery has gone down, even when I replaced it and the phone keeps restarting.
Wow, what a phone!
T-Mobile has a real shortage of high end flip phones, and this is the best of an increasingly rare breed. I know it's been officially discontinued, but some indirect dealers still carry it.
PROS:
+Outstanding call quality (much more natural sounding than T-Mobile Samsungs)
+Outstanding reception (works great where most T-Mo phones don't work at all)
+Extremely vibrant and detailed screen
+Large external screen is very useful
+MP3 player is very well laid out and compatible with car Bluetooth kits
+Solid metal frame and hinge
+The phone is very sleek and stylish
+Camera is very good in most lights
+Newer style Motorola interface has countless customization options
+Predictive text works very well
+Phonebook is extremely intuitive and has numerous convenience features
+2 GB of internal memory on T-Mo's version ALMOST makes up for lack of a micro-SD slot
+Drag and drop file transfer through data cable
+Surprisingly good battery life for such a thin phone.
CONS:
-The T-Mobile V8 has a rather boring menu appearance, limited to 2 bland skins
-A MicroSD slot would have been nice
-Can't access menu features from the external screen unless an event occurs, or the music player is launched.
-There is occasional lag when launching applications.
-Data speeds limited to EDGE
All in all, the V8 is a great phone for someone who wants a solid flip with a respectable feature set. While it's not a PDA, it is very nice for those who need a phone FIRST and happens to be easy to connect to a computer and transfer files back and forth. For those of you who are stuck part way through your contract and need to pick up a reliable phone, this is definitely one to consider. Reception an call quality far exceed the Samsung models.
I highly recommend this phone to anyone considering a replacement without contract extension.
Cracks
My rating might not match my comments - I absolutely love this phone (or did). I have been made aware of a hairline crack in the right hand side of my phone near the smart key. I have only had the phone for six months and have not dropped it. It does not have a mark on it. My phone is the Dark Pearl Grey colour and unless it was pointed out it would be very hard to see the crack. My friend (who has the same phone) knows of at least another 5 people with the same problem. Warranty is void as it falls under "accidental damage". I really love this phone.
