Is our next Motorola phone the rumored spec-rich Droid RAZR M HD??

[FoxKat]

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The announcement of the Droid RAZR M has been a surprising breath of developmental fresh air from Motorola. Where it seems everyone else is moving to larger phones, trying to find the right blend between smartphone and tablet like the Note 2 from Samsung, the smaller size of the Droid RAZR M is delightful. The tiny (almost non-existent), bezel makes it easy to operate with one hand for those with smaller hands, the specs are better than one would expect from a "mid-line" phone, and the screen is adequate. What could make the RAZR M even better (besides a 3,300mAh "MAXX"-like battery)? How about making it a 4.5" 720P HD display? But why stop there? Let's go all-in and give us both a 720P (326ppi), HD display AND massive power. Well, that's what is now apparently rumored to be in the GoogleRola incubator.

Now, the specs aren't earth-shattering by today's standards but just a short time ago (like...yesterday LOL!), this would have been a blockbuster of a phone. Boasting a more than capable Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core Krait processor running at 1.5GHz, and supported by an Adreno 225 GPU, with 1GB of RAM, an 8GB ROM bank, and 16GB of internal storage (MicroSDHC expandable), it seems to be a well-rounded device. It is perhaps a natural transition for the M, following in what is now a long line of Droid RAZR enhancements and model generations.

See the full (rumored), specs below and you decide;

Design
Device type: Smart phone
OS: Android (4.1) upgradeable to Android 4.2
Form Factor: Candy Bar
Dimensions: 5.15x2.52x.035
Weight: 5.22 OZ

Display
Physical size: 4.5 inches
Resoultion: 720x1280 pixels
Pixel density: 326 ppi
Technology: TFT
Colors: 16 777 216
Touchscreen: Capacitive, Multi-touch
Features: Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Scratch-resistant glass

Battery
Talk time: 21.25 hours
Stand-by time: 15.65
Capacity: 3300 mAh
Type: Li - Polymer

Hardware

System chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960
Processor: Dual core, 1500 MHz, Krait
Graphics processor: Adreno 225

[video=youtube;es2iEHKUrG8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es2iEHKUrG8&feature=youtu.be[/video]

System memory: 1024 MB RAM (Dual-channel, 500 MHz) / DDR2 / 8192 MB ROM
Built-in storage: 16gb
Storage expansion: microSD, microSDHC up to 32 GB

Could this phone fill a perhaps forgotten niche in the Android world, while quietly attracting marketshare from the "other" non-Android, fruit-flavored Candy Bar form factor phone? Let's hope so. :biggrin:

Source; PhoneArena.com

 

[xeene]

so the difference between this phone and maxx hd would be...size?

 

[tjk629]

There is no reason to release this phone. The only thing I could think they're trying to do is make a cheaper RAZR HD MAXX alternative. Like, this would be $199 or $149 instead of paying $299 for the other. Which would be nice, but still I don't think there should be a bajillion different variations of the same phone with slightly altered specs.

 

[drew96dawg]

There is no reason to release this phone. The only thing I could think they're trying to do is make a cheaper RAZR HD MAXX alternative. Like, this would be $199 or $149 instead of paying $299 for the other. Which would be nice, but still I don't think there should be a bajillion different variations of the same phone with slightly altered specs.

Iphone4, 4s, 5 is what came to mind when I read this. I know that the razr line has been extremely successful but moto needs to rethink their approach and get away from incremental performance increases.

sent from my vzw galaxy note 2

 

[FoxKat]

I think you are all right in one way or another. What I think the M brings that the HD doesn't is size and comfort in the hands. There are a lot of smartphone users who prefer the narrow profile of the iPhones as they say it fits the hand easier and allows them to basically use it with one thumb while freeing their other hand for...well, whatever. With the larger and larger phones, they become essentially mini-tablets and using two hands becomes a requirement.

Don't get me wrong, the Note 2 is an awesome device and utilizing the pen means you have to use two hands anyway. This phone isn't targeting that market. Another market this phone is for is the younger kids whose parents will buy it for them and again, the size becomes an issue. They are the ones who have the iPhone sticking half-way out of their back pockets, and don't want to carry around a small paperback book (just kidding, but you get the point).

 

[drew96dawg]

I think you are all right in one way or another. What I think the M brings that the HD doesn't is size and comfort in the hands. There are a lot of smartphone users who prefer the narrow profile of the iPhones as they say it fits the hand easier and allows them to basically use it with one thumb while freeing their other hand for...well, whatever. With the larger and larger phones, they become essentially mini-tablets and using two hands becomes a requirement.

Don't get me wrong, the Note 2 is an awesome device and utilizing the pen means you have to use two hands anyway. This phone isn't targeting that market. Another market this phone is for is the younger kids whose parents will buy it for them and again, the size becomes an issue. They are the ones who have the iPhone sticking half-way out of their back pockets, and don't want to carry around a small paperback book (just kidding, but you get the point).

I understand where you are coming from, I am not one of the people who require a smaller device such as a razr m I actually use the note 2 one handed most of the time. Over the last few years phones have gotten significantly larger, when I got my moto citrus I thought it was big and it had a 3" display.

sent from my vzw galaxy note 2

 

[52brandon]

There is no reason to release this phone. The only thing I could think they're trying to do is make a cheaper RAZR HD MAXX alternative. Like, this would be $199 or $149 instead of paying $299 for the other. Which would be nice, but still I don't think there should be a bajillion different variations of the same phone with slightly altered specs.

I disagree. I got my girl a One X and she has a hard time with it because she has tiny hands (she's 5'1"). Plus, I also liked the smaller phones because they fit more comfortably in my jeans. It's not a big inconvenience though

 

[JohnnytheK]

Nope, I'm sick of Motorola's slow up dates and updates that ruin my phone.

Droid 1 last update made it unusable.

X2 ,um, never mind it needed more ram was never a great phone.

Maxx ICS has been a near nightmare.

Samsung all the way now, next month I see a Note II in my future!

 

[Tonik]

Nope, I'm sick of Motorola's slow up dates and updates that ruin my phone.

Droid 1 last update made it unusable.

X2 ,um, never mind it needed more ram was never a great phone.

Maxx ICS has been a near nightmare.

Samsung all the way now, next month I see a Note II in my future!

I made the switch to a Note 2 myself after watching my wife's S3 just plain work. You will be very happy.

 

[sweeeeet]

what is this dual core u speak of?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

The core processors on the main processor chip are two identical processor cores (brains) that can either run in tandem *(both doing the same job at the same time for extra speed)* or can run independently *(each processor doing a different task for multitasking or otherwise)*. Desktop PCs have had multiple cores for quite a while now, but dual or multiple-core processors for phones are only a few years old.

 

[sweeeeet]

The core processors on the main processor chip are two identical processor cores (brains) that can either run in tandem *(both doing the same job at the same time for extra speed)* or can run independently *(each processor doing a different task for multitasking or otherwise)*. Desktop PCs have had multiple cores for quite a while now, but dual or multiple-core processors for phones are only a few years old.

few years old.... this is a negative lol... quad core at least

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

There ifs only so much processor speed and number of cores you can benefit from before the added power consumption becomes a drawback. Also, there's a point at which the increased power yields very little notable performance increase. Only when the software catches up with the processors does the benefit really show.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[sweeeeet]

you would buy a dual core processor phone in a few months and keep it for 2 years? i sure as hell wouldn't

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[sonicxtacy02]

There ifs only so much processor speed and number of cores you can benefit from before the added power consumption becomes a drawback. Also, there's a point at which the increased power yields very little notable performance increase. Only when the software catches up with the processors does the benefit really show.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

That depends entirely on the OS architecture built to capitalize on it. Despite the fact that Android is "powerful" in comparison, they haven't really braved redesigning to optimize for more than 2 cores yet.

And would someone PLEASE tell Motorola to stop releasing new phones under the Razr name? How can people that exist outside of the tech world possibly know the difference between them?