Motorola's success with its Razr V3 handset last year has not only spurred the company to introduce new color versions of its super-slim clamshells, but also a new model with upgraded features. The V3i, which comes with almost the same dimensions as the V3, features a much-awaited megapixel camera and onboard memory expansion slot. It even comes with an iTunes player. However, it remains to be seen if the V3i will enjoy the same success as its predecessor, or drown in the sea of slim phone offerings such as the NEC N412i and the upcoming Samsung SGH-Z540. (Another model, the V3c, will be introduced in only selected CDMA markets.)

Design
Motorola deserves credit for packing more features into the V3i while retaining the slim form factor of the V3. Based on official specs given by the company, both Razrs share an almost identical form factor, with the V3i weighing slightly more than the V3.

Design-wise, the V3i follows the V3 right down to the smallest detail. The buttons, speakers and displays are all in the same position. There are only minor cosmetic differences between the two in the external display and keypad design. The gun-metal grey casing, which gives the phone a rather sleek and professional appearance, is also a distinct feature of the V3i. That said, we sometimes still find it hard to differentiate the V3i from the V3, even with the new blue backlit Motorola icon on the flip cover of the former.

While the V3i may not be as slim as the anorexic NEC N412i, its key feature lies in the onboard microSD card slot which will probably give it a huge advantage over the NEC when storing multimedia content. However, the battery cover and battery have to be removed in order to access the microSD slot. This becomes a minor inconvenience for those who change memory cards frequently.

The V3i comes with a crisp 176 x 220-pixel screen that offers a reasonably good viewing angle, both vertically and horizontally. When tested under bright sunlight conditions, the display remains visible. Like the V3, however, the screen smudges too easily. Not surprising, Motorola ships the phone with a cleaning pad. Alternatively, users can invest in a screen protector. The external display comes with a 96 x 80-pixel resolution.

As with the earlier V3, the new V3i features a metallic keypad with large, responsive buttons and rubberized linings to segregate the various keys. Additionally, users will find a dedicated button for activating the iTunes player.

The use of a mini-USB port on the V3i means you cannot use the standard 3.5mm audio jack for connecting to your earphones. On the flip side, it allows traditional USB cables to be used for PC synchronization, instead of proprietary cables. The external speaker, located at the back of the phone, is audibly loud even in noisy environments such as the subway.

The V3i's standard bundle also includes a stereo handsfree earpiece, PC synchronization cable, installation CD, leather hand strap, pouch and a travel charger.

Features
One of the biggest gripes of the V3 is its low camera resolution and Motorola seems to have resolved the issue with the inclusion of a 1.23-megapixel sensor on the V3i. However, with camera-phones moving towards 2- to 3-megapixel resolutions this year, this may not be enough for some who are hoping to replace their digital cameras with their phones. While the camera offers a good range of shooting controls and good panning response (on the display), it comes without an onboard flash light. The lens could also have been recessed slightly to prevent exposure to scratches, especially when carrying the phone in a pocket.

The iTunes music player is a good addition to the V3i as it allows users to download songs from the iTunes site. However, like the ROKR E1, it is limited to just 50 song downloads in Asia, which is a bummer for music lovers.

That said, the music playback quality produced by the Motorola clamshell is excellent. This is further enhanced by the onboard audio synthesizer. The handset also comes with a flight mode option which allows you to listen to music without having to turn on the phone's cellular features. This is a great function if you plan to use the music player onboard the plane.

In addition to the 13.5MB of onboard memory, the V3i supports the use of TransFlash or microSD flash media (up to 512MB) for storage expansion. A point to note is that while microSD is possibly the most futureproof flash memory media in the market today (together with the Sony Memory Stick Micro), large-capacity cards tend to be harder to find, and in most cases, come at a premium.

The quadband-enabled V3i sports Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and supports playback of recorded movie clips in 3gp, H.263 and MPEG-4 format.

Performance And Battery Life
We were surprised that Motorola has bundled a low-capacity 710mAh battery with the V3i (possibly to retain the slim form factor of the handset). Considering the multimedia features onboard, we'd have expected a battery with a higher rating. Naturally, the V3i didn't last very long on a full charge, chalking up an average of 1.5 days in usage time. For heavy phone users, this probably means charging daily, so the charger is a must-have if you travel.

As with most CMOS sensor camera-phones, the V3i produces reasonably sharp images but the quality suffers significantly in low-lighting conditions.

The V3i did not disappoint with good reception and call clarity. During tests, the handset's ringtones are audibly loud. The phone is rated within the safe Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limits of 0.78 W/kg