Hands-on with Motorola's RAZR2 V9m

Moto's RAZR2—the long-awaited follow-up to the ubiquitous (and oh-so-tired) RAZR—has been out for a few weeks now, and I've had some time to test out the CDMA version of the eye-catching phone. Available on both Sprint and Verizon Wireless (the GSM RAZR2 V9 is on AT&T), the RAZR2 V9m may not be a groundbreaker under the hood, but the stainless-steel phone is undeniably sexy.

The RAZR2 packs in pretty much everything you'd expect from a 3G multimedia phone, including a solid two-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, streaming video and music downloads, SMS and MMS messaging, and GPS capabilities (check my earlier post for more details). But enough with specs—let's talk about the high (and low) points...

What I liked:

• Gorgeous design: The RAZR2 V9m is about the same size as the original RAZR, if about 2mm thinner, and at 4.2 ounces it isn't exactly featherweight. But its stainless-steel, cast-aluminum shell is something to behold; the phone somehow manages to feel light yet solid, and its polished curves felt great in my palm. Also, the frame of the RAZR2 seems to vibrate just a bit when it snaps shut or springs open, almost like a tuning fork. I can't quite tell you why that's cool, but it is.
• Razor-sharp displays: The RAZR2's 2.2-inch internal LCD looks vivid and crisp, but I was even more impressed by the phone's external display, which is just 0.2-inches smaller than the main screen. Even better, the external display boasts touch-sensitive controls (complete with tactile feedback in the form of a slight buzz) so you can play and pause music or turn on the camera when the flip is closed. The Sprint version of the RAZR2 also lets you play videos on the external LCD—not so on Verizon's RAZR2, unfortunately.
• Music and video streaming: Both the Sprint and Verizon Wireless RAZR2s let you access their respective video and music services, including streaming video clips and full-track music downloads; you can also (as I just mentioned) play music while the phone is closed and listen over stereo Bluetooth headsets. Sprint has just rolled out a sleek new programming grid for its video offerings, while Verizon lets you browse for tunes on its flashy V Cast interface; however, Sprint's music store still needs some work (see "What I didn't like," below).
• Good call quality: Your mileage may vary, of course, but in my tests here in Manhattan, calls on the V9m (both the Sprint and Verizon versions) sounded clear as a bell, with practically no background noise (whether that's a product of Moto's much-touted "Crystal Talk" technology is an open question). A loud and clear speakerphone is also included, along with three-way call conferencing; I also managed to wring about four hours of talk time out of the RAZR2, which is about par for a phone this size.

What I didn't like:

• Dull menus: Here's something that continues to confound me: awesome-looking phones with boring menu screens, and unfortunately the RAZR2 follows in this sad tradition. When the phone was first announced in May, we were promised a speedy, Linux- and Java-based OS—and we got that, except Sprint and Verizon dropped their own interfaces on top, so basically we're left with more of the same. The animated menus on Sprint's V9m are slightly more interesting than the tired interface on the Verizon phone, which is just a warned-over version of the same old menu that Verizon's been using for years now. The Verizon V Cast store looks marginally better, but Sprint's Music Store? Awful—just a plain white background with text. Sprint really needs to spruce up its music storefront if it wants to keep up with the likes of Apple's Wi-FI iTunes music store.
• Memory card behind the back cover: All the RAZRs I've ever test hide the microSD memory expansion slot behind the back cover of the phone, and the RAZR2 is no exception. Sure, it's nice to be able to pop the microSD card into a PC memory card slot to transfer music, photos, and other files, but you'll have to remove the RAZR2's battery to do so—annoying.
• Price: At $250 on both the Sprint and Verizon Wireless Web sites, the RAZR2 V9m is pretty pricey for a non-smartphone. That said, the sky-high sticker price on the original RAZR dropped like a rock within months of its launch, and I'd expect the same thing to happen with the RAZR2, so (as I've often said) you may want to wait a month or so before snapping it up.

The last word (for now):

I never thought I'd say this, but the RAZR2 is pretty much the first RAZR that I'd ever consider buying—the stainless-steel shell is truly arresting, and most of the basics are here, including above-average call quality and extras like video, music, and the built-in camera. Of course, it's no iPhone (and it's no Helio Fin, at least not feature-wise), but for someone looking for a solid calling phone with a sense of style, the RAZR2 makes for a compelling choice. At $250, it's overpriced for now, but again, just wait a bit—I'll bet you'll see the RAZR2 for $150 or below in the coming months.