When Motorola resurrected the RAZR brand last year we didn’t realize that we were looking at the new face of the company. At the time, Google had yet to officially take over the handset manufacturer, it had a deep stable of less-than-impressive devices and, while it was a moderate success, the Droid RAZR didn’t exactly turn the market on its head. Still, in retrospect, it only makes sense that the RAZR would once again become the standard bearer for Moto. Even if we weren’t blown away by last year’s model, it was a big step in the right direction for the company, a device that featured a great mix of premium styling and performance. The new RAZR HD and MAXX HD take that basic formula and attempt to address our concerns about the display and battery life, the latter of which was already handled in dramatic fashion by the RAZR MAXX. So, how do the latest caps-happy, vowel-averse handsets from Motorola stack up against last year’s incarnations and the current crop of competitors? Keep on reading after the break to find out.
Welcome to Thursday evening, everyone. This afternoon we had a bunch of quarterly reports hit, and some were better than others. Google posted its quarterly report a little prematurely, a blunder that had a hand in driving down the price of the company’s stock. Later on in the day, we heard from Microsoft, which managed to do pretty good in its first quarter. Sadly, AMD posted its results for quarter 3 just a little while ago, and things aren’t looking too good for the company – in fact, it says that it will have to layoff around 15% of its workforce in an attempt to save some money.
Today’s the day that Verizon is finally releasing a couple of new DROID RAZR handsets from Motorola. We told you a week ago that the carrier would be outing them today, and they obviously kept up on their promise. Both phones are available for purchase at Verizon’s website or any one of their brick-and-mortar establishments across the US.
The DROID RAZR HD will come with 16GB of internal storage and you can choose between either black or white. The DROID RAZR MAXX HD will come with 32GB of internal storage, but will only come in black. The RAZR HD will the cheaper of the two, costing $199 after a new two-year contract, and the RAZR MAXX HD will fetch for $299.
While both devices are almost identical to one another, the RAZR MAXX HD has a larger battery that’s able to last for up to 32 hours of normal use according to the specs. Both devices feature a 4.7-inch AMOLED HD display with a 1280×720 resolution, while a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM are on the inside.
Verizon had a decent Q3 this year, selling almost 7 million smartphones. With the launch of these new DROID RAZR handsets, the carrier might be looking forward to another good quarter coming up, especially with the holiday season just right around the corner. Check out our full review of the Motorola DROID RAZR HD and take a look at our hands-on of the DROID RAZR MAXX HD to learn more about both devices.
With Verizon’s next in an ever-expanding line of RAZR devices here with the Motorola DROID RAZR HD we’re getting essentially the same experience as we did with the RAZR M, except this time it’s quite a bit larger. With a 4.7 inch Super AMOLED display on top of a dual-core processor from Qualcomm, it’s not just the screen we’re impressed with. This device brings on one of the most refined Motorola experiences we’ve seen thus far, matching at least the impression we’ve had with the M, and out-doing it for the large-display-lovers.
Hardware
This device presents the same greatness we saw with the DROID RAZR M with enhancements well surpassing the original DROID RAZR as it was presented many months ago. With the RAZR branding we’ve got a certain amount of excellence that Verizon and Motorola have to live up to, and with the RAZR HD they’ve certainly done it. The display is a massive 720 x 1280 pixels spread across 4.7-inches of Super AMOLED screen, that ringing in at 312 PPI dense. That’s above the Galaxy S III (306 PPI) and just under the Galaxy Nexus (316 PPI) – have a peek at the S III next to the RAZR HD here, bright as they can be.
The front of the device is also covered by a single sheet of Corning Gorilla Glass for maximum protection against scratches and dings. It sits inside a slight rim around the edge that keeps your thumb inside the bounds of the display and makes for an interesting – and unique – feel to the whole device. This rim is hard plastic and will be the same color as whichever color device you so choose – we’ve got white, here. Below that is a ring of metal – aluminum more than likely – then a full back panel made from the same kevlar-weave that each of the previous DROID RAZR devices have had.
This back panel takes over the entirety of the back of the device instead of just sitting inside a pocket as previous DROID RAZRs have, this letting us know that they trust the design now well enough to command the device. It’s a good decision in this case, as the whole smartphone feels comfy to hold and to work with – not to mention hardcore. The front of the smartphone feels a bit fragile only because glass has traditionally been a material that breaks – but with Gorilla Glass sitting here instead, the whole device is tough enough to take a few bangs.
The interior of this device is splash-coated (protected from moisture, that is) as each of the DROID RAZR smartphones have been, and the SIM and microSD slot is kept secure with a pin. With the pin tool you get with the phone (in the box) you can push out (or pull, however you see it) the drawer where you can replace at will. This device has 12GB of storage inside and a microSD slot capable of working with another 32GB of space.
At a slightly massive 131.9 x 67.9 x 8.4 mm, this device would be relatively difficult to hold if it were made of the same slippery materials that the LG Optimus G is – but it’s not. Motorola’s choice to buck the trend of glossy plastic and glass backs on devices makes the RAZR HD an easy to handle unit.
Software
With the RAZR HD we’re getting essentially the same experience we did with the RAZR M in the software department. Same Android version (4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich), same Motorola software modifications, and nearly the same set of applications. Verizon and Motorola (and Google) have clearly agreed here to present a single family feel with the RAZR releases they’ve got on deck this season. Have a peek at our full DROID RAZR M review for another look at how this family functions.
Have a peek at our hands-on with the RAZR HD to see how similar these devices truly are, right down to the speed at which they flip back and forth between home screens. They’re using the same processor too, mind you; the dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4. This is the next-most-powerful Qualcomm processor on the market this Autumn, with the most powerful sitting pretty in the LG Optimus G with four cores instead of two.
You’ve once again got some cool modifications to Android 4.0 starting with Quick Settings that appear all the way to your left alongside your home screens. You’ve also got Smart Actions, a feature that activates certain tasks based on the time of day, your GPS location, or your power level. You’ll have ICS’s Face Unlock as well as a modified unlock screen with Camera, Phone, Texts, and standard to keep you quick. Have a peek at a few benchmark results here as well to see how the Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor performs.
Camera
This device works with an 8 megapixel shooter on the back that’ll keep you in the high definition business, especially since you’re working with a Qualcomm processor that comes with dedicated architecture made specifically for image processing. Here we’ve got a set of photos and a video that’ve been captured with the standard camera for you to glance at and decide for yourself. This device also had a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front for video chat and a single LED flash on the back for photos in the dark.
We’ve also got a couple of nice examples of panorama and HDR modes, both of them able to be expanded at a click here and in the larger gallery at the bottom of this post. The gallery at the bottom of this post also has additional shots for you to peruse.
Battery
Like each of the other devices we’ve tested running the Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, the battery life you get here really depends on how you’re using the device. If you do nothing but run streaming video over Verizon’s 4G LTE data network, you’ll get a few hours out of it. If you’ve got your display on auto brightness and are only checking email, browsing the web, and using Facebook all day long, you’ll have at least 8 hours at your disposal – at least. For those of you needing more than you get here, there’s always the MAXX version of the smartphone with just a bit more bulk on the back in exchange for a much larger battery.
Notice how the battery life basically flatlines when you’ve got the display off? It’s the display that takes up most of your power here – especially when you’re blasting at full brightness.
Wrap-up
Here we’re working with another winner, with Motorola making full use of their new partnership (ownership) with Google in many fine ways. You can see that this device (as well as the RAZR M, for example) are not the same DROID devices we saw a couple years ago. Here we’ve got a fine example of an Android-running smartphone, to say the least. The hardware is top-notch, the camera takes rather nice photos, and the processor is powerful enough to take on the highest-quality games and apps the Google Play app store has to offer.
The device is also nice to hold, has a bit of grip to it so you wont be losing it right out of your palm any time soon, and looks pretty darn fine too. Be sure to let us know if you’ve got any questions about the device that haven’t been addressed in the review above, and make sure you let us know if you end up picking it up at Verizon soon!
Welcome to Thursday evening, folks – just one more work day and the glorious weekend is here once again. This afternoon we heard that both the iPad Mini and the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro – neither of which officially exist yet, remember – have been delayed due to problems with component yields, but not long after, analysts were saying that the MacBook Pro with Retina Display is still on track to launch this year. Apple has managed to delay the ban of the iPhone and iPad in South Korea, and we learned that the company’s new dock connector is nearly impossible to mod in a new teardown.
Just yesterday we posted news that Motorola’s DROID RAZR HD arrived in Canada for Rogers Wireless customers, and it was only a matter of time before we saw the phone arrive state-side on Verizon. Exactly one week from today, on October 18, Motorola’s DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD will officially be available at Verizon stores across the US.
The DROID RAZR HD will come with 16GB of internal storage and will cost $199.99 in either black or white. The DROID RAZR MAXX HD will cost $299.99 and come with 32GB of internal storage, but will only come in black. So, just like Henry Ford once said, you can have the RAZR MAXX HD in any color you want, as long as your favorite color is black.
Both phones are practically identical save for the battery. The MAXX has a larger-capacity battery that’s able to last for up to 32 hours of normal use. Both devices feature a 4.7-inch AMOLED HD display with a 1280×720 resolution. On the inside is a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM.
Both the DROID RAZR HD and the MAXX HD are extremely thin and lightweight, thanks to the unique kevlar fiber backing on both devices, which also makes them more durable and rugid than most smartphones on the market. To see more photos of the two devices and even a video that shows them both in action, check out our hands-on session.
After numerous rumors and leaks throughout August, Motorola finally announced and unveiled its new DROID RAZR lineup last month, which included the new DROID RAZR HD. However, they were a little shy on some details — mainly availability and pricing. However, Canadian wireless carrier Rogers just announced the device for use on their network, which means we may see the device jump over the border shortly.
The DROID RAZR HD comes packing with a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. It also comes with an 8MP rear camera that offers zero shutter lag and burst mode. The phone sports the signature Kevlar design of other RAZR devices, making the phone lighter and more durable, while keeping it thin.
What makes the device really stand out, though, is its HD display that it touts in its name. It’s a quite remarkable 4.7-inch AMOLED HD display that has a 1280×720 HD resolution. The device also packs in 4G LTE and runs off of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but it’s expected to get a Jelly Bean update fairly soon.
Along with the DROID RAZR HD, we also might see its close brother, the DROID RAZR MAXX HD, hit Verizon around the same time. Obviously, we’re still not sure what the timeline is for an American launch of these devices, but in the meantime, check out our hands on of the DROID RAZR HD and the MAXX HD to get a better idea of the two phones.
The RAZR HD from Rogers is available today and pricing starts at $99.99 after a 3-year contract, or you can pay a full $599.99 for the device without a contract.
During Motorola’s keynote on Wednesday, the company announced a nice little bonus for loyal fans — should your 2011-or-later handset not receive a Jelly Bean update, you’ll get $100 if you upgrade to one of its new models. Well, a website for the deal has gone live and the initial Ts&Cs don’t make it sound like an immediate discount, but that the Benjamin will instead be reimbursed as a gift card, carrier credit or a cash equivalent of Motorola’s choice. We’re still in the dark about which specific phones will be denied a taste of Android 4.1, although the list is expected “very soon.” In the meantime, you can sign up at the source link below to receive details of how to update, or how to claim the rebate once the fate of your old handset has been decided.
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