hacking motorola razr lcd touch screen brands

The Motorola Razr is many things. It"s one of the first foldable phones you can buy right now. It"s a feat of engineering from a storied mobile brand. It"s a Verizon exclusive. (Sigh.) What the Razr absolutely isn"t, though, is practical.

For some of you reading this, that"s not going to be an issue. The Razr is as style-forward as the classic model that came before it, and maybe that"s enough. But Motorola and Verizon are asking people to pay $1,500 for this thing — a certain degree of practicality is a must. At the risk of immediately spoiling the rest of this review, the Razr won"t run faster, last longer or take better pictures than literally any other phone in this price range. It"s a fashion statement, not a flagship.

Like I said, maybe that"s enough for some. But for everyone else, for people who are more likely than ever to hold on to their smartphone for years, is a compromised phone like the Razr really worth the splurge? I think we both know the answer to that.

When I first talked to Motorola engineers about the Razr last year, they were clear about one thing: They didn"t specifically set out to reinvent the Razr. Instead, internal research suggested that people really just preferred the idea of a regular smartphone that folded in half for easy storage over something more Galaxy Fold-y. The rest was just nostalgic kismet.

Motorola didn"t adopt that retro design whole cloth, though. This new Razr is considerably more square than the classic it drew inspiration from, and the hinge is stiff enough that you can"t flip it open with the same panache. It has a big, touch-sensitive external display and a grippy back to help you hang on to the thing. Oh, and it"s surprisingly heavy, too. Needless to say, this definitely isn"t the Razr you (or your parents?) might remember. Based on the attention the Razr has gotten from people around me this week, though, a phone that just flips shut like this when you"re done still has wide appeal. But has this mostly classic design really held up after 10 years? Well, yes and no.

The Razr cuts a sleek figure when it"s open — it"s 6.9mm thick, about the same as the Galaxy Fold — but that trim look meant Motorola had to make some interesting design decisions. For one, Motorola skipped out on the traditional SIM slot entirely. Instead, the Razr is the first phone I"ve ever tested that relies solely on a virtual eSIM. That"s not inherently a bad thing, but it does mean you can"t switch your Verizon service to another device with a simple SIM swap. There was no room for a microSD card slot either, so you"ll have to make the 128GB of onboard storage last.

And then there"s the Razr"s chin, which is far more controversial now than it used to be. In fairness, it serves an important purpose: Motorola squeezed the main speaker and fingerprint sensor in there, and it provides extra space for the bottom edge of the screen to slide into when you close the phone. I like the chin more than most do, because it means the on-screen navigation keys naturally sit a little closer to my thumbs, but when you factor in the phone"s tall, narrow design, it means your hands will have to do a lot of shimmying to reach the top of the display. The chin also has some sharp edges, which sometimes make the Razr uncomfortable to hold when you"re taking photos or (gasp) talking on the phone.

The original Razr had some very small volume buttons, and this one does, too. They"re wedged into the phone"s top half along the right side, next to a narrow textured power button. Using these buttons with any sort of regularity is going to get frustrating because they all feel pretty indistinct — they"re difficult to find when you"re blindly searching for them, and you"re almost certainly going to mix them up.

You may have also heard about the subtle creaking noise the Razr makes when you open and close it. It"s honestly not a big deal; it"s only really noticeable in quiet rooms, and Motorola says it"s a perfectly natural consequence of using such a complex hinge design. It"s not great to hear what sounds like a discreet fart coming from a $1,500 phone, but there"s more going on here than just some odd sounds.

A phone"s hinge might not seem particularly interesting, but now that foldables are a thing, it might be the single most important element a phone-maker has to nail. Motorola"s engineers went through 26 iterations to get the feel and stability just right, and I"d say they did a great job. The hinge is tighter than you might expect, so opening the phone with one hand requires practice, and yes, that means your thumbnail will dig into that big, flexible screen inside. So far it hasn"t been an issue, and there is something immensely satisfying about opening the Razr. Motorola gets credit for that, at least.

Having this many moving parts means the Razr can"t be nearly as durable as a more conventional slab smartphone. Part of that is down to normal wear — after just a week, the hinge feels slightly looser than it did on day one — but the rest of it is more fundamental. For example, the Razr doesn"t have an IP rating for water or dust resistance, because this hinge and screen configuration means something could potentially get inside and muck things up. The best Motorola could do here is give the Razr a water-repellent nano-coating meant to protect your $1,500 investment from stray raindrops. And since I have to return this phone to Motorola very soon, its long-term durability isn"t something I can vouch for.

There is one more tidbit from those early conversations that has stuck with me since then: Motorola repeatedly referred to the phone as a premium, "design-first" device, but specifically not a "flagship" phone. That goes a long way in explaining the many compromises Motorola had to make here, but this distinction still doesn"t feel right to me.

Once you"ve gotten over the novelty of opening and closing a smartphone in 2020, it"s time to come to grips with its screens. The Razr has two of them, and while Motorola has cooked up some ways to get things done when the phone is closed, you"re going to spend most of your time with the flexible, 6.2-inch OLED screen inside.

Before seeing the Razr for the first time, I was a little apprehensive — after all, Motorola isn"t exactly known for peerless smartphone displays. But at least some of those concerns were unwarranted. The colors are surprisingly vivid right out of the box, and its viewing angles are pretty generous, too — you can peer in from off to the side and still see everything perfectly. Motorola went with a 21:9 display, which really just means the screen is taller and narrower than other smartphones you"ve used. This turned out to be equal parts blessing and curse: Motorola"s screen choice means the Razr is very easy to hold in one hand, but it also means some things, like the on-screen keyboard, feel cramped.

If this were a more traditional smartphone, I"d be inclined to say this is meant to feel more cinematic — most movies are shot in 21:9, after all. I can"t say that this time because the Razr"s screen runs at a surprisingly low resolution: 876 x 2,142. In other words, this is far from the crispest, prettiest display you"ll see this year. You can"t even watch YouTube videos at anything higher than 720p. I will say, though, that this all sounds a little worse than it actually looks. In fact, because I spent most of my time using the Razr at a reasonable distance (as in, my nose wasn"t pressed up against the plastic) the dip in resolution often went unnoticed.

Speaking of things I just didn"t notice after a while, there are two very subtle creases above and below where the hinge actually lives. You"re more likely to feel them (plus a few other very shallow divots) than see them under the relatively soft plastic screen layer. Motorola says these sorts of lumps are normal, but they"re still far from ideal, considering just how much they"re charging. And beyond that, there are bigger things here to be concerned about.

For one: The screen is much dimmer than what you"d find on other phones in this price range. Using this thing outdoors can feel like a struggle sometimes. Under certain kinds of bright light, the screen also takes on a splotchy, almost oily look because of the anti-scratch coating Motorola used. It in no way impacts the screen"s usability, it"s just kind of ... ugly. And even though this internal screen mostly sits flush with the bezels around it, the panel on my review unit feels slightly raised on the left side, right near the hinge. Whenever I have to tap something over there, I can actually feel the plastic panel moving up and down when I apply pressure. Could this somehow impact the screen"s usability over time? I was very skeptical, but for what it"s worth, Motorola provided this statement:

"What you"re noticing can be attributed to the movement of the display into the chin. The razr"s dynamic clamshell folding system is comprised of several moving parts including: a flexible OLED display module, metal support plates and a state-of-the-art hinge system. The display moves into the chin slightly when folded and pulls out to keep it in tension when open. This in no way affects the quality of the product."

For now, though, the Razr"s screen has put up with my everyday punishment without issue. I"ve accidentally dropped the phone facedown a few times and the display still seems fine. It also survived a trip to the beach on a windy day when sand was whipping around like crazy, but I don"t know how often I"d want to press my luck like that. See, every time you close the phone, the screen directly above the hinge subtly and momentarily lifts away from the Razr"s body. It"s not hard to imagine some foreign junk — like that pesky, high-speed sand — could find its way inside and wreak havoc. That gap is only ever open for a split second, so it may well never be a problem, but I still can"t help but quietly worry.

Foldables like the Razr are most vulnerable when they"re open, so it"s not a huge surprise to see Motorola stick a 2.7-inch touchscreen on the outside of the phone. It"s mostly there to let you handle very quick tasks, like checking your notifications, by long-pressing app icons and sending canned responses to messages, but you can also use it to frame up selfies and toggle a few customizable settings like WiFi and Bluetooth. Even better, if you"re looking at a notification from an app — for me, that most often means Gmail or Telegram — you can open the Razr to immediately pick up where you left off.

For these kinds of little things, the Quick View display is usually enough. But, I can"t help wishing Motorola did more with it. I"d love to be able to whip out the Razr while it"s closed and see Google Maps directions to a restaurant or shortcuts to control my apartment"s Hue lights. (The Galaxy Fold"s external display is far from ideal, but at least you can use it for standard smartphone things.) Motorola says that it"s carefully evaluating what apps might work best on a small screen like this one, so maybe we"ll see it become more useful over time. In the meantime, Motorola really needs to make the Razr"s external screen easier to unlock. Theoretically, all it requires is an upward swipe, but I have never, ever been able to get this simple gesture right on the first try.

So far, this review feels bleak, but there is at least one semi-silver lining: The Razr actually runs pretty well, relatively speaking. The Snapdragon 710 chipset and 6GB of RAM Motorola chose certainly don"t offer flagship levels of performance, but at this point, expecting flagship-caliber anything is unrealistic. Still, the Razr has enough power to handle most parts of a person"s daily grind without issue — you"ll notice some slight stuttering when you"re playing more demanding games like Asphalt 9, but when it comes to standard daily use, I never felt like I was hugely behind the curve.

Part of what helps the Razr run as fast as it does is Motorola"s clean software. Well, clean-ish; there"s a ton of Verizon bloatware pre-installed. Beyond that, there isn"t much cruft here to bog down performance. Instead of the usual manufacturer-made email, messaging and web browser apps, you get the stock Google equivalents. Motorola"s classic actions are back, so you can karate chop while holding the phone to fire up the flashlight or give it the ol" double-wrist-twist to launch the camera. I"d exercise some caution when trying to pull off the latter trick, though: The Razr"s top half tended to flop around a bit, which is not reassuring.

There are a few more things to note about the Razr"s software. Unlike most other premium phones you"re likely to see in 2020 — including the new Galaxy Z Flip — the Razr only runs Android 9.0 Pie. Now, that"s a fine flavor of Android, but Motorola could"ve done better. Oh, and for you retro fanboys, there"s a classic Razr mode you can access from the Quick Settings panel — once enabled, it swaps the stock launcher out for a nearly pixel-perfect recreation of the original RAZR V3, right down to the jaunty boot chime and laser-etched keypad. It"s a total gimmick and not meant to be used seriously, but whatever, it"s a fun nod to a device this new Razr owes so much to.

More than anything, though, I was concerned about power management and battery life. How could I not be? The best Motorola could do is squeeze in two slim, discrete batteries with a combined capacity of about 2,510mAh — that"s far less than any other smartphone I"ve tested in the last year. (Even more troubling, a recent YouTube teardown suggests the actual combined battery capacity is closer to 2,400mAh.)

Thankfully, the reality wasn"t quite as bad as I expected. If you play your cards right and don"t use the phone constantly, the Razr could feasibly last for about 12 hours; I"ve gotten pretty close a few times. Things get a little dicier when we start talking about sustained use. If you"re the kind of person who sits around scrolling through Instagram for hours on end, you"ll probably want to keep the included 18W TurboCharger handy. The Razr"s screen-on time maxes out at around four hours. Plus, it gets pretty warm, pretty quickly. (I suspect that"s because there"s so little room inside for proper heat management, but Motorola wouldn"t say so on the record.)

Smartphone-makers left and right are embracing high-resolution camera sensors and ambitious multi-camera setups because they know people really give a damnabout taking photos. Motorola gets this. I know, because if you look at the brand"s affordable One-series smartphones, many of them have — you guessed it — high-resolution camera sensors and ambitious multi-camera setups. And what do we get with the Razr? A single main 16-megapixel camera with an f/1.7 aperture and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera in a notch cut into the screen.

In fairness to Motorola, that main camera isn"t bad — I"ve taken quite a few photos that actually came out pretty nicely, even if it"s mostly because San Francisco is very good-looking. (I even threw a few of them into our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked liveblog.) It"s just that the camera is mediocre compared to everything else in this price range.

The Razr"s photos are usually lacking in the dynamic range department, and exposure can be inconsistent. (Sunny skies almost always look a little off, for instance.) Still, when the conditions are right, you"ll find decently saturated colors and, if you"re very lucky, ample detail.

I should emphasize that this faint praise only applies when you"re in a well-lit environment — in anything less, your photos are going to start to get rough. Expect your results to be even softer and less satisfying with an extra dose of shutter delay because the camera has some serious trouble focusing in the dark. Night Mode is a necessity in those situations, but photos taken with it look considerably worse than those taken on an iPhone 11 Pro or Pixel 4 XL, two premium phones that cost hundreds less than the Razr.

Oh, and about that front-facing camera: The best thing I can say is that it exists. I have to assume Motorola squeezed one in here mainly for video calls, because you"d be kidding yourself if you expected quality selfies out of this thing — just use the main camera while the Razr is closed for much better results. Honestly, do yourself a favor and avoid this camera when you can.

Not all foldables are created equal, so even though a few are on the market, the Razr only really has one direct competitor: Samsung"s new, $1,380 Galaxy Z Flip.

You might have noticed I"ve only mentioned the Z Flip once in this review. That wasn"t an oversight; based on everything we"ve seen and experienced so far, the Z Flip is a more powerful, more capable take on the foldable flip phone concept, and it costs a little bit less. It is, based on everything we"ve seen and experienced so far, the better option for damn near anyone. The reason I didn"t mention it much here is because, well, even if the Razr was the only smartphone of its kind on the market, it still wouldn"t be worth the splurge for anyone but the profoundly style-obsessed.

If, after all this, you find yourself still wondering whether a Razr should be your next phone, I invite you to take part in a little thought experiment I just cooked up. Please, take a moment to consider the following statement: "In terms of performance and experience, the 2020 Motorola Razr is a $400 smartphone in a $1,500 smartphone body."

If you sort of naturally recoiled at the absurdity of that idea (like I just did), your choice is simple. You do not need a Motorola Razr. The best thing people like us can do right now is respect the work that went into building it and wait for something better. If that sentence barely made you raise an eyebrow, though, go for it. Have a great time, and let the rest of us know if you still like it in six months.

You may also need to install the correct USB drivers for your phone before p2kcommander will see it. Getting the drivers requires a Motorola developer account (free registration required), get your account here:

3D Printing, 5G, Accessory, AI, Alder Lake, AMD, Android, Apple, Arc, ARM, Audio, Benchmark, Biotech, Business, Camera, Cannon Lake, Cezanne (Zen 3), Charts, Chinese Tech, Chromebook, Console, Convertible / 2-in-1, Cryptocurrency, Cyberlaw, Deal, Desktop, DIY, E-Mobility, Education, Exclusive, Fail, Foldable, Gadget, Galaxy S, Gamecheck, Gaming, Geforce, Google Pixel, GPU, How To, Ice Lake, Intel, Intel Evo, Internet of Things (IoT), iOS, iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, Jasper Lake, Lakefield, Laptop, Launch, Leaks / Rumors, Linux / Unix, List, Lucienne (Zen 2), MacBook, Mini PC, Monitor, MSI, OnePlus, Opinion, Phablet, Radeon, Raptor Lake, Renoir, Review Snippet, RISC-V, Rocket Lake, Ryzen (Zen), Science, Security, Single-Board Computer (SBC), Smart Home, Smartphone, Smartwatch, Software, Storage, Tablet, ThinkPad, Thunderbolt, Tiger Lake, Touchscreen, Ultrabook, Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR), Wearable, Wi-Fi 7, Windows, Workstation, XPS, Zen 3 (Vermeer), Zen 4

Foldable phones are all the rage these days and this year, we will be seeing the likes of Samsung, Huawei, and even Motorola debut foldable devices. Motorola recently confirmed rumors that it is indeed working on a foldable device, which in all likelihood will be a resurrection of the iconic RAZR brand. Now, XDA Developers has managed to source more information about some of the software aspects of the device, particularly about how the closed screen functions, and it looks like there will be some limitations.

According to XDA Developers, the closed display of the RAZR phone codenamed "Voyager" offers the following functionality:The closed display when unfolded can act as the trackpad. The functionality is currently limited to scrolling web pages in Chrome and the apps timeline.

The user can tap in the camera app on the primary display to take a photo and swipe up to zoom in. This should help in taking selfies. The dual screen also helps in showing a countdown timer.

The user can choose to show the Google Assistant animation on the closed screen when triggered. Otherwise, the user is prompted to flip open the device to access the Assistant.

So far, it appears as though there are some limitations in how Motorola uses the closed display. The only apps currently allowed on the closed display are first-party apps such as Moto Display, Moto Actions, and Moto Camera. The Samsung Galaxy Fold on the other hand allows for seamless app transitions between the primary and the closed display and also allows for features such as Multi-Active Window.

The foldable Motorola RAZR is speculated to cost around US$1,500. Motorola couldn"t get to demonstrate the phone at MWC 2019 so we expect Lenovo to showcase it during their annual conference in August.

The leak posted by Blass shows someone holding the device, unlocking it and then folding it. What’s impressive is that the smartphone doesn’t seem to feature a visible crease until it folds. As someone who reviewed theZ Flip 3, I noted that “the crease is still present and very visible, and eventually you do get used to it.” However, Motorola’s phone seems like it won’t have that problem, at least based on this leaked gif.

It’s worth noting that this GIF corroborates with past leaks indicating that the Razr 3 will lose some of its Razr elements like the bottom chin and now offers a more modern appearance.

Unlike theSamsung Galaxy Fold, which transforms from a phone to a tablet when you open it up, the Razr looks like a regular smartphone when it’s open and is much smaller and compact when it’s closed. So this is the first foldable smartphone where the screen folds vertically, different from the foldable phones I have seen so far.

Yes, initial reviews have not been kind to the $1500 foldable phone. There are a lot of controversies going around the new Razr, and comparisons to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is another headache for Motorola.

Since I got to spend a little time with the Razr ahead of its launch, it would be unfair on my part to jump to the conclusions without testing it extensively. Let’s not forget: this is a foldable phone with a new form factor and hinge design. And most importantly, this is the first generation of foldable smartphones.

First off, the new Motorola Razr does look amazing. It gives you the vibes of the original Razr, which I always wanted to own, but couldn’t due to its high price.

Anyway, Motorola has tried to make the best out of the iconic Razr which, of course, is the clamshell design. And I would like to give full credit to Motorola to think differently.

As I mentioned in the beginning, the Razr’s screen can be folded in half. The phone has a screen that measures 6.2 inches on the diagonal — about the same screen size as the Galaxy S20. When it’s folded up, you will find a 2.7-inch “Quick View” display that can show your notifications, music controls or snap a selfie. It has always-on functionality, like Motorola’s other smartphones.

So the new Razr opens and folds, just like the classic Razr. I actually liked the usability of this form factor. That means, when closed, the phone is not much thicker than a gents’ wallet. Sure, it’s a bit wider and taller than the original Razr, but when I opened the new Razr, it felt a lot like a normal smartphone. This is not a one-handed foldable smartphone, as I struggled to open the device with a single hand.

One design trait of this foldable phone that immediately reminds of the classic Razr is the “chin” on the bottom edge of the phone. Motorola executives told me that the chin holds the phone’s antennas and speakers. This chin also accommodates the optical fingerprint reader. What’s also impressive about the Razr is the size and thickness of the phone.

The Razr is constructed out of stainless steel and Gorilla Glass, so you know you are holding a high-quality smartphone. Flip the Razr over, and you will notice textured back and a classic etched Motorola batwing logo. The right side of the Razr has the power and sleep button, along with a volume rocker. Though it is very hard to tell apart. On the bottom is a USB-C port — there isn’t a headphone jack, but a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter is included in the box.

The hinge can break or make any foldable phone. In the case of the Razr, Motorola designed a custom “zero-gap” hinge system that allows the phone to fold without a gap. There is, however, a small gap between the display and the hinge where it folds. Even a tiny gap between the hinge and screen can attract dust and particles, leading to screen damage.

A lot of tech reviewers have claimed that their Motorola Razr review units were making a weird creaky sound while holding it half-open. I can confirm that my demo unit had a noticeable cracking sound when the phone was opened or closed. Motorola, in its defense, has claimed that the sound is normal.

At the moment, I can’t say how long this foldable smartphone holds over a longer period of time. But this weird squeaking noise the Razr makes when it’s opened or closed is not a good sign.

The Razr has a 6.2-inch pOLED 2142×876 display with a 21:9 display ratio. In my limited time with the Razr, I found the display just fine. I don’t expect it to be as nice as the screen on the Galaxy Z Flip but the Razr’s display seems to be high-quality.

But more than the brightness and viewing angles of the display, you need to remember that the Razr’s display is made of plastic and not glass. Plastic foldable screens are easily susceptible to scratches, whereas glass screens are more sturdy. The Galaxy Z Flip uses an ultra-glass screen, for that matter. That said, both Motorola and Samsung have cautioned users to be extra careful with foldable screens.

As you open the box, the first thing you will notice is a sticker that comes with the Razr. It says “Do not apply a screen protector, as it will damage the display.” There is a long list of warnings that you need to keep in mind when using a foldable phone and you can’t avoid them. And another trade-off of buying a foldable phone is the lack of waterproofing, though the Razr is water-repellent.

Somewhere I feel Motorola has been less transparent about how durable the folding display is. That’s my concern, considering a person investing $1500 should be using the phone for at least three years. Samsung, however, clearly claims the Galaxy Z Flip display can last for 200,000 folds. That said, I have neither used the Razr or Z Flip so it is very hard to say which foldable phone is more durable than the other.

One of the not-so-wise choices Motorola has made while designing the Razr is going with mid-range specifications. I get it, the Razr is more of a fashion statement and less about the specifications. Still, I feel that the phone as pricey as the Razr should come with the top-of-the-line specifications.

Right now, the only model Motorola is making available to consumers comes with a Snapdragon 710 chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. In my brief time with it, apps opened fast and there wasn’t any stuttering while scrolling web pages. The performance should be fine but not spectacular as it also runs the older Android 9.0 Pie. I am more worried about the longer-term; we already know how mid-range Android smartphones perform after six months.

There aren’t major software customisations being done to make the Razr standout. I liked the feature where apps seamlessly transition from the front display to the main display. By the way, the new Razr also comes with a special retro mode that emulates the old style of the Motorola Razr, which is full of nostalgia.

I am also curious to know if the battery will last as long as Motorola claims. With a 2510mAh battery (it’s being split into two pieces), I am not so sure that the Razr will even last a full day. I may be wrong, though.

When the Razr is shut, there is a 16MP rear camera which can also be used to take selfies. The top of the display, when unfolded, has a small earpiece and a 5MP camera.

The Razr’s camera can’t be compared to other flagship devices like the iPhone 11 and Galaxy S20. That’s for sure. I didn’t take many pictures, but what I shot looked underwhelming.

The $1500 smartphone coming with a single 16MP is a big joke. I don’t know how Motorola will justify the price of this smartphone. Even a consumer not so interested in photography might expect a slightly decent camera. This is a bare minimum.

After spending an hour (I will repeat again: this is not a review) with the Razr, I have mixed feelings about a smartphone that will retail for over Rs 100,000. Even though I haven’t fully tested the device, I felt that the Razr lacked many basic fronts. The hardware and mediocre camera are the Razr’s biggest flaws. Any consumer, who will spend over a lakh on a smartphone, would expect flagship-level performance.

I know Motorola wants to pitch the Razr as a status symbol. But this phone would be a hard sell. But then I admire Motorola for thinking foldable phones from a new perspective.

This article is about the Motorola mobile phone called "Razr" sold until February 2013. For the more recent mobile phone of the same name, see Motorola Razr (2020).

The Motorola Razr (styled RAZR, pronounced Siliquamobile phones by Motorola, part of the 4LTR line. The V3 was the first phone shown in the series and was introduced in December 2003Apple Inc. for iTunes to be built-in. It was launched in 2006.

The Razr series was marketed until July 2007, when the succeeding Motorola Razr2 series was released. The succeeding models were the V8, the V9, and the V9m.Samsung and LG in market share for mobile phones.

In October 2011, Motorola revived the Razr brand for a line of Android smartphones: the Droid Razr for Verizon Wireless (known simply as the "Motorola RAZR" on other networks) and an improved variant, the Droid Razr Maxx.Razr again as a foldable smartphone, which is styled after the clamshell form factor of the original models.

The V3 was first released in Q3 2004. The team of the V3 put together a number of design choices that set the device apart from the competition. The phone had the thinnest profile at the time on a clamshell set, sported an electroluminescent keypad made out of a single metal wafer and used an industry-standard mini-USB port for data, battery charger and headphones, housed in an aluminum body with an external glass screen. It sold 130 million units during its lifespan, being the best selling clamshell phone to date.

Some owners complained about dust accumulating between the V3"s plastic screen and LCD glass, possibly through an external side button. Access to the dust required peeling off the plastic cover, usually followed by a replacement cover.

The first pink version was released in October 2005, and as of June 2006, was available in the United States from T-Mobile as the Razr V3 Magenta (after T-Mobile and its parent Deutsche Telekom"s corporate color). It was called the Razr V3 Pink and available on other carriers, including on T-Mobile networks in other countries in addition to Verizon, Cingular Wireless, Suncom Wireless, and Cellular One (each in a different shade). It was also available in Canada from Bell, Rogers Wireless and Telus, and in the United Kingdom from T-Mobile and Carphone Warehouse. $25 of sales from the Rogers-branded pink V3 went to Rethink Breast Cancer. It was also available in all Movistar-serviced countries and Claro (Telcel).

Another version of the phone was released in South Korea on June 1, 2005. This version had a similar physical appearance but instead of using the GSM standard, it used CDMA to operate on SK Telecom. It was the first CDMA version of the Razr without expandable memory, Bluetooth, and SIM card, since Motorola Korea"s system was able to produce its own model before worldwide GSM format release. It had a 1.3-megapixel camera, video recording, 80 MB of internal memory, and a variety of UI features, such as a mobile blog, Yoga graphic book, diet diary, and lottery number generator for wellness theme. It also came in black, pink, and lime models versions. On February 8, 2006 Motorola Korea released its own slide-phone model for the Razr named Z model name MS600. Unlike most other versions, the MS500 version was packaged with a charging dock and had three metal terminals on the backside immediately under the battery cover.

Also, as the add-on to the MS600, the MS500 Lime Razr was in circulation in South Korea since October 2006 along with the Motorola KRZR Black and Motorola KRZR Fire (Red).

The Razr V3re (also known as V3_06) was a GSM model updated to support EDGE and CrystalTalk technology. It was nearly identical to the original V3, having no memory card slot and including a VGA 4x zoom camera. It can be identified by a slightly larger notch under the Motorola logo when closed,Vivo in Brazil (using both 850 MHz and 1800 MHz). It was available in three colors: orchid pink, silver, and stone grey.

The V3r and V3t were models sold by T-Mobile, AT&T (formerly Cingular), and Canadian cellular providers such as Rogers. These models were virtually identical to the V3 and V3i, except for featuring Motorola"s Digital Audio Player (DAP) instead of iTunes. T-Mobile"s V3r offered a voice notes feature which permitted forwarding audio recordings to voicemail as the only storage method.

The V3i was announced in November 2005 and addressed some of the faults of the original Razr V3, including a better (1.23-megapixel) camera with 8x digital zoom, an improved external and internal display, and support for microSD cards of up to 512 Mb maximum. V3i was functionally very close to the Motorola V635. The V3i came in two versions: one with iTunes and one with Motorola"s Digital Audio Player (DAP).iTunes version of the phone had a 50 or 100 song limit restriction depending on where the phone model was made.Dolce & Gabbana (D&G) to produce a Special Edition Gold Razr V3t. Only 1,000 of these were made and sold for a premium price.

On June 1, 2006, Motorola and Dolce & Gabbana released another limited edition gold phone. This model included a D&G cell phone holder, a signature leather pouch, Bluetooth headphones, and FM earphones. It was available from all major Motorola retailers and select D&G boutiques.

The Motorola Razr V3i was released to most worldwide markets in Q4 of 2005–2006. In the U.S. the phone was released through Cingular Wireless on September 6, 2006, with a new activation price of $299, while T-Mobile released the Dolce & Gabbana V3i exclusively in the United States.

On November 21, 2005, a CDMA2000 version of the Razr, known as the Razr V3c, became available to Alltel and SaskTel users. Verizon Wireless followed suit on December 7, 2005. Unlike models for Alltel and other carriers, Verizon"s V3c features a proprietary user interface and disables, in software, Bluetooth file transfer capabilities (called OBEX).

In January 2006, Canadian Telus, Bell Mobility and Aliant Mobility, Venezuelan carriers Movistar and Movilnet, and Brazilian Vivo began carrying the V3c. In April 2006 Cricket Communications began selling the V3c. The handset was also made available for Metro PCS. The Razr V3c supported CDMA 2000 1xRTT and 1xEV-DO third-generation wireless technologies.

V3m was a CDMA version of the Razr. As an upgrade to the V3c, it featured a microSD card slot for up to 2 GB of memory expansion, a longer-lasting battery, and 40 MB of internal memory. The V3m came in silver, pink, and red although the original release, as well as models that used to be available on the Sprint CDMA network, featured the gunmetal gray color of the V3c. For a limited time Alltel and US Cellular offered a Fire Red color. Partnering with Motorola, US Cellular and Sprint released a special PRODUCT(RED) Razr and Bluetooth H500 headset to help support Global Fund programs which positively impact the lives of women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Announced in March 2005, the V3x was formerly known as the Motorola V1150. Externally, it appeared to be a larger V3, albeit with enhancements such as a 2.0-megapixel camera. Internally, it was quite different, utilizing a different microprocessor, chipset, an Nvidia GoForce 4200 GPU, and radio ICs. As a 3G product, its feature set was closer to that of phones such as the Motorola V980, e.g., two cameras instead of the single camera typical on GSM or CDMA products. It was not as thin as the V3. It won the "Best 3GSM handset" at the 2006 3GSM World Congress.

Announced in July 2006, the V3xx was a 3G category 5/6 (3.6 Mbit/s) HSDPA and EDGE supported handset. It was extremely similar in appearance to the compact V3i design, but incorporated an improved feature set with a 1.3-megapixel camera, 50 MB of internal memory, support for microSD and Bluetooth A2DP. Like the V3x, it was also equipped with a secondary screen and a higher resolution 240x320 pixel (QVGA) main screen.3 network in November 2006 and was available on AT&T (formerly Cingular). The secondary camera was not available in the United States. The built-in GPU, manufactured by Nvidia (model GoForce 4800) was capable of rendering 3D images through OpenGL ES. The phone included a much faster CPU as well, improving the performance of all features, including 3G/data. With the new CPU, the V3xx also included a fast USB V2.0 for rapid ringtone/image/mp3 file downloads. Older V3"s were limited to USB V1.1.

Motorola Razr maxx (or MotoRazr maxx) was released at the end of 2006 in Europe and on April 27, 2007, elsewhere. The maxx was an upgrade to the popular V3x and was Motorola"s second HSDPA 3.5G phone after the Razr V3xx. Although almost identical to the V3x in use and features, the maxx supported additional external touch keys for music control and retained the size of the original Razr V3.

This handset was released on Telstra"s NextG network under the original name "Motorola Razr maxx V6". It featured compatibility with both the original 2100 MHz band and the NextG band, 850 MHz. The phone was branded with the Telstra logo and on-screen graphics. The phone was released by Telstra for outright purchase in late 2006 at a price of about A$800. The phone was repackaged late in 2007 and sold with a prepaid plan for $250, locked for use only with Telstra SIM cards. Many of the post-paid phones sold by Telstra in 2007 were inadvertently locked.

This handset was released on Hutchison"s 3 network under the name "Motorola Razr maxx V6". The phone and home screen were branded with the 3 logo. Internal memory was increased to 60 MB.

The Razr maxx Ve was available exclusively in the United States for Verizon Wireless customers. The maxx Ve featured EV-DO instead of HSDPA and CDMA2000 1x instead of GSM/UMTS.

The Razr maxx was a 3G HSDPA and EDGE handset predated by the Razr V3x. Initially known as the "maxx V6," it was released in Europe by the end of 2006. The original version had a 2.0-megapixel camera with LED flash, a large 2.2-inch (56 mm) screen with 240x320 QVGA display (like the V3xx) and 50 megabytes of internal storage.

Like the previous Model MS500, Motorola Korea announced its Korean version of WCDMA Razr HSDPA, known as Razr Luk. The MS500W upgrades its screen to 2.2 inch TFT QVGA, 1.3-megapixel camera with Bluetooth, and microSDHC support. The model features different color pattern compare to previous MS500, and hit the Korean market by late February 2009.

The Razr VE20 was an updated CDMA model of the original Razr. It was released in the U.S. for Sprint, Alltel, and US Cellular. It incorporated some of the design elements of the Razr² V9m at a reduced price. Its rounded clamshell body was almost as thin as the Razr V3m. It featured a QVGA main display, outer display with virtual touch keys, 2-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, and a microSD memory card slot up to 8 Gb.

The Razr2 was the successor to the Razr series. The Razr2 was 2 mm thinner than its predecessor but slightly wider. Some versions featured Motorola"s MotoMagx operational platform, based on the MontaVista Linux OS. The Razr2 was made available on every US carrier, and EVDO, GSM and HSDPA versions of it were released by late 2007. The Razr2 line consisted of 4 models: V8, V9, V9m, and V9x.

The phone improved picture quality, speed, and multimedia capabilities over the original Razr. It also featured an external screen with touch-sensitive buttons which allowed users to use some of the phone features without opening it, and Motorola"s CrystalTalk technology to improve call quality and help reduce background noise.Ferrari Edition.

The Razr brand returned in 2011 with the introduction of the Motorola Droid Razr smartphone (the "Droid" name only used by Verizon in the USA), featuring a thin body like the original Razr V3. The line included:

The Razr (2020), also called the Razr 2019, depending on the source,foldable smartphone with a design reminiscent of the classic Razr V3. It was designed with nostalgia in mind – its design was supposed to remind people of the early 21st century, a time many look back at with fondness and sentiment. It was supposed to be a capable, modern, Android-running smartphone with a "high-tech" folding display and advanced modern features such as a fingerprint sensor, inside of a body that already felt familiar to many. It features a display that folds horizontally, like the familiar V3 and other Razr models from the 2000s, unlike most folding smartphones, which fold vertically.

Motorola presented the phone on November 14, 2019.PC Magazine summed it up: "Motorola"s gorgeous folding Razr doesn"t deliver the performance you expect from a $1,500 phone".The Verge wrote harshly: "I wish I could tell you exactly where I think the Motorola Razr went wrong, but there are too many options to choose from".

Being the slimmest phone during its release in 2004, the Razr easily stood out amongst other phone models. It was one of the most popular mobile phones since its first release, having been spotted in the hands of celebrities and business people alike until the advent of smartphones, and it is frequently seen in reruns of movies and TV shows.

The Razr became identified as a "fashion" product and an iconic cell phone in the mid-2000s.season three finale of the TV series Jack Shephard used a Razr (an important plot point which anchors the episode"s chronology), the HBO hit sitcom Entourage had characters specifically Ari Gold using it, and the US hit series Michael Westen used a Razr until 2009. In Season 5 of 24, President Charles Logan used a Razr as his personal cell phone. Contestants on the NBC adventure reality show "Treasure Hunters" were given Razrs for communication with the host and each other throughout the season.Product Red edition of the Razr was launched by Oprah Winfrey and Bono for charity.Jeremy Clarkson on BBC"s Rex Matheson"s phone in the 4th season of India through the movie Kamal Haasan was seen using the phone. In the computer game Counter-Strike: Source, the character Leet can be seen holding one. In Alexander Mahone used the Motorola V3. Also, in the 2006 film Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci used Moto Razr phones.

The one that’s always interested me is the iPhone “retina display”. With it’s high dpi, I can think of some neat projects it could be used in. There are lots of places online where you can, apparently, pick them up separate from the phone as replacement parts. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to find any information on what communication format they use. If it’s something simple like the LVDS used by most LCD monitors then you can pick up LVDS-to-VGA converters.

i have Motorola razr parts(and parts from that thicker yet narrower razr-like moto) the top and main screens would be nice to know what the signaling is on them to do such a project.

I don’t understand why everybody is so enthusiastic about the iPad display with its high resolution… You can get a replacement display for e.g. The old HTC Touch Diamond which has 640x480px for 15-20 bucks.

If the only display I could get to work was the HTC Touch one I’d work with that. Unfortunately, I’ve never heard of anyone figuring out the communications protocol for that one either. Unfortunately, smartphone displays seem to be completely undocumented and, I fear, all use non-standard communications protocols/interfaces.

A phone display has to be energy efficient, information is not sent contonously. The interface is also ‘smart’. The cpu ‘talks’ to the display and it talks back. Some tipical conversation might be: goto that part of the screen, select a regtangle x by y pixels. Now start filling it wiith whatever pixels i tell you to. And thus maybe a button is redrawn on the display.

I can see that being the case for basic cellphones where they have a limited feature set. (what you are describing sounds, very much, like how the industrial touchscreen “smart displays” work in automated systems here at my company). However, I don’t think that would work for a smart phone, like the iPhone, where the display has to be able to do many of the dynamic things that a real PC display does. Also, because, by their nature, LCD/Plasma/etc. screens don’t “refresh” in the same way old CRTs did, I would tend to expect that standard LCD panel interface formats, like LVDS, would already be taking advantage of any of these kinds of optimizations that are possible.

i remember that can be also driven by some lcd program (that shows useful info like cpu,hdd usage etc.)that works also on windows but i can’t remember it’s name.

Hey, this project is pretty cool, i was wondering if it would work with a laptop screen. the MB is broken beyond repair but if i could manually hook up the pin connector for the screen to a video output source could i use it as a acreen?

Leaked photos reveal that the phone will include a folding touchscreen, just like the Samsung Galaxy Flip—and it could make the old Razr feel like a distant hazy memory.

Less than a year after the release of the Razr V3, however, the iPhone was born, consigning Motorola"s baby to the dustbin of history. And actual dustbins, probably.

-Size: The phone is similar in comparison to other RAZR models, although slightly taller. Despite this, it is still smaller than other Cingular phones.

Earlier this year, Motorola relaunched the Razr, modernizing the iconic flip phone brand with a flashy foldable display, Android, and a $1,500 price tag. But it fell short in a number of ways, with a creaky hinge, poor cameras, and lackluster battery life. Now, Motorola is trying to redeem its first foldable with a second-generation Razr, which adds 5G support, better cameras, and more useful software.

The overall design of the new Razr looks fairly similar to the original foldable. There’s a 6.2-inch, 21.9:9 foldable display on the inside of the phone, while a 2.7-inch OLED “Quick View” display on the outside allows for access to notifications and other basic functionality. Also the same: the high price tag, which, at $1,399, is just $100 less than its predecessor.

The original Razr’s cameras were, to put it simply, bad, with a 5-megapixel selfie camera and a 16-megapixel main camera that was effectively only good for shooting in direct sunlight. The updated model looks to change that on both fronts. The internal camera is a 20-megapixel sensor that shoots quad-pixel 5-megapixel stills (presumably at a better quality than the original), and the rear camera jumps up to a 48-megapixel sensor with a newly added laser autofocus time-of-flight sensor and optical image stabilization. Thanks to the Razr’s external display and foldable nature, you’ll be able to use that more powerful main camera for selfies, too — although we’ll have to see whether Motorola has actually succeeded in improving the performance, especially in low-light situations.

The other big addition is 5G, but it’s less interesting than Motorola is making it seem, especially for a $1,399 phone. The new Razr will only support sub-6GHz networks, not the faster mmWave variant. It’s something that we’ve already seen on other foldable devices, like the Razr’s most direct competitor, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5G, but it’s still disappointing to see, especially given that mmWave speeds are so much faster than sub-6GHz deployments today, at least in the US.

Motorola is also making the new Razr much more accessible. Where the original was a Verizon exclusive in the US, the new model will be sold unlocked as well as through AT&T and T-Mobile. (Verizon is notably missing this time around, likely due to the lack of mmWave support.)

Lastly, Motorola is emphasizing software improvements it’s made on the new Razr, with expanded functionality for the external display (something Motorola already started to offer on the original Razr with a software update earlier this year). The new software works more like regular Android and offers access to a variety of apps, including Google Maps, YouTube, games, and the ability to respond to text messages without having to open the phone.

The biggest thing missing from the announcement is any definitive improvement to the hinge system, which was one of the biggest concerns with the original model. Motorola says that it has “collected feedback from Razr owners,” and the new model should last up to five years of daily use from even a power user who flips their phone open and shut 100 times a day. But there’s no mention of specific improvements to the durability or strength of the hinge or display.

The second-generation Razr will be available unlocked later this fall for $1,399.99 at Best Buy, B&H Photo, Amazon, and Motorola’s website. It’ll also be sold through both AT&T and T-Mobile.

A pair of leaked images from reliable leaker Evan Blass (via 91Mobiles) gives us a first look at what appears to be a testing model of the third generation Motorola Razr. The device, codenamed Maven, notably houses two upgraded cameras on its back: a 50MP f / 1.8 main sensor and a 13MP sensor for macro and ultra-wide shots.

Blass also notes that the fingerprint sensor has been moved to the power button, which is likely on the side of the device. Motorola previously placed the fingerprint sensor on the chin of the 2019 Razr, and then moved it to the back of the device for the 5G-upgraded Razr it released in 2020. Both placements weren’t exactly ideal — The Verge’s former executive editor, Dieter Bohn, described its placement on the back of the device as an “awkward spot to reach,” and said putting it on the chin forced him to open the phone with two hands.

Blass says the Razr 3 comes with an FHD+ interior folding display and a hole-punch 32MP selfie camera. (You can view the image of the device’s interior screen over at 91Mobiles.) Motorola is rumored to release a standard version of the device with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 system-on-a-chip (SoC), along with a “Plus” variant, presumably with an upgraded, but as-yet-unknown, chip. As for storage, it’s supposed to come with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage.

With its boxier design and dual camera sensors, it looks like Motorola is gearing up to compete with Samsung’s flagship foldable: the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The first two Razr reboots weren’t exactly the most impressive — the 2019 device came with a $1,499 price tag and several flaws, like a lumpy screen, creaky hinge, and subpar camera. Motorola’s second iteration wasn"t much better and the addition of 5G still didn’t justify its $1,399 price.

In line with an announcement from a Lenovo executive in December (Lenovo bought out the mobile brand in 2014), the third generation Razr is rumored to launch in China in July or August. There’s no word on a release date outside of China, however. The Verge reached out to Motorola with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.

When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures.