Hello I have recently adquired an unlocked cingular silver motorola razor v3, and here's my review:

When this phone came out, I was in awe, struck by it's sleek and beautiful shape that was step forward and out of the monotony of everyday cell phone designs. Knowing that I was contractually tied to another service provider did not stop me from stopping by my local cingular store to behold this phone within my grasp. I was disappointed when I realized that at the cost of thinning the phone it suffered a growth in width. It was as if a regular sized bar shaped cell phone was compressed and the results were the razor. I left the store feeling empty and a bit upset, seeing the product first hand combined with its entry level price at the time of $400+ dollars (depending were you went), it seemed that we had reached a point were beauty met it's match in pricing.

After such experience, I decided to wait and see how it would fare in pricing in the next coming months and also to see if there was any similar response from any of the other cell phone makers to champion this work of art. Surely enough the price kept dropping and meanwhile, I kept trying to convince myself that it was still overpriced and was a big phone to hold in my average sized palm. However, it's bluetooth connectivity proved a strong point against my faltering excuses for not getting this phone. Finally, shortly after cingular announced the new pricing of $199 with a 2 year contract I was coming around again to purchase this phone. Mainly because of the lack in creativity from other phone manufacturers only producing everyday phones that had yet to match the razor's form.

I started to devise ways to contact my current cell phone provider in order to cancel out the contract and avoid my early termination fee. However, I knew that if this was the route to take I could not port my number to Cingular. As I toy with the idea of finally owning my very own razor v3, frequently checking numerous sites where unlocked phones were sold, I found one locally that offered it to me well under $300. The markup was minimal and I could still keep my number, as well as current provider and in about 2 months I could be contract free. I contacted the site and arranged to pick up the phone that very same day.

To say it was the longest day of work in a long time is an understatement. As soon as I was able to leave, I was a sprint runner going for the 100 meter dash to my car. Achieving this in under a minute, I headed to the place that would deliver me from torture (or so I thought). After a bit of road rage and trying to get there yesterday, because in my mind the price was so good I thought it was a mistake, the store loomed ahead at first as a mirage but a closer looked confirmed that it was indeed a real store. After a rather long session of "small talk," the sales representative brought out my very own razor v3.

I paid cash in hand and literally snatched the box from the person that delivered my most recently acquired treasure. I almost wanted to shout "my precious, my precious" but instead I quickly opened the box to make sure it was not a demo phone but rather a brand new phone. I was admiring the phone when I realized the young man was talking to me asking the same question about 3 times now. Still speechless, I looked at him still not believing I finally had obtained a v3, he kindly repeated his question "will you be using this on a cingular network?," to which I replied "no, I will be using it on a different network." The rep then said "may I take your phone to make sure it is unlocked?," I looked at him as if he was trying to steal it from me then realized I needed his help one last time. Reluctantly I handed over the phone, I watched him like a hawk makinh sure that the phone I had let him cradle for a couple of minutes would be the same one that I would get back.

The sales rep said "It's ready sir, is there anything else I can do for you today?," I grunted a no, took the phone as fast as I could and opened it's back side took it's battery out and place it on the counter. Then just as swiftly, I took my old and battered friend, a nokia 6000s series ( I do not recall the exact model as it was the last thing on my mind) and ripped the back of it as well and after taking it's battery out for the last time, I took out my sim card. The adrenaline was running out of my body or so it seemes as my hands started shaking slightly, as I struggled with the new task of putting my sim card into my new phone, I could vaguely hear the sales rep something about help. After the secong try the sim card slid in and I carefully placed the battery back, then came the last piece of the puzzle. As careful as one can be, I placed the battery cover back on, still shaking my hands slowly turned the phone over and flipped it open. I stood there about 30 seconds still admiring it's formed and at the same time, remembering the last time I held a razor in my hands, I smiled as a boy does when he sees his Christmas presents under the tree. Slowly I pressed the power on button, after a second too long the screen came to life, followed by the familiar hellomoto design and a notice of my number is, the main interface came on and my provider was indeed where it should be I left.

Never looking back, I took my box and what was to become of my old, cracked and battered nokia was now unimportant. Each stride I took was more and more confident, feeling almost a sort of superman like strenght in knowing that I was never to be embarrased by taking a phone call with a dinosaur cell phone, knowing that each time my phone would ring I would confidently answer it and make a show of it because this phone was an art piece... Unfortunately I would soon find out what form over functionality would literally mean...

After an hour or so of talk time, I adjusted to the larger size in my hand and was comfortable with it, as time goes by I can say that it features offered are not so out of the ordinary as it was with its shape. The features were comparable with other phones manufactured a year maybe even two ago. The only feature par with it's techlogically advance shape would be it's bluetooth conectivity to some extent. I have tested the headset, but I've yet to find one that complements its counterpart in physique. Other features such as software are pretty much standard, calculator, calendar, games are standard in most phones. The camera quality is good but no fancy features such as effects as found in other models that have been existent before its arrival. Furthermore, there was a lack of video recording another feature that would have complemented this piece of art. There is playback but I wonder what good is it to playback a message if you really do not have the ability to answer back in the same manner. I have found it at times frustating to be on the phone and not be able to hear the caller clearly, the phone has to be positioned a certain way to direct the soundwaves to your ear canal and thus enable the conversation to it's maximum volume possible. The ringer is also a bit to soft even at it's loudest setting. I have yet to connect to the internet as the phone is still configured to cingular settings and need to change that. Lastly, the keypad construction is uniform and it makes it hard to dial a single digit at times. It is also thin enough to were you really can't tell if you pressed the number correctly unless you are looking at the screen. With this drawback in mind, instant messaging on this phone could be task of it's own. On the positive side, you can obtain mobile phone tools and make your own rigntones wich can then be transfered with the cable provided with the original packagin. Being the fact that personally I do not partake in cell phone camera dependency, I could do with a v3 without a camera at all and give full live video conferencing, the other features are decent. Overall this is a form over function phone which will get people to notice you on the phone, has a decent camera but no video. Still if I had to chose this would be tha phone that fits my needs.

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