Motorola RAZR V3x review: Sweet-sour mix

Chaos in the menu...chaos in music

The structure of the phone's menu makes me constantly wonder. Why does the camera occupy two positions in the main menu (once as a camera, once as a video camera) since both these icons are to be found on first position in the multimedia folder? Besides, I do not get the entire idea of doubling icons since I am allowed to freely switch between photo and video camera once I am inside the camera application. The "Airplane mode" is doubled as well. This is a pretty useful function as it deactivates the phone part of the device and permits the user to keep on using it for other purposes. What I do not understand however is why it appears not only in the main menu, but also in the Settings submenu...

Java player

Activating airplane mode

The airplane mode saves a lot of energy. This way battery capacity can be used for listening to music, for example. As mentioned above, the phone lacks a connector for wire earphones. The MP3 player is quite illogical and is a subject of criticism too. As usual, the player can be found in the "Games and applications" folder. On one hand, this folder is quite helpful as it orders files by artist or album. On the other hand, however, it does not get minimized. All these limitations made me search further in the menu until I found out that MP3 files can also be played by direct activation of the "Sounds" folder. Here is where songs can actually run in the background...

Multimedia player

   
"Sounds" player • Sound setup options • minimized music player

Within the "Sound" folder you can create tabs, similar to the fields in the phonebook and then move inside them by using the asterisk and the hash key. Music files can be organized into playlists, which can be consequently ordered by genres and located into the tabs mentioned above. The player offers repeating and random play options. About sound improvement functions, see above (stereo effect and bass elements).

 
Music info on the external display when the phone is closed

When music is minimized, file's name remains on the stand-by display. Music files are switched by the horizontal ways of the cursor key. Volume levels are controlled through the buttons located on the sides of the phone. Of course, the music player is functional even if the device is closed. In such case the name of the played file is viewed on the external display. Files are switched between through the use of the side key.

Time organizer, internet and other extras

The first position inside the Tools menu is occupied by the alarm clock. It offers several alarms as well as several time options. Here you will also find a text note option, thanks to which it is possible to use the alarm clock as a "reminder". Notwithstanding, the calendar is a much better application to use as a reminder, because of its ability to fit in events with pre-setup duration, alarm and repetitions. The calendar offers a month and a week view as well as a list of reminders related to the respective day.

   
Menu with useful functions • month, week and day view at the calendar

Inserting a new event

The menu with extra functions offers two interesting applications: a calculator and an integrated currency converter. There is no voice recorder or timer in the phone. Motorola Razr V3x supports Java 2.0, which is pretty fast according to the JBenchmark test results:

• JBenchmark 1.0: 1709 points
• JBenchmark 2.0: 154 points

  
Calculator • preinstalled games

The main function of the internet browser is to open WAP pages and it fulfills it perfectly. The display offers 8 lines of text. The browser is able to open web pages too, but the font of those is not automatically adjusted to the size of the display, which results into a lot of scrolling. Motorola Razr V3x deserves a compliment for implementing internet connection through APN.

Built-in internet browser

Data transfer, necessary for internet browsing, is offered by GPRS Class 10, while instant data transfers are executed through UMTS. The phone gets connected to a PC through Bluetooth or a USB cable. Let me remind you, that Motorola Razr V3x is equipped with a standard miniUSB connector, so the only thing you will have to do is get yourself a proper cable, unless you have already obtained one in your digital camera package.

Tough battle

This is where Motorola Razr V3x is heading to. The phone is a perfect solution for work due to its good phonebook, well-organized calendar and fast data transfers in 3G networks. Besides, its rich multimedia equipment will hardly leave fun fans indifferent. The problem, however, is that the current market is already full of devices of this kind. To my opinion, the new Motorola V3x is simply not "superb" enough to make the competition fans break away from their favorite models.

 
Vodafone offers an additional, silver version of the phone

There is no doubt that Razr V3x's display presents a true spectacle. The phone is quite charismatic due to its neat plumy color and solid construction, which will definitely attract a certain number of customers. On the other hand, the performance of its camera is incomparable with the high-class pictures of the leader in the photo mobiles segment - Sony Ericsson. The illogic steps in creating the menu and the terribly low quality of the external display are among the most significant drawbacks of Motorola Razr V3x. If fast UMTS and video calls are not your priority, you may want to get yourself Razr V3i instead.