Introduction

As the phone that dares to be the latest edition of the RAZR phone series, the Motorola KRZR K1m had better be hip, trim, and on the cutting-edge of cell phone fashion. Fortunately, at least in terms of design, the KRZR rises to the challenge.

The phone is skinnier than its predecessors, and tiny enough to slip into the pockets of even the tightest of jeans. With a hard-glass frontplate and metallic trim, the KRZR brings a whole new standard of shiny to the mobile phone universe. The phone also offers both internal and external screens in full color, as befits today's swankiest devices.

Of course, form should be equally matched by function, and the KRZR manages to hit up all of the standard features of a high-end phone, though matches rather than surpasses its predecessor, the RAZR V3m, in terms of software. In addition to now-standard features like text messaging, Bluetooth compatibility, web browsing, and organizational applications, the KRZR offers both MP3 and video capabilities. In addition to making calls and facilitating user organization, the KRZR rises to that proud new tradition of cell phone duty: making sure that its users are never bored, ever.

While its features are rather standard for a higher-end phone, the KRZR's slim and shiny design pushes it forward as one of the more cutting-edge phones on the market. Current RAZR users who prefer cutting-edge software over a shiny new design might decide to wait for the next RAZR incarnation to upgrade their phones, but newbies should find the KRZR a good introduction to the ultra-slim world.

Design

The most striking aspect of the KRZR's design is, of course, its size, which measures in at 103 x 44 x17 mm and 107 g. The phone is slightly longer and thicker than the RAZR V3, but the phone has to have its substance somewhere - it's skinnier than the V3 by almost ten millimeters. Some users may be slightly disappointed that Motorola decided to trim off width instead of depth, but in the end, it's an issue of personal taste. The phone features a mix of gray and silver in various shades, for a nice professional look.

The frontplate features a glassy rectangle surrounded by glossy metallic trim, for a sleek, reflective look. While this design gives the phone a unique style, some users may bemoan the ease with which fingerprints adhere to the glassy surface. At the very top of the phone, its tiny form hidden in subtlety, floats the 1.3-megapixel camera lens. At a safe distance below the lens sits the squat 96 x 80 px external screen. The external screen itself resides above three not-quite-invisible touch-sensor music controls. The clamshell "break" in the frontplate occurs a centimeter or two above the bottom edge, delivering the iconic RAZR look. With its aesthetically-placed lens, screen, and buttons on a glossy, shiny plate, the stylish front of the KRZR demands attention.

The backplate has an almost rubbery texture, soft to the touch and pleasing to the eye. The back of the phone houses the battery and the speaker phone as well as the Motorola and Verizon logos. The phone's single USB-style port is found on the side of the phone, along with various side-buttons controlling the display and camera.

A quick flip-open of the phone reveals a somewhat standard keypad, differing from expectations only in a special camera-trigger button placed opposite to the Clear button. Users unused to the skinny width of the phone may have some trouble dialing at first, but the rubber-trimmed keypad makes the buttons soft to the touch and provides some useful friction. Above the keypad dwells the average-sized 176 x 220 px internal screen. For the most part, the internal panels of the phone should offer no surprises to previous cell phone users.

The KRZR K1m's selling point is its cutting-edge design, which offers a trim handset with a shiny frontplate and soft-to-the-touch backplate. Users might need to take some time to adjust to the phone's width and / or carry around a dust cloth to wipe off careless fingerprints, but all in all, the KRZR meets the expectations of a new, slim design.

Out of the box, the Motorola KRZR K1m comes with a standard 780 mAh Li-Ion Battery, Power Cable, Headphones Adapter, User Guide, and Quick Reference Guide.

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