Oh fun, we finally got to fool around with a fresh n' new
Motorola RAZR 2 V8 on our own time. (The last time we caught one was
at its launch -- we were a little rushed and had a severe lack of decent lighting.) Unfortunately, Moto's only
JUIX device-equipped RAZR 2 is the 3G-free V8 (the V9 has HSDPA, but uses their crappy Synergy interface, as does the EV-DO capable V9m), but it was nice to take it for a spin even if we couldn't get high speed data on it.
Funny thing about the RAZR 2, even though the internal screen is 0.2-inches larger, it's actually the external display that seems more capacious. Also, don't laugh, our favorite part about this thing is the rear -- it's just got really nice, clean lines. The rest, well, it's a Motorola phone, so take that how you will and adjust your expectations accordingly.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
samyrk @ Jun 7th 2007 11:44AM
Hey, this looks like it going be a great Cell Phone, but my question is if it will be going to Verzion and when will it be released?
nick @ Jun 14th 2007 9:16PM
im sure this new razor will be on verizon. i have verizon and whenever i think of verizon, i think of the razor. i think of the razor as the signiture phone of verizon.
VZW RAZR PLZ @ Jun 17th 2007 1:26PM
ya. i have verizon and i am eligible for a new phone at the start of july. will this be on verizon by then. if not, should i wait until it is and just use my current phone. (which is a lg vx3300 piece of crap) i think i will love this phone and i would love it if someone could tell me if verizon will carry it by july. or... if they dont... is it worth the wait?
Patrick Moody @ Jun 7th 2007 11:47AM
Will VZW wreck it's version with the VZW UI? Or will Moto keep it's UI in play? I can't help but wonder
Todd @ Jun 7th 2007 12:15PM
I am pretty sure the RIZR Z6 also uses JUIX. And no, the RAZR is not an iPhone "killer" since it's primary function is a phone handset first, computing device second ( iPhone is the opposite ).
Great pictures. I cannot wait to take delivery on this phone!
Cam @ Jun 7th 2007 12:26PM
Verizon ALWAYS messes with the software on their phones so that it uses a VZW UI...and usually the software is buggy and takes out features that SHOULD be included in the phone. I don't see this one being any different. I don't know why I'm still with VZW...I'll be switching to at&t soon just for this reason
Nando @ Jun 7th 2007 12:30PM
What's that hole in the bottom part of the rear? What do you put in there?
Gar @ Jun 7th 2007 1:38PM
There is a CDMA version of the phone, I believe it is coming out for Verizon.
The hole on the back side bottom is a speaker port. It looks like a slot only so that sound can pass through when you set it on the table to listen to music or a speaker phone. The sound is actually quite good when it has a hard surface behind the speaker. Try it on your other phones.
John @ Jun 7th 2007 12:57PM
WoW!!!!! iPhone killer!!!!
CharlieX @ Jun 7th 2007 1:06PM
no way, it's a Halo Killer!!!! I've owned 3 razr's, and unless Moto has overhauled their interface/navigation/etc, I don't see any reason to fork out more than $50 on this phone. And now with how slim other phones are getting, the #1 reason I like razr is no longer valid. It just seems their bumping up the specs on the phone, hoping it will sell based on it's previous success (which it probably will to a point)
Of course, Windows Mobile 5 on my Blackjack, while very customizable and powerful, is just as all-over-the-place as Motorola.
A.J. @ Jun 7th 2007 1:35PM
JUIX... has finally brought me back to Motorola. I picked up a ROKR E2 last week and it's quick, stable, and moddable to all hell. More so than the old P2K Motos... Geeks will have a field day with these phones...
(p.s.- Kernel 2.4.20 powers my E2, wouldn't be surprised if this were the case as well.
pepik2000 @ Jun 7th 2007 1:59PM
I've also used the JUIX OS and love it. It's much easier to use than the standard (retired?) Mot OS and more modable. With a fast processor and plenty of memory (I don't need 20-30GB) to play the music I listen to on a daily basis over BT I don't need an iPod/iPhone. I currently use the A1200 Ming and love its features, but will probably get the RAZR2 as well.
pipsy @ Jun 7th 2007 3:19PM
this phone will be on all networks, verizon's based ev-do and at&t's hsdpa networks. iphone killer? try iphone compliment. leave verizon, and switch to at&t.
ShortFuse @ Jun 7th 2007 3:27PM
Verizon will never have an iPhone killer. Jobs was stating how other cellphone companies make great hardware but are severely lacking on the software level. Verizon replaces the user interface all their phones with their proprietary UI. It's well known that the Verizon UI is the worst in the industry.
As for JUIX, I have an a1200 and the linux OS is very lacking. I'm probably going to switch to WM6 or OSX since it was so disappointing.
Right now, my favorite phone is the V3xx (with it's p2k05 menu system). even though the menu isn't that great the phone is ridiculously fast.
i was with some friends last night trying to transfer an mp3 i had on my phone over bluetooth. it didn't work because verizon blocks mp3s over bluetooth. worked on my other friend's cingular w300i. then we tried switching the microSD card. still nothing on the verizon phone. my phone, v3xx, took 6 seconds to boot up (you can skip the start up logo by pressing end). her phone took so long i thought her k1m froze but no, it took 25 SECONDS to start up. both were motorola phones, (v3xx and k1m) but verizon ruined the phone so badly by adding their UI. ridiculously slow.
Big Al @ Jun 7th 2007 3:38PM
Nice macro pics, guys! I'm not sure whether the phone is that much better looking than the current Razr, but it sure looks to be alot more scratchable.
K-Nice @ Jun 7th 2007 3:47PM
This Razr looks great. I've read that it'll be available on both GSM & CDMA but I still question the time between now and then. I was never interested in the first Razr in fact I went w/ the Blade from Sprint. Overall I think that this is within my grasp than an IPhone.
JayCaesar @ Jun 7th 2007 6:25PM
i wonder when will sprint get this phone
Graham @ Jun 7th 2007 6:33PM
So this new Moto UI... It's like the old one, except shinier. Color me unimpressed. Also, regarding the Verizon UI comments: I will never, ever use Verizon as long as they put their horrid OS on every phone they sell.
apeguero @ Jun 7th 2007 8:15PM
Finally! A RAZR for us men!
MacBandit @ Jun 7th 2007 11:30PM
I would love to switch to AT&T and get an iPhone but Verizon has by far the best coverage in the parts of Oregon that I travel and without good coverage what good is a cell phone.
Asten @ Jun 8th 2007 8:33AM
Of course, the synergy UI has been very much improved and is many times better than it used to be. Quit hatin'
Noah @ Jun 8th 2007 8:57AM
Does anybody know exactly when it will be released for Verizon???
JunkNugget @ Jun 8th 2007 11:54AM
Reminds me of the VX8600.
I'm worried about battery life! A super thin phone = thin battery with 2 QVGA displays! The other RAZR could hardly hold a charge with a itty bitty display on the outside. Makes me wonder. Plus it's a Mot = P.O.S.
Chris @ Jun 8th 2007 1:28PM
in terms of what UI experience to expect, if you're with verizon, expect the crappy UI experience. i can't say i know much about sprint, but if you're with at&t or t-mobile, you'll get the cool UI experience out of the box.
Allan Clark @ Jun 9th 2007 7:28PM
Hi Ryan, Peter, everyone else.
JUIX is STILL dead. You need to listen to the CEO's speeches a bit more closely if you want to use the correct name, but hey... who needs to be accurate in a tech rag?
MI_canuck @ Jun 11th 2007 12:05PM
The JUIX UI looks horrible! :-/ I'm sure it has it's pluses, and that with the right skin and fonts it would look sweet... but honestly, it looks far worse than the current Synergy UI on the V3XX. Hopefully this improves, and the mod-ability of the JUIX UI outweighs its UGLY look! I'm a bit disappointed... but will reserve judgment when I can actually hold a V8 in my hands and check it out first hand...
Novey @ Jun 11th 2007 7:56PM
this phone looks cool. Verizon Wireless and Motorola phones do not mix. Verizon has to put their annoying red interface on most of their phones and every motorola phone (RAZR, SLVR, and KRZR) i that used with them alway lags a lot. i still can't sync music to my phones!!! that's why i switched to T-Mobile. Anyways, i would get it if it was on T-Mobile because they don't mess with motorola UI. it's probably going to be on AT&T because T-Mobile don't have 3G network running yet.
Alfred Montoya @ Jun 13th 2007 8:32PM
Does anyone know when the new Razr will be released for Alltel or if it even will be released for Alltel???
Roman @ Jun 16th 2007 10:34PM
I surely want to buy V8. Looks nice and has powerhorses inside, their follow up will be getting better but this first try it's really good.
arthur411 @ Jul 7th 2007 1:37PM
I have AT&T and I'm already eligible to update my phone.I was going to buy an IPhone but a lot of poeple is saying that is not what they thought it would be, and some of the features doesn,t perform 100%. Don't get me wrong the IPhone is nice but i always been a fan of really thing phones. Specialy if they have smartphone capavilities. Does anyone know if the v9 will be avaliable for AT&T. Should i wait until it is.Or should go for the IPhone. I think the V9 is a nice phone and i would love it if someone could tell me if AT&T will carry it.
Leilani E Green @ Aug 6th 2007 12:31AM
when is the phone coming out in Chicago?....i hope it comes with the u.s. cellular plan.
Brian4137 @ Sep 5th 2007 7:57AM
Hahahah, I left Verizon for AT&T (for one week)...I'll never make that mistake again! New phones with pretty UI's are no match for a superior network! (At least in Missouri!)
Brian4137 @ Sep 5th 2007 7:57AM
By the way this phone rocks!