What happened to the RAZRs
 

Looked at this article recently about US mobile market share, and it surprised me how far Motorola has slipped, but also a reminder that most of the world do not use smart phones even in the hi tech US of A, (RIM 7% therefore Apple prob at 5%).

Or another way to look at it, there is still a big market to convert to the smartphone cause.

http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events...r_Market_Share

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

Without app-stores\digital assets, it's much easier to drop your handset and sync your minimal data to a new one.

Now there's a much bigger lock-in\tie-in to the platform that you've 'invested' in.

Edit: Er... I meant to say, that was part of the reason that RAZRs (and the multitude of candystick phones) were easy to leave behind and migrate to a new platform without strings attached.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

The RAZR was horrible though. OK, so it did fit in my pocket very easily, but that was the only thing going for it. I gave mine away after a couple of months.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

I hated my RAZR, hated the SLVR... but for a phone that they were basically giving away on contract, it's better than some other piece o' craptacular specials out there now.

I'd take metal construction over plastic any day.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

It was interesting how the world went mad over flip phones at the time.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

I still think they are a very good idea for a base phone. Even if its a landscape implementation like the Nintendo DS. I always loved the protection it added to the internal screen from being cracked (Ironically cracked the outside screen on 3 flip phones... and on my N900... but never an internal screen).

Never, however, had a RAZR... as they were never available on prepaid in Australia (and up until a year or two ago... that was all I needed).

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

its called the razr burn.
people got bored of it :P

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

Oh how the mighty have fallen. The RAZR was once the most desirable business phone. But in a rapidly-moving market you need to keep innovating, and Motorola lost the plot.

I didn't get a RAZR until they became dirt cheap on prepay. I paired it with my N800 for 2G web browsing until I got a 3G phone. Now my daughter uses my old RAZR.

PS: I'll say one thing for the RAZR, its mini-USB socket is (mechanically) solid as a rock.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

I loved my RAZR, I got it used from my sister and had it for a year before I switched to the N95, it was the only Motorola phone I've ever owned (and IMO if we don't count the Droid and Droid x the only good one) it was built like a tank, it fell, slid, got burnt, wet, dusty, had things dropped on it and it did not die. In the very end, it had a speaker fault where there would be a small buzz whenever it was open and its frame was scratched and used up like all hell and it still worked the same way as when I had it. It was one hell of a phone in its time. Such a shame that its time went by so quickly.
http://ahcel.files.wordpress.com/200...r_v3_bluea.jpg
This is the one I had. You know, they say good design is timeless and I still love its design. Motorola's industrial style always clicked with me, which is also why I like the N900's design (which mixed an industrial look with that nice curved style)

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

the world?

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

Ok Benny, we get how much you hate US of A.

At the time there was a surge of popularity of flip phones in Asia too. I've no idea how it was in europe at the time.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

Here's a clue, ysss. He'll point to Wikipedia or something else that will state the following:

"The popularity of RAZR in the United States was never replicated worldwide. While at first successful as a fashion phone abroad, its newer and cheaper models never became iconic."

That statement is at Wikipedia, and apparently a phone selling 110 million, boosting Motorola into 2nd place right behind Nokia was apparently only sold in the US.

Meh. Typical. One word behind held unto so tightly makes no sense.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

Moved to General, although it might be better in Competitors.

Anyway, please don't fight guys.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

I hated the RAZR with a passion. Besides making some stupid BLOOP! - BLOOP! - BLOOP! sound that further embarrasses the user whenever they try to turn their phone to silent, I discovered it makes a BEEP! sound every ten minutes whenever my roommate missed a call or something. Yeah, that was REAL conducive to my sleep when it goes off at three in the morning!

A one-time audio alert and a small, dinky, flashing LED for notifications is the way to do it, folks!

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

People loved that thing in the UK as well. I remember when, about 18 months after release, it was already out of date they released a pink one and people went out and bought them all over again!! Despite the fact that they often developed the usual Motorola problems like not knowing if they are charged or not!

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

I loved mine. It was a great phone, with execelent reception. Software was not great, and was slow. I think motorola should have updated the software and internals all in the same case. Mine lasted several years before it died and by then they weren't made anymore. I still like flip phones for their large screen for size, and protection for that screen.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

110 million units was a pretty insane mound of mobiles.

So what do you guys think if motorola releases a flip phone with dual touch screens, powered by android? Razor NG...

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

No past tense for me.

I got my RAZR free with Verizon's "Free Every 2" plan and it's still rock solid after 4 years, numerous mishandlings, and a Krazy Glue accident. I haven't had a land line in that same amount of time and I have zero complaints. Great phone, but man do plenty of people hate it. Bizarre.

For some of us, a phone is just a phone. Meaning, if it ain't broken, don't fix it. This is only my third phone in thirteen years, and in my opinion the form factor is still unmatched. Give me an all-screen Linux computer with the same dimensions and we'll have a winner.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

I think it's the kitsch-y name, packaging and ads surrounding it.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

would love to have a flip phone type N900. The E91 and its ilk are no longer on the shelves, and the "world" is more sad for it. Dont understand why qwerty phones need to be all slidy other than its cheaper to have just one screen.

Imagine a N900 sized E91 with the slimness of RAZR, with touch qwerty stylee, finished in metal and glass :p

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

I realize this is a little bigger than a RAZR. It's already over a year old, but read the ridiculous specs below. It's devices like this that make me think anything is possible.

http://www.mobilecrunch.com/wp-conte..._2-630x630.jpg
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/wp-conte...ne-630x630.jpg

Hitachi Mobile Hi-Vision CAM Wooo from KDDI au

Records video in 720p and at 30fps, and also features microSDHC/HDMI Mini interfaces and a 3-inch IPS screen (480×854).

Here's an article.

Re: What happened to the RAZRs
 

Anything is possible if you're willing to commit the resources to it. The Japanese use cellphones to an extent unparalleled in the US and Europe, displacing most computers. If you look here, you'll see Toshiba was shipping phones in Japan a year ago with screens similar to what Apple is using in the iPhone 4 as well.

The downside is that carriers over there are worse than Verizon ever was, and the software is just a touch above feature-phone level. A good number run Symbian, but hide all the Symbian-ness behind a custom layer.

The market over there is so vicious (6-month product cycle, ~18 month end-user refresh, and low unit counts) it's no surprise that Nokia doesn't really participate (the Korean and Western brands only participate to a very limited extent.)