Misc. Ramblings

I've had my Motorola Razr V3 for a couple of weeks now and have a better feel for its strong and weak points.

Weak Points:First, the volume of the ear piece is too soft. If I'm walking along the street, normal traffic noise drowns out everything coming from the phone. Speaking of volume, the feedback tone from pressing a key is also too soft.

Secondly, when outside, both the external and internal display screens are unreadable. Even with the backlight on, which shouldn't be required outside, all I see is a shiny black rectangle. Changing the brightness does not help. Not being able to read the screen is a *BIG* problem when trying to use the address book, check email/text messages, or just about anything that requires seeing the screen.

Thirdly, speaking of shiny screens, before I installed the Martin Fields Overlay Plus protective plastic film on the displays, they would attract fingerprints as if by magic. It is almost impossible to use the phone without leaving unsightly fingerprints all over the screens. Now that I have the overlays, they stay much cleaner. Not to mention they protect the displays from minor scratches.

Fourthly (is that a word? - ed.), the voice activation system, which allows you to save voice commands linked to phone numbers, is not all that great. You have to speak at a specific volume at a specific speed for it to recognize the command. Once you get it to work, it is a bit more convenient than trying to type in a phone number (especially when outside and you can't see what you are typing on the display) but it takes awhile for the processor to make the match and start dialing the number.

Fifthly, the images from the camera are not very sharp. Everything looks fuzzy, although the colors are true-to-life. On the other hand, I'm not sure what a camera is doing on a business class phone. But if they are going to have one, why not make it sharper?

Strong Points: It is very thin and easy to fit in just about any pocket. Thus, it is more convenient to take with me than any other phone I've owned.

The wide keypad is easier to use. It seems many companies have made phones so small that you need a stylus to press the keys. Is this progress? I don't think so. I need a phone that I can use. This one works for me.

The mini-USB port is a convenient and secure way to move data back and forth. While I could use the phone's Bluetooth capability, I find a USB cable is simpler (and probably more secure).

I've had no problems with dropped calls. I was afraid that switching to this phone would result in less reliable connections (which is what happened to my wife when she switched from a Motorola StarTac to a LG 3200). But so far, and I haven't exactly yet taken it to places like Waikiki where reception is bad, I've had no problems with reception.

I'll update things after I've used it more.