Motorola Razr2 V9m review (Alltel)

After the iPhone debut, the launch of the Motorola Razr2 has been the biggest cell phone news of the summer. We've reviewed AT&T's Razr2 V9 and both the Verizon Wireless and Sprint versions of the Razr2 V9m, so now we turn our attention to the V9m with Alltel. Like its siblings, Alltel's handset offers a slick, stylish design and a host of high-end multimedia features. Of course, this being a Razr2, Alltel customized the handset's external display and added its own features, like its Celltop application and support for TeleNav GPS. It's not quite as action-packed as its counterparts, but it's still a very decent handset. Alltel's V9m is $299 with service.

Design
As we said with the other Razr2s, Moto did more than just update the original Razr V3's thin design, it completely revamped it. And to much success, we might add. The slimmer shape, cleaner lines, and oversize external display resulted in a much improved design that continues to dazzle. Alltel's V9m has the same dimensions as the other phones in the series (4.05 by 2.08 by 0.46 inches; 4.1 ounces), so it feels just as comfortable and solid in the hand. As for a color, Alltel joined Sprint in choosing the dark pearl gray hue. We consider it to be the dullest of the Razr2 colors, but it's not unattractive by any means.

Besides the steel body, one of the biggest attractions on any Razr2 model is the large and bright external display. Behind the plate of hardened glass is a 2-inch screen with a 65,000-color resolution. It shows the date, time, battery life, signal strength, and photo caller ID, but the backlighting turns off very quickly. You can turn it on again with a flick of the volume rocker, but it would be nice to have a longer setting. The display also acts as a viewfinder for the camera lens, which is right above. There's also a small light next to the camera lens that glows green when you're charging the phone. You can turn it off if you desire.

Like the other carriers that offer the Razr2, Alltel had the freedom to customize the onscreen shortcuts for the missed calls list (the only carrier to do so), the music player, and the messaging menu. The former option is especially useful, as you can make calls using the speakerphone without opening the phone. And like the other Razr2s, the onscreen buttons give that nifty tactile feedback. Tactile feedback is also present in the side controls. The aforementioned volume rocker and Motorola smart key are on the left spine and a voice dialing control is on the right spine. And of course, the microSD card slot is behind the battery cover.