Motorola RAZR V3i Unlocked Phone with Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Version with No Warranty (Silver/Gray)

by Motorola

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.4 x 1.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000E95OAI
• Item model number: V3i
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,984 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories)

Product Description

Amazon.com Hands-On Review

Nobody can deny that Motorola's RAZR V3 was a huge commercial success. It had a lot going for it, including that sexy and slim profile. But in spite of its success in the market, there were still some things that needed to be addressed. The newest version of the RAZR for GSM networks, the RAZR V3i, is an evolutionary upgrade to the V3. It seems quite obvious that Motorola was thinking "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" when they went about creating this upgrade.

The sleek V3i is an upgrade from the original RAZR V3.

For starters, the physical size of the V3i is the same as the V3, which is to say that it is about six tenths of an inch in thickness (about 14mm). Weight is also about the same at 3.4oz (97g). But this time around the V3i gets a new, gunmetal-gray exterior with a cool, brushed pattern on the top half of the folder design. The Motorola logo also now glows blue. Otherwise, apart from some minor cosmetic changes made to the exterior and the flat but functional keypad, physically the V3i seems pretty much the same as the V3.

The basic features are also the same, with a few exceptions. The V3i supports all four of the GSM frequency bands, so it should work most anywhere in the world (if you have international roaming on your GSM account). The V3i's internal antenna seemed to work well--call audio quality was very good and we had no problems in weak signal areas. The large 262k color display appears to be the same--still nice and bright--and the external display is also the same, meaning it is functional but not at all awe inspiring. The battery in the V3i has been upgraded a wee bit and managed to power the handset for just over 8 hours of talk time in our tests.

There is still no EDGE data support in the V3i, sadly, but the Bluetooth system is very good and supports data connections as well as headsets and car kits--though not in stereo. The camera's user interface has been updated to include a very easy system whereas the d-pad can change most all of the camera settings on the fly without the need for menus. The camera module itself has also been upgraded to a 1.2-megapixel model that generates nice looking photos with good color balance, even if the focus is a bit soft (especially for subjects closer than 4' away).

See the unlocked V3i open and closed.

Another upgrade is the inclusion of speaker-independent voice dialing and commands. With this system, there is no longer the need to train the phone for various contacts names. You just speak the command (such as "Name Dial"), and tell it the name of the contact--it's that simple and works superbly. Another change that helps in making calls is a new multi-character search mode for finding contacts, something people have been asking about for a long time. In some versions of the V3i you will also find Apple iTunes support, just like in the ROKR E1. There is a 100-song limit, though, which is a shame since the new microSD memory card slot can hold cards as large as 1 GB in size. The non-iTunes versions will not have a song limit when using the default Motorola media player.

Pros:

Thin and sexy

Good battery life

Bluetooth

Cons:

No EDGE support

Metal keypad is not for everybody

While not a massive upgrade, the RAZR V3i gets enough boosts in the right places to ensure its spot as one of the most popular mobile phones in the world. The added features are all very nice to have, and the hold-over features from the old V3 still work as well as they did the first time around. If you like the RAZR V3, you will probably love it in the new RAZR V3i version.

--Reviewed by Michael Oryl, editor in chief of www.MobileBurn.com

Product Description

The Motorola RAZR V3i is fully loaded* - delivering the ultimate combination of design and technology. Beneath this sculpted metal exterior is a lean mean, globe-hopping machine. Modelled after the Motorola RAZR V3, the RAZR V3i has an updated and streamlined design, offering consumers a large internal color screen, quad-band technology and Bluetooth wireless technology. Designed for an enhanced imaging experience, this sleek handset comes complete with an integrated 1.23 megapixel digital camera with a full screen view-finder, zoom, and video capture and playback.Fully Loaded-Don’t say it … show it! Capture beautiful images during global travels with the Motorola RAZR V3i’s 1.23 megapixel digital camera. Share those images via email or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) or save them to the MicroSD removable memory card to print when you are back at home. But when a still image just won’t do, video capabilities promise to capture all your action-packed experiences. Cut Loose-No more limitations. Quad-band technology allows you to roam seamlessly across countries and continents. Combined with Bluetooth technology and speaker independent name and digit dialing and you have hands-free capabilities to juggle work and play. Screening calls while lounging in the French Riviera? Use the brilliant 1.3 inch external display to see who is calling you with picture caller ID.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect, especially for a Mac user, April 28, 2006

By 

Dr. Sam Beckett "Hoping for that last leap home" (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motorola RAZR V3i Unlocked Phone with Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Version with No Warranty (Silver/Gray) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

After my dreadful V551, I was hesitant to return to Motorola. Since my Sony Ericsson S710a didn't work out, and since my wife's V3 has been solid so far, I decided to give Moto one more chance with the V3i.

First, the build quality and materials are EXCELLENT. The machined aluminum outer casing, and machined nickel keypad, provide substantial heft (this is good) and tactility. Moto could've used a little better plastic in places, but it's fine otherwise.

Second, although its resolution is lower than the S710a's, the V3i inner display's physical screen size is about the same. Meaning it's plenty large, not to mention clear, colorful, and bright. The outer display is nothing special, but it is a compromise for better battery life, so I can live with that.

Third, unlike Sony Ericsson, the new Moto's (V3i, SLVR L7, etc.) sport an industry-standard mini-USB charging/data port, and use standard memory cards. (I put a 1GB TransFlash in mine and it is amazing.) No more proprietary chargers and cables, nor goofy Sony-only "Memory Sticks."

Fourth, the Bluetooth. Motorola has come a long way to improve their implementation, and though it is not as full featured as Sony Ericsson's, it is almost unshakable in its stability. (Sony Ericsson has the reverse trend. The T616 had great Bluetooth, the S710a's was unstable. The new W600 and W900 are equally unstable.) Range is excellent, too.

Fifth, reception and call quality are both excellent. Volume could be better, but is still adequate. I have to admit, though, that the S710a was slightly better with earpiece and speakerphone audio volume and quality.

Finally, the much maligned UI. Yes, Sony Ericsson trumps everyone with their interface and Address Book; Motorola executes both of these rather clumsily, thus requiring a steep learning curve. However, two areas where Moto outshines Sony Ericsson are 1) consistent UI responsiveness and 2) broad customizability.

My only other gripe is the 50 song limit in iTunes, even with the memory card upgrade. However, I'm an iPod owner, so this doesn't concern me too much.

Now for a word of warning to Mac users. My iTunes-equipped V3i, unlocked and unbranded, came from an overseas market (phone and manual languages included UK English, Vietnamese, Bhasat, and Thai). It has full Bluetooth functionality with my Mac, including iSync. However, some V3i's don't work over Bluetooth - the Mac can't "see" any of the phone's services, thus preventing file transfers or iSync-ability without a USB connection. I can't say for sure if this is related to iTunes or not, but so far it seems the iTunes-loaded V3i's work better. Caveat emptor!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Razr V3i, February 27, 2006

By 

W. To (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Motorola RAZR V3i Unlocked Phone with Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Version with No Warranty (Silver/Gray) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I got this phone a couple days ago and I am very impressed it has some pros and cons. I never used a regular v3 so I can't really compare it to that. I don't understand what one of the reviews was talking about saying the phone book is hard all you have to do is start search then you can type in the first letter of the name you want to get to and it'll take you to the names in your phone book that start with that letter, but thats neither here nor there.

Some things you want to consider before you order this unlocked non North American version of this phone. Not all V3i's come with itunes, only Australia, NZ, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Turkey, South Africa, Rest of Africa, North Africa, Israel, Thailand, and finally Middle East versions of the V3i come with itunes. Is the one amazon is selling from one of those markets I don't know, I got mine off ebay. But even if it doesn't come with itunes you can still listen to mp3s off of it within the motorola mp3 player software which I think is called Digital Audio Player or DAP for short.

Alright the phone feels and looks great, and the camera quality is damn good considering the size of this phone and the fact that is indeed a PHONE with a CAMERA and not a CAMERA with a PHONE. Here is a link to a picture I took with the camera at work. http://is.rely.net/1-565-45832-l-HmgUZw2FmBwpjBF1aT9fMw.jpg . This phone is semi customizable like being able to change your wallpaper and having your own mp3 ringtones, via a usb cable. Like I said my version came with cable, data software, itunes and stereo head phones I don't know what this version comes with. Next I'll list pros and cons.

PROS:
Small size
Looks Great
Good reception and sound quality
Customizable features
Mp3 player capabilities
Takes fine photos and video
In my opinion easy to use and straight forward navigation
Speaker phone is loud and clear

CONS:
iTunes seems to limit the number of songs you can have depending on what size transflash you have. For example with my 256 card it only lets me have 50 songs and on a 512 card it'll only let you have 100 songs.

A delicate phone, I use extra caution handling this phone
Front screen resolution could be better, but gets the job done
Included java games suck

In closing I think this phone is well suited for me, by being slim, customizable and having mp3 playback. Even if it does cap me at 100 songs my walk to and from work is quite a short distance anyway this way I can just keep the ipod plugged in the car and just use my phone for music.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST CELL PHONE TO DATE!!! PERIOD.....!, July 12, 2006

By 

Dustin Decker "ddecker" (NWA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Motorola RAZR V3i Unlocked Phone with Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Version with No Warranty (Silver/Gray) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I purchased this phone unlocked about two months ago. I am not sure why it is not readily available in any US store. There seems to be a lot of confusion out there about this phone. The V3I is awesome. Hands down the best cell phone device that I have EVER purchased. The itunes capability is great, even though the song limit is 50, it works great as an ipod back up. The sound is as good as you can expect and you can listen to your itunes songs over the speaker without having to use any headphones. The best thing about this phone is the removable transflash card that can be used (up to 1gb) that can be used to store songs, use as a thumb drive, or whatever you would need a 1gb worth of space for. In addition, the one megapixel camera is a definite upgrade from the old V3. Also, the video capability is awesome. Unlike its predecessor's, the V3i will take as long of video as your memory will hold (three minutes, thirty minutes etc). The looks and feel of this phone are amazing too. The gunmetal look stands out among the sea of normal RAZR phones. Also, I love the front blue light, which you can program to flash differently for different things. The only problem with the phone is the fact that you cannot purchase it at any United States phone dealers. You either have to purchase it here or someplace like eBay. I purchased mine on eBay for about $250. Go for this one, you wont be disappointed.