This guide explains the difference between the various Razr models offered by Motorola: the V3, V3C, V3i, V3r, and the V3m as well as some low cost alternatives from Motorola (the T720 & T730) that offer similar styling at half the price. If you find this guide helpful, please help others find it by clicking “Yes” in the blue title bar below this guide, and thanks for reading. JustCellular on eBay
The Original V3
The Original Razr, the V3. This model started the Razr craze and was first offered by Cingular Wireless, it has since been offered by T Mobile, SunCom and Cellular One/Dobson Cellular. If the phone is unlocked, you can use it interchangeably with many carriers (see my guide Unlocked Cell Phones: What it Means to be Unlocked).
Here are the most notable features of the V3 Razr.
1. Camera with Self-Timer & Glass Lens
2. Speaker Phone with Full Duplex, Talk and Hear at the same time
3. Bluetooth Capable
4. Picture ID and Picture Messaging
5. Voice Dialing
6. Polyphonic Ringtones, supports MP3 and has a built-in ringtone composer
7. Email Client
8. It is a Quad Band World Phone: This Means that it can be used anywhere in the world that there is GSM service (uses a sim card) which is just about everywhere in the world. There are four GSM frequencies in the world 850 and 1900 in the US and 900 and 1800 in the rest of the World. The V3 & the V3i are the only Razrs that are GSM and the only two that are World Phones.
9. Video Camcorder. The V3 was later released with a software upgrade that gave the phone a Video Phone or Camcorder option, if that feature is important to you, look for it specifically, because not all V3 have this feature, however, it is just a software upgrade and there are places that can upgrade your phone for a fee. The best thing is to buy it already programmed.
The phone has all the other standard features of most cell phones, however, it does not have a music player which the primary upgrade in the Newer Model the V3i, see it below.
The V3i
The Updated GSM Razr: the V3i, V3e, & the V3r. These models are the successors to the V3. The styling is very similar to the V3 and there are few notable upgrades and several minor ones. They are as follows.
1. The V3i ads an MP3 Player which is also compatible with iTunes (Apple’s IPod).
2. A Flash Memory Slot to store Pictures and other information.
3. 7 extra megabites of memory (12 with the V3i and only 5 with the V3)
4. The camera is a little sharper
5. The battery has more standby time, same talk time, but 50% more standby time.
6. The V3i speaker phone also supports voice controls on the phone, the V3 has a speaker phone, but it doesn’t work with voice controls.
The V3c
The CDMA Version Razr, the V3c. This version was released after the expiration of Cingular's exclusive period they had with the V3, as a result, this phone has some upgrades from the V3. It was offered by Verizon, Cricket, Alltel, Metro PCS and US Cellular. It does everything that the V3i does but the Music player and the Flash Memory card expansion slot. It does have 30 megs of built in storage which is 150% more than the V3i and it runs version 3.1 of the Brew software which is considered the fastest internet software for cell phones (V3i uses a java based software which is very good, however, Brew is the gold standard).
The V3m
The V3m, the M is for Music. The V3m basically ads a MP3 music player that is also compatible with iTunes, Apples proprietary digital music service. Like the V3i it also ads a Flash Memory Slot that you can insert a memory card to store songs, video and pictures. This model has 50% longer standby time than it predecessor the V3c but the talk time is the same. Otherwise it has identical features and styling to the V3c. It is offered by all the CDMA carriers including, Verizon, Alltel, Sprint, Cricket, MetroPCS, and US Cellular.
Motorola’s Low Cost Alternative to the Razr, the T720 and T730. Motorola offers two cell phones that look similar to the Razr at about half the price. Their GSM version is the Motorola T720g (similar to the V3) and its for Cingular, T Mobile, SunCom and Cellular One (it uses a sim card). The other phone is the CDMA version, the T720c & T730c, for Verizon, Alltel, and US Cellular. These phones have great styling, they have a large color display and get good reception, however, they don’t have cameras or mp3 players that the Razrs’ have. Here are a couple pictures of them, they are great if you don't need the extra features the Razr has. Motorola T720c (Verizon, US Cellular) Motorola T720g (Cingular, T Mobile)
Motorola T720g in Black and Silver
T720c in Black
Motorola T720c in Magenta
If you find this guide helpful, please help others find it by clicking “Yes” in the blue title bar below and thanks for reading. Check out the wide variety of cell phones that I offer on eBay at JustCellular on eBay.
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