RAZR vs. Blade
By Ryan Block 
posted Aug 17th 2005 1:20PM
posted Aug 17th 2005 1:20PM
Without making too many gratuitous Hackers references (ok, just one: Motorola, you may stop Samsung, but you can't stop them all) may we present the Motorola RAZR V3 versus the Samsung Blade (SGH-V740). As one can plainly see, they're very similar in size, shape, and thickness—but what's up with the "GPS" button on the Blade? Did someone not tell us something?
So Samsung copied the button layout of the RAZR and placed all the technology into the UGLIEST, BLANDEST cell phone case ever made?
No thanks. I'll stick with my Black RAZR.
The "GPS" button is probably just a shortcut to "LBS" or loacation based services.
So what it has MP3 playback? How much are you really going to be able to put on a 256 MB Trans Flash card anyway?
They should have just gone with Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo's as the format. Samsung tends to use MSPD's for most of their digital cameras.
I actually like the blade better than the razr, I'm waitng for them to annouce it for verizon or a gsm version. The razr is str8, but i have a v80 which has the same interface as the razr so im not missing anything there except for the thinness of the phone. plus the blade has a couple more features.
Wow. I'm sure it's cool and all, but that's gotta be the most ugly case ever.
Remember, phoning isn't a crime. It's an alert mechanism.
:P
Totally weak on Samsung's part. It looks like today's technology in a mid-90's casing. Dare I say that the RAZR looks more "Sharp?"
Fishes,
narco.
From "Hackers": "Razor and Blade? They're freaks!"
Heheh. Maybe if Macs start catching fire we can do a "crash and burn" reference :-P
I like Samsung's keyboard more.... but only keyboard
V3's interface may look like V80's, but it has significantly more polish under the surface.
That Samsung looks like UGLY! Like they let engineers design it or something.
Wow that thing is hideous especially next to the RAZR!
For pure style and coolness factor the Razr beats the Samsung with an filthy, cheap, stank-nasty, ugly stick.
Owning a razr, the address book sucks, the lack of music and no video isn't winning any awards, but didn't stop me from buying it.
What the hell? That's the worst attempt at a competitor to the RAZR I've ever seen.
i really wish, for once, that other companies would be creative.
The Blade's insides look weak compared to the Razr... but with both closed, I like the Blade better. I hate that hump the Razr has on the bottom. It's anything but sleek.
I bet the Samsung doesn't make you have a single separate entry per number, ala 80's style Motorola interface.
"i really wish, for once, that other companies would be creative."
You mean provide poor drivers and sub-par hardware?
Haha... I'll be here all night, folks!
i don't think its bad, i'm switching over from cingular to verizon, and would consider the blade if it came out on stupid verizon
verizon folk must be pretty happy right about now
besides the samsung and palm, verizon has the worst phones ever
to me, the blade is better than the razr. first, of it's black. second, its more slick. third, if it does more than the razr, then the blade is better phone just oon function alone.
sorry, but you cats sound like your comparing shirts or something. who really cares what the phone looks like as long as it not huge and heavy, and it has nice features.
A lot of phones from & for South Korea have true GPS/LBS services on them. The pictures posted are NOT the US versions of these phones, they are the original South Korean versions, of which the Samsung does have GPS/LBS.
Razor and Blade? They're elite!
Just for clarification, Sprint's V745/Blade (Not V740), will have a different, more standard keypad layout. Secondly, Verizon tested the SLIM and passed on it.
It should also be mentioned that the Samsung beats the RAZR in terms of feature sets as well.
Bluetooth 1.2, QVGA display, stereo speakers, 65K OLED exterior display, front MP3 playback buttons.
Personally i hate the feel of the keys on the razr, and i think the blade looks cool, i hope it comes out on Sprint, if not i'll stick to my Sanyo
The Razr is the Porsche 911 of cell phones - great performance and unbeatable slick looks! The Blade looks like a 1956 Chevy compared to it - it's thin but BUTT UGLY. It may work very well, but it looks like the sound end of a northbound camel caravan. Engineers should NEVER be allowed to design UIs or external cases, etc.
BTW - the Razr's address book CAN ACCOMMODATE MULTIPLE NUMBERS or E-MAIL ADDRESSES PER PERSON. Just scroll down to the "...... MORE ......" option when editing a name, and you will be able to add another number/address for that person. You can than choose which number is the "primary" for that person, and you can set the address book to display all numbers, or only the primary number, for people. If you choose to show just primary numbers, view a number and then scroll to see the other numbers for that person. This is not documented at all in the terrible user manual provided with the phone.
According to entry on the Bluetooth.org website, the Samsung SCH-V740 supports the A2DP profile which means you can listen to streaming audio on Bluetooth stereo headphones like the Logitech ones.
http://qualweb.bluetooth.org/Template2.cfm?LinkQualified=QualifiedProducts&Details=Yes&ProductID=2457
The Motorola phone doesn't have this.
ThinIsIn, dude, you may have made some good points, but I couldn't continue reading after "The Blade looks like a 1956 Chevy compared to it - it's thin but BUTT UGLY". 56 Chevy's are ugly? You just blew all your style cred with me, man....
Dear Engadget,
Please start referring to the "Blade" cellphone as the Samsung "Turd," so that your readers do not confuse this pile of crap for something cool. Thanks.
A worried reader.
OMG, I find the RAZR fanboys hilarious. I love the razr as much as anyone, but I think the Samsung looks better, has more features, and will have a better UI than the RAZR.
Too bad the sprint versions' keypad has changed from the korean version.
The BLADE would look really good in white, but the black makes it look shoddy.
I've been scrounging for any info on this phone for a while. I love the razr- the design is excellent (even if Mot UI blows)- but I have Verizon.
That keypad is ugly. Someone compared it to a motorola from the 80's.. I threw out my last star-tac just one year ago; even it had a nicer looking keypad than that thing.
Design is second only to size. I swear I'll marry the first Verizon phone that FITS IN MY STUPID POCKET.
The Silver Blade looks *much* better, IMO:
http://www.myphone.gr/gallery/data/3094/9Samsung-RAZR.jpg
Style Razr > Blade
Size Razr = Blade
Function Razr < Blade
* EV-DO, Bluetooth A2DP, QVGA, easy MP3 playbacks, and a responsive keypad.
Be smart and pick your phone based on what you want folks. Simple as that.
One of the comments above mentions the Razr lacking video. I assume you mean recording which actually it doesnt, if any Razr owners are willing to risk it the latest software/firmware floating around the web enables video recording.....
#15...
Go into your V3 address book, press the middle button (four horizontal lines) then scroll down to "Setup" then change "View" to "Primary Contacts". Now you can use the side-to-side buttons to change between a contacts different numbers and email addresses.
I like the samsung and always loathed using the UI of friends' motorola phones. What I don't get is why did they make everything rounded if they are going to call it blade.
The GPS button is for Sprint's new GPS service. They launched it several months ago in the business channel. It's called the Business Solutions Framework.
I see some Samsung haters..
you haters, just STFU and mind your fucking own business
i live in korea and i use the samsung blade and its a solid phone, i lived in london and i had a chance to play around with the v3 black and its a good phone too but the buttons are just not useable for my liking.
the gps button is customised feature for the korean cell phone company sk telecoms, this is a lbs feature, the middle "nate" button is another mobile content feature(like wap) and the June button is more high end mobile content service,(streaming live tv, music videos, mp3s etc)
i'm guessing the US or Europe version of the blade will be customised differently.
there are no external memory slots of the blade which is quite bad but the internal memory is around 150mb which is good enough to put 2ablums of music.
The Blade looks like total crap. It is not NEARLY as cool and unbelievable slick-looking as the RAZR. And whats up with Samsung copying the same? BLADE? Very original. The RAZR rapes the Blade. hands-down. maybei'mcrazybut, were you kidding?
1) The RAZR comes in black...
2) Blade is slicker? That made my day... haha...
3) Who DOESNT care about how a phone looks?
wow.. way too many motorola fans out there.
personally, i go with the samsung. i tried this phone out on my visit to korea and wow.. it was way better than the RAZR (my friend has this).
the menu interface and functions outweigh the functions and interface of all motorola phones. also, while i was testing out the razr, i found out that fingerprints were way more visible to the naked eye than those on the "blade".
as for the layout of the menu (the buttons) i believe that it was first samsung's phones which revolutionised the circle menu style with four buttons, making it fast to access other functions.
if i could chose between these two phones, i would definitely chose the samsung 'blade'
Daniel , the MM-A800 for Sprint also has the same "circular" UI.
And sheeze, these Moto/Samsung hating fanboys are amazing.
Use both phones, and then trash them! :eyeroll:
#25 and #35 yes you can enable primary contacts, but only for the phone book list. That doesn't work for the list when you're writing an SMS, though...
The Blade still needs some work, but it improves on three things I always thought were NASTY on the RAZR:
1) That awful hump on the bottom when the phone is open.
2) The buttons. I hate buttons that you can't feel your way around or have no tactile feedback.
3) The ugly-as-sin round joint in the middle when the phone is open. Looks like a freaking tumor.
So do we know if the "Blade" will be coming to Verizon? It seems pretty certain that Verizon is going to get the RAZR, but with Sprint getting the Blade, does that mean that Verizon will not be getting it? Does anyone have an info on release dates for either phone on Verizon's network? ...Impatiently waiting to upgrade my old brick of a phone...
#43, I BELIEVE Daniel was referring to the "launch pad" feature of samsungs, the 4 arrorw keys each launching different, customizeable, menus/apps, NOT the "circular" UI that IS used in the a800, and for greg... who told you verizon was gonna get the razr? that's a funny one.. the RAZR is a GSM-only phone... i SERIOUSLY doubt any possibility of verizona adopting this one.. besides MOTO prefer's GSM $ iDEN, i cant remembrt the last moto phone sprint's had...and i bet sprint'll get this one first!! ;) (blade)
The Razr is coming out with a CDMA called the Razr v3c version to be released early next year, and I too heard that it is going to b a Verizon exclusive.
er.. the Korean version of RAZR is CDMA..so then what would stop Motorola from selling this version back to America?
VZW will have the razr (not silver or black but more gunmetal colored) before christmas, bluetooth and all, and the blade (yeah the name is stupid) will be sprint exclusive around the same time. Doubt me? wait and see