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By Kent German, CNET.com
Jan 17, 2007

Ever since it introduced its popular RAZR phone, Motorola has done everything it can to capitalize on two trends: Thin phones, and a vowel-dropping naming convention. After the RAZR and the bizarrely named KRZR, Motorola now gives us the RIZR Z3 (it's a slider phone, so it rises up, get it?). While we thought the pretty KRZR put the RAZR's design to shame, we now realize that we spoke too soon. In fact, it's the RIZR that should compete in a cell phone beauty contest. Yes, we're focusing on design here, but even Motorola admits that all of its thin handsets are design-first models. Fortunately the RIZR also offers decent call quality, and while its feature set offers nothing new, it's still pretty respectable. The RIZR currently offered for around S$188 (US$123.68) with a two-year mobile contract.

Design
Slider phones have been popular for a few months now, and the RIZR marks Motorola's first attempt at the slider design trend. One the whole, it's a solid achievement on Moto's part, and the RIZR manages to be not only lovely but also user-friendly as well. We particularly like the blue color scheme and the solid slider mechanism. We could open and close the phone easily with one hand, but the spring-assisted movement was stiff enough for us to exert some effort. Also, there's a small thumb grip just below the display that makes opening and closing the phone a breeze.

The RIZR is slightly taller and wider (105.5 x 45.5 x 16mm) than the KRZR (103 x 42 x 16mm) but it also manages to be the tiniest bit thinner. And while the slider design adds more weight (115g as opposed to the KRZR's 103g) the extra heft gives the RIZR a more solid feel in the hand. Just be aware that like all slider phones, the RIZR won't cradle the curve of your head like the flip phone KRZR.

We're very pleased that Motorola chose a 262,000-color display for the KRZR. The improvement over the 65,000-color display on the KRZR is obvious, as text is readable and colors pop. Even Moto's dull Menu interface looks rich and vibrant. You can change the backlighting time and the brightness but no other options are customizable.

Motorola also did wonders with the navigation array. Since the five-way toggle doesn't have to cram it behind a front flap (like on the RAZR and KRZR), Moto was able to give it some texture by raising it slightly above the surface of the phone. As a result, it's much easier to use than on its sibling models and our finger didn't slide around nearly as much. And as expected, the toggle can be set as a shortcut to four user-defined functions. Unfortunately, the other navigation buttons--two soft keys, a Web browser shortcut, a Clear key, and the Talk and End/Power buttons--are rather small with no clear separation between them.

The keypad buttons are on par with the KRZR. Though they are flat with the surface of the phone due to the slider design, raised ridges between the individual keys give them more definition than on the original RAZR. We also like the large numbers and bright backlighting. Our only real complaint is that the top row of buttons is rather close to the bottom end of the slider. Our finger misfired on a couple of occasions.

A voice-dialing button, a camera shutter, and a mini-USB/charger port/headset jack sit on the right spine, while a volume rocker and the Motorola Smart key sit on the left spine. Unfortunately, the buttons are rather slick. The camera and flash sit on the top rear face, but sadly, there's no self-portrait mirror. The rear of the sliding face has an attractive swirled design that adds a nice touch.

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