I can’t stress it enough how much I believe Motorola, unlike many of the other large mobile manufacturers these days, is doing it right. It’s found the common touch. It’s creating a family of phones for the populace, phones that people will buy. Phones for the people, by the people!
Motorola has managed to do the Lazarus thing. However, without actual divine intervention and more through the application of brainpower, it pulled itself back from the brink to become No 2 in the Irish market. And it’s still growing.
The RAZR V3x is proof of this return to form and when it hits the market it is sure to be a seller.
Once upon a time Motorola made phones that were technologically onerous. You almost needed a software engineering degree just to send a message.
Then it found religion. It saw what Nokia had done in terms of standardising everything from batteries to chargers and common operating systems. And, while it can be argued that Nokia is in danger of deviating from this enlightened path, Motorola has discovered it is the true path to market share nirvana.
The simple truth is people want phones that they are comfortable with, easy to use and fundamentally aren’t expensive. With the likelihood that people will replace their phone on an annual basis as well as possibly carrying two devices, they don’t want to pay a fortune. At the same time they want the latest technology and it helps if the phone is the right colour — little bits of fabric and leather don’t cut it.
The latest array of Motorola phones such as the PEBL and RAZR families are fundamentally the same device — beauty is only skin deep — they all sport core technologies such as Bluetooth, cameras and music players.
The new V3x family — available in cobalt blue or hot pink — curiously are placed with the RAZR moniker. Unlike the ultra-slim original RAZRs, made of aircraft metal, the 3G versions are housed in plastic and are more bulky. Maybe Motorola should have called them the BIGR family.
Size isn’t everything though. The V3x is a solid phone and a solid performer. What excited me most about this particular device was the two-megapixel camera with some fun features such as an 8x zoom and the ability to add in antique and black and white shots as well as adjust exposure and light conditions.
The device, which has 64MB built-in memory, also functions as an MP3 player. Definitely a phone for the people.
The Motorola RAZR V3x is due to launch on to the market and the company says the price will range from €49 on contract (terms and conditions) and €249 prepay.
Handling ***
Features ****
Performance ***
Value for money ****
By John Kennedy
