Which Motorola Razr V3 should I buy?
For those of you who just want the final answer and can’t be bothered reading the full article, here are the results:
Recommendations
“I want the cheapest way into a Motorola Razr V3″: Buy the Razr V3. It has no digital camera and no expandable storage but still looks the deal. You can buy it from several online retailers with free or better than free deals in the following colors; Cobalt Blue, Magenta, Black and Silver.
“I want a digital camera in my phone but I still don’t want to spend much money.” Buy the Razr V3i. It is an upgrade on the V3, has a digital camera and an improved external display. You still don’t get any high speed data services but you do get iTunes digital jukebox. You can buy it here from a number of online retailers.
“I want it all, the camera, high speed access to video and music services, and a great looking phone”. Buy the Razr V3m. This phone pretty much has it all. In addition it has the ability to expand internal storage for music and video files using TransFlash/microSD cards. The Razr V3m can be bought a variety of online retailers on Verizons service. Buy it here.
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The Motorola Razr V3 is considered a standard by which other phones are judged; both in terms of its design and sales success. However in the last two years, there have been a number of versions released to a number of cellular carriers. Which one should you choose to buy? This article will give you the information you need to pick which model of the Motorola Razr V3 will best suit your needs. Note that this article relates only to the US market.
In selecting the right Razr V3, you are provided with a lot of choice. You can select from a range of 2G and 3G phones as well as a range of colors and at the moment premium models such as the co-branded DOLCE & GABBANA V3i. The key difference though is that some of the models that are available are 2G or 3G and have different feature sets as well as color combinations. In addition, some of these models are only available from specific cell phone carriers so your preferences in relation to carrier will help you make your decision.
2G Models
2G refers to second generation wireless technology. 2G is digital and allows for phones with lower battery life, more features and better reception quality. 3G refers to third generation wireless technology and operates on a completely different wireless spectrum than 2G. 3G phones and services are characterized by the ability to simultaneously download voice and non voice data at the same time. These non voice data services include email, instant messaging, file downloads and what is perceived to be the killer application of 3G phones, video calling.
Razr V3
The original Razr V3 is available in a range of different colors including silver, black, pink and blue.
The key features of the Razr V3 include:
- Bluetooth® Wireless Connectivity
- Xpress Mail capable
- Mobile Instant Messaging using AOL® Instant Messenger
- Quad-Band World Capability
- Video MMS Playback
- Downloadable Super Tone/Full-Audio (MP3 format) Ringtones, Graphics & Games
- Built-in Speaker Phone
- Wireless Internet Access
- Customizable wallpapers and 6 different color schemes
- PIM Functionality - Calendar with full-month views, calculator and alarm clock
- Photo Phonebook and External Picture Caller ID
- Voice Activation and Advanced Voice Dialing
- Voice Recorder
- 1000 alphanumeric phonebook entries
Razr V3i
The RAZR V3i is the successor of the V3 and addresses some of the perceived problems with the original V3. The key improvements in the Razr V3i over the V3 include:
- An improved 1.2 Megapixel Camera with x8 zoom
- Improved external display - Now a 96 x 80 pixel 65K CSTN color display where the V3 has a 96 x 80 pixel, 4k CSN Color screen.
- Support for up to 1 GB of TransFlash/microSD cards
- iTunes® music player : with 100 songs
Key Features of the Razr V3i include:
- iTunes Digital Jukebox
- 1.2 MP Camera & video phone with 8x zoom
- Bluetooth(TM) Wireless capable
- Instant Messaging - AIM®, Yahoo!®, & ICQ®
- Multimedia messaging - photos, video, text & sounds
- Download Music Tone ringtones, graphics & games
- Extended memory with T-flash card
- Quad-band international phone
- Mobile email preloaded
- External speakerphone
- Bright dual color screens
- Wireless internet access
- PIM functionality with calendar
- Voice recorder and advanced voice dialing
The Razr V3i is available in Silver, Blue, Maroon and Violet. In addition to these colors, Motorola has teamed up with Dolce & Gabbana to offer a limited edition Gold V3i.
3G Models
For some time now, many reviewers of the RAZR V3 range of phones have been saying that the phones, whilst being very stylish and functional,have not been keeping ahead of the curve of cell phone technological development. Features once considered the exception are now available in many of the entry level phones of competitors.
Razr V3c
To counter this, in November 2005 Motorola release the RAZR V3c; a CDMA version of the RAZR. CDMA is simply the network type which provides for the third generation features of this phone. 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. Note this phone does not have an expandable memory card slot.
In the US the V3c was made available through Alltel wireless, US Cellular and Verizon. The V3c is available in charcoal grey and satin pink.
Key Features of the V3c include:
- 1.3 MP Camera
- Digital, CDMA 1x / EVDO with GPS
- Bluetooth(TM) Wireless capable
- Instant Messaging
- Multimedia messaging - photos, video, text & sounds
- Download Music Tone ringtones, graphics & games
- Quad-band international phone
- Mobile email preloaded
- External speakerphone
- Bright dual color screens
- Wireless internet access
- PIM functionality with calendar
- Voice recorder and advanced voice dialing
Razr V3m
The RAZR V3m is a new CDMA version of the V3c. The key improvements in the V3m are that it now features a minSD slot for up to 1gb of memory expansion, improved battery life and new music on demand features. In addition to the standard silver and pink, a red Razr V3m was release by Sprint and U.S. Cellular as part of The Global Fund to help eliminate aids in Africa.
Which Motorola Razr Model do you buy?
If you are looking to buy the Morotola Razr then you are already sold on the stylish looks of this phone. There are only nominal differences between any of these models and the reality is that while we all say that we buy a certain phone for feature x or Y, the reality is that more often than not we make little use of that feature that we so lovingly coveted when looking to buy the phone.
A great example of this is the 3G features that are available on the Razr V3c or V3m. Will you make use of this technology? Are you willing to subscribe to Verizons’ Vcast music and video download service, pay the monthly premium and pay to download songs on top of that.
If you are looking for the cheapest way to get into a Razr V3 then the original Razr V3 is still being sold. You won’t be downloading and storing any music because the original V3 has only 5mb of memory and no way to increase this. For a little more cash you can step up into the Razr V3i which has a better external screen, the ability to play itunes songs and the ability to increase your online storage to 1GB using TransFlash/microSD cards.
If you absolutely need to have the latest in streaming music then you will need to look to the 3G versions including the Razr V3c and V3m. Remember the V3m has 23mb of internal memory and the ability to expand this using TransFlash/microSD cards to 1GB. The Razr V3c has 30mb of internal storage and no expansion capability. So if you are absolutely set on taking your music and photo collection with you then the Razr V3m is the model to go for.
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