V8 or V9

[Baldilocks]

I dont think there is an unbranded flash out for the V9 just yet.

[choonwai11]

hi all,

I am new here and i also having the same headache between V8 and V9. Have some question below:

1. Is the V9 interface something like V3i which i am using? any major changes?

2. what the advantages of the linux OS compare to the usual moto interface?

3. will the linux OS's application be able to find easily over the internet? like JAVA?

4. the battery life between 2 phones vary alot? i think it is 950mAh vs 770mAh.

5. i heard the external screen control for v9 have more function then V8, is it true? and what the different?

for my own opinion, v8 advantage in Linux, thinner, color, cheaper then V9.
v9 advantages in hsdpa, micro sd slot.

[choonwai11]

hi all,

I am new here and i also having the same headache between V8 and V9. Have some question below:

1. Is the V9 interface something like V3i which i am using? any major changes?

2. what the advantages of the linux OS compare to the usual moto interface?

3. will the linux OS's application be able to find easily over the internet? like JAVA?

4. the battery life between 2 phones vary alot? i think it is 950mAh vs 770mAh.

5. i heard the external screen control for v9 have more function then V8, is it true? and what the different?

for my own opinion, v8 advantage in Linux, thinner, color, cheaper then V9.
v9 advantages in hsdpa, micro sd slot.

[wizaard]

hi all,

I am new here and i also having the same headache between V8 and V9. Have some question below:

1. Is the V9 interface something like V3i which i am using? any major changes?

2. what the advantages of the linux OS compare to the usual moto interface?

3. will the linux OS's application be able to find easily over the internet? like JAVA?

4. the battery life between 2 phones vary alot? i think it is 950mAh vs 770mAh.

5. i heard the external screen control for v9 have more function then V8, is it true? and what the different?

for my own opinion, v8 advantage in Linux, thinner, color, cheaper then V9.
v9 advantages in hsdpa, micro sd slot.

1) The V9's user interface is based on standard Motorola's interface (almost the same as the K1 or K3 ones).

2) The Linux interface is functionallywise not very different but it's faster and smarter in many ways (that's how I see it).

3) While the V8 supports JAVA, there's no problem. But the native Linux applications will be a little problem for quite some time. Currently there are none (3 months after V8's release and many more months after Z6's release, that's a little bad).

4) The V8's battery life is poor. Unfortunately I have no idea about the V9, but thanks to the fact the V9 runs slower CPU (500MHz V8, 250MHz V9) it shouldn't consume that much of power. That's what I think.

5) Unfortunately in this way Motorola is quite stupid and so they degraded the V8's external screen very (VERY) much.

All in all... Even though I don't like people changing their minds, I must admit that the V9 is a way better phone though it doesn't run the Linux OS.

[MotoMania]

[h1]Motorola Razr2 V8 (T-Mobile)[/h1]
Reviewed by: Kent German

Reviewed on 10/15/07

Product summary The good: The Motorola Razr2 V8 offers an attractive design and a useful feature set including stereo Bluetooth and world phone support. Also, its call, music, and photo performance are quite good.
The bad: The Motorola Razr2 V8 doesn't fully utilize its external display or controls, and its menu structure is confusing. Also, it's the only Razr2 without support for 3G networks.
The bottom line: The Motorola Razr2 V8 may be one of the prettiest Razr2s around, but it's not nearly as smart. Its saving grace is its good performance.

Editor's note: This review refers to a preproduction model of the Razr2 V8. The final model of the handset may be different.
Yes, it's late to the party, as it often tends to be, but T-Mobile finally has picked up the Motorola Razr2. Sprint, Verizon Wireless, Alltel, and AT&T have been offering the Razr revamp since the summer, but only today did T-Mobile make its membership in the Moto club official. Wrapped in a lovely blue skin, T-Mobile's Razr2 is just as sleek and shiny, but you'll find an important change inside. While its competitors are selling the 3G Razr2 V9 or V9m, T-Mobile stuck with the Razr2 V8, which supports the slower EDGE networks. You can blame it on T-Mobile's lack of 3G--that's another party the carrier is late to--but the result is an equally attractive but far less powerful phone. And don't get us started on the less-effective external display. The Razr2 V8 is $249 with service. To find accessories for this phone, see our cell phone ringtones and accessories guide.
Design
We've made no secret of the fact that we think the Razr2 is downright gorgeous. The more streamlined shape, glossy exterior, and metal finish add up to a huge aesthetic improvement over the original Razr, and we think the dark blue color is the best color we've seen on a cell phone. The phone's dimensions (4.05 inches by 2.08 inches by 0.46 inch; 4.1 ounces) are the same as on the other Razr2s, and it has the same solid feel in the hand.
The V8 features the large and visually rich Razr2 external display, but it's disappointing that T-Mobile does not utilize it fully. Though the screen shows photo caller ID and it works as a camera viewfinder for self portraits, the nifty touch controls that the V9 and V9m carriers used so effectively aren't available in the standby mode on our review model. You can't access your recent calls list or the messaging menu; rather, you can use them only to control the music player. You still get the tactile feedback with the controls, but even then you must open the phone to start the player first. Since Motorola gave carriers a lot of room to customize the controls to their liking, we can't understand why T-Mobile didn't do the same.
We also weren't thrilled with the controls on either spine. Yes, they give you the same tactile feedback as on the other Razr2s, but you can't activate the camera when the phone is closed. Instead, you must open the phone, start the camera, and then close it again to get your shot. Why couldn't T-Mobile let us activate the music player or camera with the flip closed? We haven't the slightest idea. Of course, you can use the volume rocker and the Motorola smart key on the left spine to change the V8's profile, but that's hardly unique among Motorola phones. The smart key also locks the external controls but the sole control on the right spine only activates the voice-dialing feature when the flip is open.
The remaining features on the V8's exterior are mostly standard. The camera sits above the external display sans a flash while the Micro-USB port sits on the left spine. The speaker is on the rear face of the phone at its bottom end. But in an important change, the Razr2 V8 does not offer an external memory card slot.
The V8's interior also shows no changes from the other Razr2 models. The 2.2-inch (320x240 pixels), 262,000-color display is equally pleasing to the eye and the navigation controls and keypad buttons, while flush with the surface of the phone, are user-friendly. T-Mobile did a decent job with the shortcut keys. You can program the toggle to open four functions of your choice while a second customizable shortcuts menu gives you one-touch access to more applications. Pressing the smart key will open the music player, but we would have appreciated a specific speakerphone key as well. The only dedicated keys are a Web-browser control and a back button.
T-Mobile replaced Motorola's dated menu user interface with its own design, but it's not much of an improvement. Though the animated icons are pretty, the organizational system didn't always make sense. For example, to change the backlight time or the display brightness you most open the Display Settings option under the Phone Settings menu. But if you want to change the wallpapers, you most open the Themes menu instead.
Features
The Razr2 V8 has a large phonebook with room in each entry for five phone numbers, two-e-mail addresses, an instant messaging handle, two street addresses, and notes (the SIM card holds an additional 250 contacts). You can assign callers to groups and pair them with one of 32 polyphonic ringtones. And for safekeeping purposes, you can sync your contacts with T-Mobile's servers. Other essential features include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, an alarm clock, a calculator, a calendar, a world clock, a task list, a voice memo recorder, and a notepad. Also onboard are full Bluetooth (with a stereo profile), instant messaging, voice dialing and commands, POP3 e-mail, PC syncing, and USB (2.0) mass storage.

The V8, like all Razr2s, doesn't offer a camera flash.

The 2-megapixel camera takes pictures in four resolutions, from 1,200x1,600 down to 240x320. Editing features include three quality settings, a self-timer, a multishot mode, six color effects, six frames, an 8x zoom, and five shutter sounds. The camcorder records clips in two resolutions with sound. Editing options are limited to a choice of three quality settings. Clips meant for multimedia messages are capped at 10 seconds, or you can shoot for as long as the available memory will permit. And, speaking of which, the V8 offers about 2GB of shared memory, which is quite extensive. Photo quality was very good with bright colors and distinct objects.

The Razr2 V8 has excellent photo quality.

For listening to tunes, the Razr2 V8 offers a generic Moto media player. Though perfectly functional, the interface is exceptionally simple and offers nothing in the way of album art or music visualizations. Features are respectable without being too extensive. Besides shuffle and repeat mode, there's an Airplane setting and you can organize music by playlists.
Getting music on the phone is a relatively simple affair. This being a T-Mobile phone, it goes without saying that wireless music downloads aren't available, but you can transfer music via a USB cable. Our PC recognized our handset instantly, and we were able to drag and drop files without any problem. On our review phone, our music tracks transferred to the Pictures folder by default. The music player will play music no matter where it's saved, but you can move files around using the File Manager application.
You can personalize the Razr2 V8 with a variety of wallpapers, screensavers, and alert sounds. You can download more options, and more ringtones, from T-Mobile's T-zones Internet service over the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. The V8 only comes with two demo games--Midnight Pool 3D and Gun Bloxx--you'll have to buy the full versions for extended play.
Performance
We tested the quandband (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; EDGE) Razr2 V8 in San Francisco using T-Mobile service. Call quality was generally good, because, in part, of Moto's CrystalTalk technology. Voices sounded natural and there was little static or interference. On the whole, the sound quality compared favorably with AT&T Razr2 V9. Here, too, we noticed a slight echo on our end, but it wasn't enough to ruin our experience. The volume could be just the slight bit louder, we sometimes had trouble hearing in noisy locations, but the majority of the time it was fine.
On their end, callers reported few issues, though they could tell we were using a cell phone. A few callers also reported a slight background hiss but others did not detect anything out of the ordinary. Speakerphone calls were satisfactory, though the sound was a tad muffled. Also, while the volume was loud, the sound was distorted at the highest levels. Callers said they could understand us, as long we were close to the phone. Bluetooth calls were respectable; we didn't encounter significant issues.
The V8's music experience was quite pleasant. The sole speaker provided decent output and the audio quality was sharp and clear. Like with most music phones, it's not too great at the highest volumes, and we miss having an equalizer or anything of the sort, but it's a perfectly fine music player for short listening periods.
The Motorola Razr2 V8 has a rated battery life of 8.3 hours talk time and 11.6 days standby time. Our tests came close to around 7 hours and 27 minutes of talk time.


http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/...d.txt.1Source:

[MotoMania]

[h1]Motorola Razr2 V9 (AT&T)[/h1]

Reviewed by: Nicole Lee

Reviewed on 8/14/07 Updated on: 9/5/07

Product summary The good: The Motorola Razr2 V9 is a fabulous-looking phone clad in steel and glass. It has HSDPA support plus a 2-megapixel camera, a music player, and good sound quality and battery life.
The bad: The Motorola Razr2 V9 has skinny side buttons and a rather flat keypad. We also wished there were one-push access to the music player plus one for the speakerphone.
The bottom line: The Motorola Razr2 V9 is a great successor to the first Razr. Despite a few quibbles, it has an eye-catching design, solid performance, and an impressive feature set.





After three years of touting the Razr brand, Motorola has yet to give up on the thin phone that jumpstarted the skinny-handset trend. Motorola has come out with the second-generation set of the Razr, dubbed the Razr2. While we admit to feeling a little fatigue over the Razr, we have to admit we like this new Razr2 series. Stacked with a number of cool features like a 2-megapixel camera and full Bluetooth support, the Razr2 sets itself apart from the rest with a very eye-catching design. The brand-new chassis is made of steel and hardened glass, and there's a gorgeous external screen with haptic touch screen buttons on the bottom row. These buttons differ depending on which carrier the Razr2 is under.
The Razr2 V9 is AT&T's version of the Razr2, and it has all the same features plus a few that are tailor-made for AT&T. It has HSDPA support, which also lends itself to access to AT&T's broadband services like Cellular Video and AT&T Music. The bottom row of the external screen is also dedicated to music player controls, which is different from the Razr2s from Sprint and Verizon. There are a few issues with the design, like the lack of one-button access to the music player and certain hard-to-press keys, but we like its overall aesthetic. Add that to excellent performance, and you have a very impressive successor to the original Razr. The Motorola Razr2 V9 is available for $299 with a 2-year contract.
Design
Like the other Razrs, the Motorola Razr2 V9 is certainly a design-focused phone. However, it is remarkably different from its predecessors, with a beautiful steel shell and a hardened glass exterior protecting its front face. It is also significantly wider, with a measurement of 2 inches wide, 4 inches long, and 0.5 inch deep. The overall feel is quite luxurious, thanks to its extra heft and sturdy construction. The hinge appears to be a solid piece of steel, adding to the feeling of durability.
The primary attraction of the Razr2 is its massive external screen, which is overlaid by the aforementioned glass exterior. Measuring about 2 inches diagonally, the display is simply stunning, and provides the phone with a distinct look that sets it apart from the other Razrs. The glass does attract a lot of smudges however, and its glossy surface makes it hard to see in bright sunlight. It supports around 262,000 colors, so photo caller ID is definitely supported. On standby mode, the date, time, signal, and battery strength are displayed, as well as background wallpaper. You can use the external screen as a camera viewfinder for self-portraits, and it displays caller ID as well.

The Razr2 V9 has a camera lens above the external screen.

The Razr2 V9's external screen isn't just pretty, it's functional too. When the music player is activated, three display keys show up on the bottom row. They act as rewind, play/pause, and fast-forward/skip buttons, respectively. Luckily, even though the keys are all touch-sensitive, they provide haptic or vibrating feedback when touched. In general, we prefer real physical buttons over touch-sensitive ones, but the vibration does provide enough tactile feedback for controlling the music. We wished that these music controls were on the external display even when in standby mode, so that we didn't have to go through the phone's menu to activate the music player. The external display also shows album art and the currently playing track. Rounding out the phone's exterior are the skinny volume rocker and Smart key on the left spine, with a dedicated camera key on the right. The Smart key is used to lock or unlock the side keys, and when the music player is activated, it also opens up the music player menu. The volume rocker can then be used to scroll through the menu. A nice bonus is that these side keys also provide a vibrating feedback when pressed, which is a good thing because they are so skinny and hard to press. On top of the external screen is the camera lens, while the microSD card slot is located behind the battery cover. We found the cover incredibly difficult to remove, and would prefer it if the microSD card slot was located somewhere else.
Flip open the phone and you'll find a fabulous 2.2-inch diagonal internal display. Like the external screen, it also supports 262,000 colors, and images look great as a result. They were bright, vibrant, and saturated with color. The menu interface is fairly standard for AT&T, and it's easy to navigate through. Though you can adjust the backlight time, you can't adjust the brightness or font size.
The navigation array is located underneath the display and the Razr2 V9's huge hinge and consists of two soft keys, the familiar circular toggle with middle OK button, a dedicated Web browser key (which goes directly to AT&T's MediaNet portal), and a dedicated key for AT&T's Cellular Video service. The toggle also doubles as shortcuts to a new text message, the instant-messaging menu, the address book, and mobile e-mail. There are also the familiar Talk, Clear/Back, and End/Power keys. The keypad buttons underneath are set in a slightly curved design, which sets it apart from the other Razr2s. As with previous Razrs, the keypad and the navigation buttons are flush with the surface of the phone, making them a little difficult to dial. That said, the buttons have a little more snap when pressed. Thankfully though, the keys are very well-spaced, with large type, and have slightly raised numbers that provide a little bit of tactile definition.
Features
Even when it comes to features, the Razr2s are quite similar with one another. However, there are slight differences that are specific to the different carriers. But first, the basics. The Razr2 V9 comes with an impressive 1,000-entry phone book with room in each entry for six different numbers and two e-mail addresses. You can save the callers to groups, pair them with a photo for caller ID, and assign 1 of 15 polyphonic ringtones. You can also set different vibrating patterns, plus use MP3s as ringtones. Other basic features include a vibrate mode, a calculator, an alarm clock, and a world clock. On the more advanced side, there's also text and multimedia messaging, a speakerphone, a voice recorder, voice command and dialing, instant messaging, e-mail, a wireless Web browser, and full-featured Bluetooth. The Razr2 V9 supports Bluetooth file transfer, plus stereo Bluetooth as well.
As a HSDPA phone, the Razr2 V9 is one of the fastest GSM Razrs out there, able to support download speeds of up to 1.8Mbps. Therefore, it's able to support AT&T's broadband services like Cellular Video and AT&T Music. The Cellular Video network gives AT&T users access to streaming video clips from channels like CNN, Comedy Central, and Cartoon Network. AT&T Music, on the other hand, acts as a kind of all-encompassing music portal for streaming music from XM Radio, plus you get access to all the major music subscription services like Napster, Yahoo Music, and even eMusic. The AT&T Music portal also includes a song-identifying service called MusicID, streaming music videos, a community of music lovers called MobiRadio, and the Billboard Music Channel. You can read more about AT&T's video and music services in our reviews.
The AT&T Music portal also includes a shortcut to the Razr2 V9's music player. The music player supports MP3s, AACs, and WMAs, plus has a repeat and shuffle mode, a spatial audio setting, and a bass boost setting. As we mentioned, when the music player is activated, the music player controls appear on the bottom row of the external screen. The music player interface is fairly generic, with the typical play/pause and track shuttle controls, and it displays the song title and artist name. Songs are organized by artist, album, genre, or composer. You can also create different playlists for your favorite songs.

The Razr2 V9 took impressive photos.

The Razr2 V9 also comes with an excellent 2-megapixel camera that takes pictures in four resolutions (1,600x200, 1,280x960, 640x480, 320x240) and three quality settings. Other camera settings include self-timer, a free-memory space indicator, five shutter sounds with a silent option, six lighting options, seven color styles, five exposure settings, and up to 8x zoom. Unfortunately there's no flash, but thankfully there's a night mode for better lowlight shots. Picture quality was very impressive; images were nice and sharp, with accurate lighting. There's also a built-in camcorder with three video quality settings, two video lengths (one for multimedia messages and another for as much memory is available), and similar settings to the still camera. Thankfully, there's that microSD card slot to accommodate all your media files. There are a slew of personalization and customization options with the Razr2 V9. Along with a collection of cool wallpaper and screensavers, you can download more graphics and ringtones from the AT&T site via the MediaNet browser. Games on the phone include Bowling3D, Diner Dash, and demo versions of JewelQuest, Lumines, Midnight Pool, MiniGolfLasVegas, and Scrabble Blast. A few other applications are also included, like MobiTV, My-Cast 5 Weather forecast, and MySpace Mobile. You can purchase and download more games and applications via AT&T's MediaNet as well.
Performance
We tested the quad-band Motorola Razr2 V9 (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) in San Francisco using AT&T's service. We were very impressed with the overall call quality, with natural sounding voices and little to no static. There was a slight echo and audio could be a little bit better with speakerphone calls, but it wasn't that bad. Callers could hear us loud and clear, though they did say that they hear the occasional hiss and pop. We managed to pair our phone with the BlueAnt Z9 Bluetooth headset, and calls made with the Bluetooth headset sounded pretty good as well.
The HSDPA speed on the Razr2 V9 was quite impressive. This was definitely evident in its ability to stream video via AT&T's Cellular Video broadband service. It took us only a few seconds to load up a video, with very little buffering time at the beginning, and no rebuffering at all during the video playback. Video quality was a little blurry, but for a camera phone it's pretty good. Music quality was good, too. The phone's speakers sometimes resulted in a rather tinny and muffled sound, but the music quality was far improved when heard over a headset.
The Motorola Razr2 V9 has a rated battery life of 3.6 hours of talk time and 12 days of standby time. Our tested talk time went a little over, at around 4 hours and 59 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the Razr2 V9 has a digital SAR rating of 0.32 watts per kilogram.




Source: http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/...tag=prod.txt.2