Motorola RAZR V3

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Motorola RAZR V3
Motorola RAZR V3
Screen Internal: 176×220 pixel (2.2inch) TFT LCD, 65,100 colors External: 96×80 pixel STN 4,096 colors
Ringtone MP3, Polyphonic - 24 Chords . Vibration
Memory 9.6 MB internal
Networks GSM Quad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Connectivity GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbit/s; Bluetooth v1.2; USB
Battery 840 mAh Li-ion
Physical size 53 mm×98 mm×13 mm (2.1 x 3.9 x 0.54 inches)
Weight 125 g (4.41 oz)
Form factor Clamshell
Other reference[1]

Motorola RAZR V3 (pronounced "RA-zer", IPA:/ɹeɪzə(ɹ)/) is a thin clamshell mobile/cellular camera phone designed and manufactured by Motorola. The phone was initially regarded as an exclusive fashion phone,[2] with a high price of $600 with service agreement and $800 without. However, in 2005 the phone entered the mass-market as a mid-priced phone. PC World put the RAZR at #12 in The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years.[3] Many versions of the V3 were released, and on May 15, 2007, Motorola announced the new RAZR 2, with a bigger external screen, better UI, faster processor (10x the speed of its predecessor) and Linux platform.

Contents

[edit] 2G Models

[edit] V3

The original RAZR V3 GPRS phone is carried by AT&T (formerly Cingular), Cincinnati Bell, T-Mobile and Centennial Wireless in the USA, Rogers Wireless and Fido in Canada, Telcel in Mexico, Optus and Telstra in Australia, Vodafone in New Zealand and Australia, Brasil Telecom GSM, Claro, Airtel, BPLmobile & Hutch in India Oi and TIM in Brazil and by many companies in other countries.

[edit] Matte Black version

A black version was produced for distribution in the 77th Academy Awards gift bags,[4] and was released in early May 2005. As of September 2005, the black version is available in the USA from Cingular, Metro PCS, and Cellular One from Dobson Cellular Systems, Canada only from Fido Solutions or Rogers Wireless and in many other countries from Movistar and Claro (Telcel).

The black V3 is widely available in the European Union and is the standard version of the phone in Brazil.

[edit] Hot Pink versions

The first pink version was released in October 2005, and as of June 2006, is available in the USA from T-Mobile (as RAZR V3 Magenta, after the T-Mobile—and its parent, Deutsche Telekom's—corporate color, but called RAZR V3 Pink in other countries, including other T-Mobile networks), Verizon and Cingular Wireless (each in a different shade, currently exclusive to the US). It is available in Canada from Bell, Rogers Wireless and Telus, and in the United Kingdom from T-Mobile and the Carphone Warehouse. $25 of sales from the Rogers pink V3 go to Rethink Breast Cancer. It is also available in all Movistar-serviced countries and Claro (Telcel).

[edit] Miami Ink Collection

As of October 30, 2006 through T-Mobile in the United States, Motorola offered a version with laser-etched tattoo-inspired designs created by Ami James of the TLC reality television show, Miami Ink. The phones are aesthetically different however they are standard V3r's.[5]

[edit] V3i

Motorola RAZR V3i
Motorola RAZR V3i
Screen Internal: 176×220 pixel (2.2inch) TFT LCD, 262,144 colors External: 96×80 pixel STN 65,536 colors
Ringtone MP3, Polyphonic - 24 chords
Memory 13.4 MB Internal and External microSD cards expandable up to 512 MB (1GB only with the latest firmware)
Networks GSM Quad band 850/900/1800/1900
Connectivity mini-USB, Bluetooth Class 1.0, GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2) slots 32-48 kbit/s
Physical size 53 x 98 x 13.9 mm
Weight 96 grams (3.4 oz)

The successor to the RAZR is the RAZR V3i. It addresses some of the faults of the original RAZR V3 including a better (1.23 megapixel) camera with 8x digital zoom, an improved external and internal display also support for microSD cards of up to one GB. V3i is functionally very close to Motorola V635 model. The V3i comes in two versions: one with iTunes and one with Motorola's Digital Audio Player (DAP).[6] The iTunes version of the phone has a 50 or 100 song limit restriction ("cap") depending on where the phone model was made.[7] The Motorola DAP does not suffer from this cap; however, it takes considerably longer time to load and uses the V3's battery at a much faster rate than iTunes does[citation needed]. The phone's looks have also been subtly changed. It was announced on December 8, 2005 that Motorola had teamed up with Dolce & Gabbana to produce a Special Edition Gold RAZR V3t. Only 1,000 of these have been made and sold for a premium price.

On June 1, 2006, Motorola and Dolce & Gabbana once again released their limited edition gold phone. This model includes a D&G cell phone holder, a signature leather pouch, Bluetooth headphone, and FM earphones. It is available from all major Motorola retailers and select D&G boutiques.

The V3i is available in the following colors:

  • Silver Quartz (main color)
  • Gunmetal Grey
  • Gold Plate (special edition DG version only, see above)
  • Dark Blue
  • Maroon
  • Violet
  • Orchid
  • Black for (PRODUCT)RED (special edition to tie in with the (PRODUCT) RED initiative)
  • Platinum
  • Red
  • Chrome Green
  • Chrome Purple

The Motorola RAZR V3i was released to most worldwide markets in the Q4 of 2005–2006. In the U.S. the phone was released through Cingular Wireless on September 6, 2006, with a new activation price of $299.

[edit] V3r/V3t

The V3r and V3t are models sold by T-Mobile, AT&T (formerly Cingular), and Canadian cellular services such as Rogers Wireless, respectively. These models are virtually identical to the V3 and V3i, except they use Motorola's Digital Audio Player instead of iTunes for music playback. T-Mobile's V3r offers a Voice Notes feature which permits forwarding your audio recordings to voicemail as the only storage method. However, a publicly available seem edit permits users to enable the hidden Voice Records feature. Voice Records allows you to save voice recordings locally to phone memory. Currently, Voice Records is limited to less than two minutes of audio recording and stores the resulting records as .avr format files on the a partition within phone memory. In contrast, currently available seem edits can expand the maximum size of video recordings.

T-Mobile V3t phone memory is 10.0MB total, including all system files. This space is divided unevenly into a and c partitions. Memory on partition a is larger than 2MB and contains system files, including some of the branding images for the phone carrier. Partition a also contains the avr structure for the hidden Voice Records feature. Partition c is larger than 5.5MB and stores user data, including images, sounds, videos, text notes, calendar entries, phone book entries, Java applets and web cache. V3r and V3t phones sold by T-Mobile come equipped with Java-based software that supports T-Mobile's "MyFaves" rate plan. Publicly available third party tools can remove this Java software and other system or locked files to free memory for other uses.

Canada's Rogers Wireless also carries them for a reduced price compared to the original Razrs.

[edit] V3im

The V3im is the iTunes version of the RAZR V3i available in the UK market with a 100 song cap.[8]

[edit] MS500

Another version of this phone was released in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) on June 1, 2005. This version has the similar physical appearance as the original V3 but instead of GSM, it is a CDMA phone for SK Telecom. It is the first CDMA version of the RAZR without the expandable memory, Bluetooth and SIM card, since Motorola Korea's system was able to produce its own model before worldwide GSM format release. It has a 1.3 megapixel camera, video recording, 80MB of internal memory and a variety of UI features, such as mobile blog, Yoga graphic book, Diet diary and Lotto number generator for Wellness theme. It also comes in colors other than those mentioned above. Black, pink, and lime models are seen around Korea. In February 8, 2006 Motorola Korea released its own slide-phone model for the RAZR named Z model name MS600. Unlike most other versions, the MS500 version is packaged with a charging dock and has three metal terminals on the back side immediately under the battery cover.

Also, as the add-on to the MS600, MS500 Lime RAZR has been in circulation in South Korea since October 2006 along with the Motorola KRZR Black and Motorola KRZR Fire (Red).

[edit] CDMA2000 Models

[edit] V3c

On November 21, 2005, a CDMA version of the RAZR, known as the RAZR V3c, became available to Alltel and SaskTel users. Verizon Wireless followed suit on December 7, 2005. Unlike models for Alltel and other carriers, Verizon's V3c features a proprietary user interface and disables, in software, Bluetooth file transfer capabilities (called OBEX). (Although OBEX is supported in Verizon's V3c firmware version .02, and version .04 if flash-upgraded directly from .02, skipping any install of .03.) In January 2006, Canadian Telus, Bell Mobility and Aliant Mobility, Venezuelan carriers Movistar and Movilnet, and Brazilian Vivo began carrying the V3c. In April 2006 Cricket Communications began selling the V3c. The RAZR V3c supports CDMA 2000 1xRTT and 1xEVDO third generation wireless technologies. This is the technology Verizon Wireless uses to provide their V CAST multimedia service. The coverage of this feature, however, may not be available everywhere. US Cellular and Alaska Communications Systems, Alaska's CDMA provider, also carry the V3c. It also has approximately 41.2 MB of internal memory, although only about 36 MB are available for use. The V3c does not support an expandable memory card.

The original version of the V3c was charcoal gray, and a light pink version called Satin Pink (different from the GSM Magenta/Pink and the AT&T Cotton Candy versions) was released by Verizon Wireless in January 2006. Telus Mobility, Bell, Aliant, and Vivo also carry pink versions of the V3c.

[edit] V3m

V3m is a CDMA version of the RAZR. As an upgrade to the V3c, it features a microSD card slot for up to 2 GB of memory expansion, a longer lasting battery, and 40MB of internal memory. The V3m presently comes in silver, pink, red, and through Alltel, Fire Red although the original release as well as models currently available on the Sprint CDMA network featured the gunmetal gray color of the V3c. This is not available in the UK, although the V3x is on sale there.

[edit] Verizon Wireless version

Verizon Wireless disabled certain features on the V3m including the ability to transfer data files to and from the phone via Bluetooth (a specific protocol called OBEX). Verizon has also blocked the transfer of most data over USB, such as ringtones. These phones also run Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW), which signs each application to the phones Electronic Serial Number, or ESN, thus preventing the use of free applications. The equivalent models offered by competitors (such as the V3t by T-Mobile) still retain these features.

Verizon also installs their own user interface instead of the default Motorola interface that they used to use in the past. This has led to many Verizon Wireless users to resort to using their own artificial means of reverting their phones back to an original Motorola condition, or to that of a Verizon phone that has some of the disabled features enabled.[9] A newer Verizon version of the phone has been upgraded and features limitless video capture, easier laid out menu system and the ability to customize the external screen. The phone is still unable to sync to a computer via USB cable for anything other than charging, unless a software such as Bitpim is used to access files.

[edit] Red V3m

Partnering with Motorola, US Cellular and Sprint released a special Product Red RAZR and Bluetooth H500 headset to help support Global Fund programs which positively impact the lives of women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. Also in the UK there is a Product Red V3i, SLVR, and Bluetooth H3 headset.

[edit] W-CDMA/UMTS/FOMA models

[edit] V3x

RAZR V3x
RAZR V3x

Announced in March 2005 , the RAZR V3x was formerly known as the Motorola V1150. Externally, it appears to be a larger RAZR V3, albeit with enhancements such as a 2.0 Megapixel camera. Internally, it is quite different, utilizing a different microprocessor, chipset, an Nvidia GoForce GPU, and radio ICs. As a 3G product, its feature set is closer to that of phones such as the Motorola V980, e.g., two cameras instead of the single camera typical on GSM or CDMA products. However one of the main attractions of the RAZR V3, the fact that it is very thin, is no longer present in the V3x; although it is the smallest phone available in the UK on the "3" network, compared to other clamshells, it is only an average-sized phone. It won the "Best 3GSM handset" at the 2006 3GSM World Congress.[10]

[edit] M702iG

In Japan, a 3G(W-CDMA) NTT DoCoMo version of the V3x was released in late August 2006. This version has IrDA.

[edit] V3xx

Announced in July 2006, the V3xx is a 3G Category 5/6 (3.6 Mbit/s) HSDPA and EDGE supported handset. It is extremely similar in appearance to the compact V3i design, but incorporates an improved feature set with a 1.3 megapixel camera in place of the 1.23 megapixel, 50 MB of internal memory, support for microSD and Bluetooth A2DP. Like the V3x, it is also equipped with a secondary screen and a higher resolution 240x320 pixel (QVGA) main screen.[11]. The V3xx was made available for purchase internationally on the Three network in November 2006, and is now available on at&t (formerly Cingular) for $149.99 with a new 2-year contract. The secondary camera is not available in the USA. The built-in GPU, manufactured by Nvidia (model GoForce 4800) is capable of rendering 3D images through OpenGL ES. The phone includes a much faster CPU as well, making the performance of all features, including 3G/Data much more real-time. (All menuing delays common to the slower V3 platform are gone). With the new CPU available, the V3xx Phone now also includes a fast USB V2.0 for downloading ringtones/images/mp3 files quickly. (older V3's were limited to USB V1.1)

Unlike with the V3 and V3i (both of which were quad band GSM and thus worked equally well on any GSM network in the world) the V3xx comes in different variants depending on the local frequency bands used for GSM and UMTS/HSDPA. The North American V3xx is quad band (850 MHz/900 MHz/1800 MHz/1900 MHz) GSM and dual band (850 MHz/1900 MHz) UMTS/HSDPA, whereas the version sold in Europe and Asia is tri band (900 MHz/1800 MHz/1900 MHz) GSM and single band (2.1 GHz) UMTS/HSDPA. This is likely due to the need to fit the internal components of the V3xx into a small casing; as of early 2007 global phones that support quad-band GSM and tri-band UMTS/HSDPA are considerably bulkier than the V3xx.

[edit] M702iS

NTT DoCoMo version of the V3xx. This version does not have GSM, HSDPA. But it has IrDA. NTT DoCoMo FOMA M702iS

[edit] RAZR maxx

The RAZR maxx is a new 3G HSDPA and EDGE handset predated by the RAZR V3x. Initially known as the "MAXX V6," it was released in Europe by the end of 2006. Additionally Motorola had released pictures on its website of the Verizon version. The original version has a 2.0 Megapixel camera with LED flash, a large 2.2-inch (56 mm) screen with 240x320 QVGA display (like the V3xx) and 50 megabytes of internal storage.[12] While gaining a significantly improved featureset, it will maintain the same thin profile of the original RAZR V3. Key to its design are a glass fascia with external touch-sensitive controls for MP3s.

This phone is available in Australia from Telstra on their 850 MHz Next G network.

The Verizon Wireless version became available on April 24th, 2007.

The Verizon Wireless version, the RAZR maxx Ve, does not have the second camera on the inside of the phone. Instead, there is a shutter button for focusing and picture taking. The Ve will feature Verizon's menu system, but is said to support OBEX profiles, unlike Verizon's current RAZR V3m.

[edit] RAZR²

Main article: Motorola RAZR²

The new, more sleek and more stable design of the RAZR came out in North America in July 2007. This new RAZR includes more features such as Crystal talk (a feature designed to improve telephone audio quality) and a touch sensitive external screen (used for replying to text messages, listening to music, and other features). Also, sturdier materials such as stainless steel will replace aluminum in the RAZR. The new models are the V8, the V9, and the V9m.[13]

[edit] Developments

 This article does not cite any references or sources. (March 2007)
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The original V3 was intended to be a low-selling "halo product" to promote the Motorola brand.[14] The phone was comparable in functionality to other cell phones when first released, but due to advancements in the cell phone industry, is now of relatively limited functionality. It had only 5.5 MB of usable memory capacity, upgradeable to an absolute maximum of about 10 MB by modding the phone (see below for details). Furthermore it had no storage expansion slot and a low camera resolution of 0.3 megapixels (Resolution: 640x480 pixels).

The newer models (V3i and V3x) addressed these issues by increasing memory capacity to 30.8 MB and 62.8 respectively. Camera resolutions were increased to 1.23 megapixels for the V3i, and 2.0 megapixels for the V3x. The hinge mechanism was also reinforced. For the V3x, Motorola slightly modified the keypad layout in response to complaints about it being difficult to use. The keys are bigger and more widely spaced, and rubber spacers have been added in between, instead of the laser-etchings on the metallic surface itself as seen previously.

[edit] Criticisms

According to a survey by Mobile, 78% of RAZR users would not buy another Motorola handset because of poor usability. This figure was even higher for first-time users.[15][16] One company ranked it 11th out of 13 for ease-of-use, when compared to competitors' products — the RAZR required extra steps and had poor usability, meaning that users had a 47% success rate for a given task.[17] Also, many people dislike the interaction with it, saying that it's "awful"[18] and "slow".[19]

The software user interface (UI) is regarded as clumsy and ill-designed. For example, when composing a text message, the RAZR loses the entire message when the phone is flipped closed or if the user returns to the idle screen. Each message must be explicitly saved by the user before exiting the message editor. Other examples are when the battery is low: The RAZR emits a loud beep every few minutes, causing problems when people are sleeping or in business meetings. The beeping can only be disabled by putting the phone in silent mode, switching it off, or plugging it in for battery recharging.

Other criticisms are:

  • The clock is obstructed from view during phone calls (however the V3xx model can display this)
  • The UI is prone to frequent crashes and has slow response times when opening menus
  • The main menu uses low quality 8-bit (256-color) icons. This is in contrast to the 32-bit anti-aliased icons used on newer phones such as the K800i from Sony Ericsson
  • Postal addresses cannot be stored on a V3 but can be stored on a V3i and V3x
  • The maximum size of a multimedia message is 100 KB, limiting the length of a video clip to approximately 3 or 4 seconds.

Complaints were also made about dust accumulating between the V3's plastic screen and LCD glass, possibly through an external side button. Access to the dust requires peeling off the plastic cover, usually followed by a replacement cover.[20] Some of the RAZR's problems still exist on newer Motorola phones, causing analysts to assume a corporate innovation problem.[21]

[edit] U.S. network restrictions

Verizon intentionally restricts otherwise-available functionality in V3c and V3m models. Such phones are unable to transfer files via wireless Bluetooth (OBEX), forcing users to purchase ring tones and transfer photographs to home computers via Verizon's paid PixPlace service. However, through certain unsanctioned modifications, some of these capabilities can be re-enabled. The V3c and V3m handsets sold through Sprint, US Cellular, and Alltel do not suffer from such limitations.[citation needed]

Due to many Sprint customers complaining about less than expected battery life, Motorola has begun to offer free high-capacity batteries to Sprint customers who contact Motorola's customer service line with battery life issues.

while many verizon users display the same issues they have nothing

[edit] Cultural impact

The RAZR has been said to be the "iPod" of mobile phones. Being the slimmest phone during its release in 2004 , it easily stood out amongst other phone models. It has also been one of the most popular mobile phones since its first release, having been spotted in the hands of celebrities and businessmen alike, it is frequently seen in movies and TV shows and is also being used by the Dutch Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende.[22]

[edit] In popular culture

Since its release the RAZR has become identified as a 'fashion' product and an iconic cell phone.[23] The RAZR has since been used in several television shows and featured in several movies. Contestants on the NBC adventure reality show "Treasure Hunters" were given RAZRs for communication with the host and each other throughout the season.[24] The Product Red edition of the RAZR was launched by Oprah and Bono for charity.[25] It's popularity has greatly faded though in recent years to newer models.

[edit] Specific absorption rate

The cell phone radiation levels by specific absorption rate (SAR) ratings for the V3 line are:[26]

Model SAR rating

(W/kg) digital

 SAR rating

(W/kg) analog

 FCC ID
Razr V3 0.89 n/a IHDT56EU1
Razr V3c 1.14 n/a IHDT56FT1
Razr V3i 1.26 n/a IHDT56GW1
Razr V3m 1.14 n/a IHDT56FT1
Razr V3xx 1.21 n/a IHDT6GN1
Razr V3re  ?? n/a IHDT66HJ1

[edit] Specifications

The complete list of specifications[27] for the V3c variant of the RAZR follows. Note that specifications for other versions vary.

Type Specification
Modes CDMA 850 / CDMA 1900
Weight 3.49 oz (99 g)
Dimensions 3.90" x 2.10" x 0.60" (99 x 53 x 15 mm)
Form Factor Clamshell Internal Antenna
Battery Life Talk: 3.33 hours (200 minutes) Standby: 215 hours (9 days)
Battery Type LiIon 740 mAh
Display Type: LCD (Color TFT/TFD) Colors: 65,536 (16-bit) Size: 176 x 220 pixels
Platform / OS Symbian/ VZW
Memory 30 MB (built-in, flash shared memory)
Phone Book Capacity 1000
FCC ID IHDT56FT1 (Approved Sep 1, 2005)
Electronics Portal

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Motorola RAZR V3 - Full phone specifications
  2. ^ German, Kent (2005-11-09). Razr refresh: Motorola's fashion cell phones. CNET. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  3. ^ Tynan, Dan. "The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years", PC World, 2005-12-24. Retrieved on 2006-09-10. 
  4. ^ Kane, Margaret. "Oscar goody bags looking Razr sharp", CNET News.com, 2006-01-31. Retrieved on 2006-09-10. 
  5. ^ MOTORAZR V3 Miami Ink Collection
  6. ^ Motorola RAZR V3i. Motorola (2006). Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
  7. ^ Vogel, Sandra. "Motorola RAZR V3i Review", CNET News.com, 2006-06-06. Retrieved on 2007-01-20. 
  8. ^ Motorola United Kingdom - RAZR V3im - Cell Phones
  9. ^ Mark_Venture's Verizon Phone Info Page
  10. ^ Motorola's RAZR V3x gets "Best 3GSM Handset" award - Mobile Phones - Crave - CNET Asia
  11. ^ "Motorola RAZR V3xx", GSM Arena, 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-09-10. 
  12. ^ Ziegler, Chris. "Verizon to get its own MOTORAZR MAXX", Engadget Mobile, 2006-10-16. Retrieved on 2006-12-21. 
  13. ^ Ziegler, Chris. "The Motorola Razr 2", Engadget Mobile, 2007-5-15. Retrieved on 2007-06-23. 
  14. ^ Only one man can save Motorola | The Register
  15. ^ Ease-of-use dogs Moto. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  16. ^ Only one man can save Motorola - comment. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  17. ^ Usable Products Report. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  18. ^ Making cellphones personal. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  19. ^ RAZR V3x(r) or Nokia 6280r?. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  20. ^ Modding the Motorola Razr V3 | razr mods | Razr Software Upgrading - Cleaning the Dust from the LCD
  21. ^ Motorola's Innovation Problem. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  22. ^ "Als zij foto's maken, dan mag ik dat ook!", Hyves.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-02. 
  23. ^ Frommer, Dan (June 26, 2006), The World's Most Iconic Cell Phones, Forbes, <http://www.forbes.com/2006/06/26/mobile-razr-brick_cx_df_0626cellicon.html>. Retrieved on 2008-01-10 
  24. ^ Is ‘Treasure Hunters’ copying ‘Amazing Race’?. MSNBC (July 11, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-21.
  25. ^ iPod nano, Motorola RAZR to go Red for charity. MacNN (October 12, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-21.
  26. ^ Motorola cell phone radiation chart - CNET reviews
  27. ^ http://www.ephonenews.com/v/1/2/577/1/Motorola_RAZR_V3c.html

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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