How would you change the Motorola RAZR?

Okay, imagineers and active consumers, gather 'round and let's dissect this week's "How would you change…" victim, the Motorola RAZR. We'll seed the pot with a few wishlist items:

• A#1: More memory!

• Better camera

• T9 support

• Better address book

• Give it a smartphone OS

Now we pass the talking stick to you all. Have at it!

[Robotrock @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Change it to a slider form factor.

Decrease the width.

Get rid of MOtorola's horrible UI/Phone book.

[Nitros @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Most obvious is it's price. Change that and I may get one.

[taylor muller @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

2nd comment!
uh...cheaper. i'd say...about 5 dollars. :)

[classic009 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

get rid of the large frame bezel around the front LCD. Looks real cheap to have a fake large screen on the outside

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

262K Color external screen.
16.7 million color internal screen.
2+ megapixel camera.
64 polyphonic ringtones.
Email support pre-configured for Bellsouth,
Yahoo, SBC, Comcast.
Stopwatch- Count up and down.

[SLCentral @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I've got a Razr and here is what I would change:

- Width
- Price
- UI
- Address Book
- Speed/Responsiveness
- Battery Life
- UI again, because it is that bad

[Tex @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Add the latest Microsoft OS of course. I'd love to see a RAZR based SmartPhone!

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

* Use the same UI and phonebook found on the Motorola iDen phones.
* Bigger outside display

[Corey Atad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I just think the Razr is bad alltogether. The design is ugly as hell and its annoying to use. I'm stickin with my SonyErricson T610

[My Jeans Are Longer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I'd add the following to it:

1. Smartphone OS
2. Cut the width down by 0.5 inches even if that makes it a little thicker.
3. Add HSDPA support.

[Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

How about no camera? Why does every phone need a camera?!

[VJ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

definetley change the phonebook...i would make it like one entry with all that cellphone/home/work in it, rather than VJ home VJ cell and so on...

also i would thin up that base on the bottom...AND...place the volume/smart/camera button on the base rather than the cover side..

[Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Make the inside screen a VGA screen like the ones found on some of the new Pocket PCs and PDAs.

[Sahil Zubair @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

In my opinion, all i have to say is i'm stickin with blackberry 7100T

[matt r. @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

You have luxury phones that don't do much but remove cash from your wallet and let you dial numbers... and then you have smartphones which are as big as a TI-83 calcuator... What I want to see is a really slick smartphone. My Treo 650 is the hotness, but I won't lie, its a bit big, and it isn't nearly as shiny as the RAZR.

ps: Maybe consider spelling the name in its entirety!

[Frank @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Own it: Like it ok but don't love it.

- Price is not reasonable
- Battery Life could be better
- UI better than Siemens and Nokia, but think about it
- Address Book (at least add one that makes sense)
- I need to save a picture before I can take a new one (WTF?)
- I need to hold the audio memo button WHILE recording (2xWTF?)
- can' record video (C'mon!)

Don't add the MS OS, add something that's safe and doesn't crash that often... Linux so people can write applications for it that run and lets you get your stuff done.

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

All your ideas are good, but I think they should really add a hover-board feature so you can fly around on your RAZR.

[Brandon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

1. Give it a Sony Ericsson OS
2. Get rid of the Motorola UI
3. Make it less wide
4. Umm, get rid of the Motorola UI again?

Gotta say, I agree with #8, I've never cared for the RAZR that much anyway. I'll keep my SE T637 any day.

[John Gilman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I'd simply make it cheaper.

Maybe install Linux on it.

[tristen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

make it for verizon wireless. they have the best servis.

[Jason McLeod @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I was looking to purchase this to replace my V551. But, the external screen is too dim, needs to be much brighter like OLED. My V551 actually has a much brighter external screen.

The OS is identical on the Razor and V551 so no plus there.

Should have a better resolution camera, who cares about more memory when the pictures still have poor quality.

[Tony Scida @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Knock $300 off the price tag.

[Myles Gaulin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I would make it less hideous. The mostly-black-plastic-with-some-metallic-silver theme looks really cheap.

[Cyclone @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Better build quality...

[Gihan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

How about an SD/miniSD slot and FM radio

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Have it made by Nokia

[Ryan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

My boss actually came up with this, while examining my RAZR. He thinks the arrow pad should be a touch pad that lets you scroll -- much like the iPod. I concur.

[Dezro @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

FIVE BLADES

[john steele @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

1. narrower
2. IRda
3. Nokia's phone book
4. get rid of the camera
5. louder

[Kevin Fox @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I used to have a Nokia 8820 because it was small. I ditched it for a Danger Sidekick because it was cool. I ditched the Siddekick for a Sony Ericsson T616 because I was too addicted to IMing on the Sidekick (IMing at stoplights and during lulls in dinner conversation). I ditched the T616 for a Treo 600 because I missed web access and moblogging. I ditched the Treo 600 for my Razr because in the end I decided what I needed was a small phone that was really good at being a phone.

I'm not disappointed in my Razr for the things I was looking for. It's a great size and form factor, and the call quality and reception are better than any of the above.

But it's just a phone. It's not going to make you happy surfing the web, playing games, or anything other than being a phone.

So yes, I wish it had a good smartphone OS, but 'till then (and maybe even after) I'll probably be happy with my Razr and a Nokia 7700 for the heavy lifting (once it comes out).

[randy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

1. more memory
2. better camera w/ video capability
3. quicker response/faster menues
4. video ringtones
5. better external color LCD
6. Better address book

There are more, but these are just a few of mine from owning one...

[boss sauce @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Got it and love it. a few things tho...

1) Directional pad should be easier to use,
2) Vibrate should be stronger,
3) Camera could be ok-- current one BLOWS (so I don't care about the memory),
4) Phone book should allow multiple numbers/person,
5) Speaker independent voice dialing,
6) Voice commands,
7) Shortcut to go to Handsfree mode,
8) Side buttons should be easier to press.

The UI seems fine to me [ducking]-- there are a lot of shortcuts, like typing in a letter to get to a menu. Big thing, though-- set menus to list instead of icon.

One UI thing they should do-- take a lesson from iPod and TiVo and REMEMBER WHERE I NAVIGATED PREVIOUSLY IN THE MENUS! SHEESH! [sorry for yelling]

Yo classic009/#3-- yep, the bezel is silly, though it makes the front look more balanced on the silver model.

[JonDoe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Shoot me if I get this wrong but there's no countdown timer on it. I use the timer on my Nokia everytime I make tea or coffee, which is many times a day/night. It's such a small thing I know, but hey, for the price, if it's not gonna MAKE me the coffee, at least tell me when it's brewed perfectly!

Oh, and I second the hover-board feature.

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

iTunes ...

[Nate MC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Price sucks. $199 and a contract? Your out of your ever loving mind.

[Matt Selnekovic @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

"Linux so people can write applications for it that run and lets you get your stuff done."
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
Do you have any clue wtf you're talking about? no?

[Paul @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Let me ditch that damn Cingular man that sneaks up on me every time I open it up to talk (the Cingular logo displays on the outer screen when the clamshell is open).

If anyone knows how to do that (via RAZR or Mac), please speak up. I am willing to hack.

[Chris Leckness @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Simply add Windows Mobile 5 to it.

[Billy Billum @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

That's funny! It seems to be the standard geek answer to fix the problems of the world... install Linux on it... As if!

[Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

For people complaining about not having multiple numbers per name, just change the "sort by" option in the address book setup to "Name". Then add numbers to the names instead of making new entries. It's not that bad guys.

[Kaela @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

For that price, it should come with a giant llama or something equally impressive, 'cause we all know how awesome having your own llama AND a Razr would be.

[Brian Budin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Have Nokia manufacture it....

[Jim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Get rid of the cameras (or at least make them detachable/removable). Many workplaces ban phones with cameras.

[Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Ditch the camera. In my experience the only thing a camera in a cell phone is useful for is getting you hassled in courts, government installations and a lot of private companies.
Big price to pay for having a lousy camera on you.

[Brian Budin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Have Nokia manufacture it.
Apple package it.
Andddddddd.......
Paris Hilton loose it.

[jorellh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Set Alarm days

[Curious @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Check this out, tell me if it does the same thing on yours.

Place your RAZR next to/on 1) a clock radio 2) a speaker 3) the power connection for a laptop (it seems to work on a powerbook)

Call the phone from another line.

I get static, like a fuzzy radio signal, just before I get a call. Enough to power up a speaker. Enough to make it hum. This can't be good.

[Liam Legionnaire @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

How about beveled buttons so people with really meaty hands can use it.

[mr.karmalicious @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Listen up, all of you idiots- the phone book DOES DO MULTIPLE ENTRIES. Dammit.

Phonebook-> Phonebook Menu-> Setup-> View: Primary Contacts

There you ho. Stop whining, stop complaining.

And it does do video with a firmware upgrade.

[Alex @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

make it a Nokia product ;)