Motorola Z3 RIZR review

Dial-a-Phone rating

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Dial-a-Phone review of Motorola Z3 RIZR

Motorola's decision to evolve the unique style of the RAZR series of phones has proved to be an effective strategy, one which continues here with the manufacturers first European market slider phone, the Z3 RIZR (pronounced 'Riser' of course). By taking the best parts of the original RAZR and adding some much-needed new technology to the package, you would expect the Z3 to command a high price, but thanks to some fantastic deals available this is not the case and has turned this great phone into something of a mobile bargain.

The concept of a slider phone is a simple one, cover the keypad with a sliding display opened with a flick of the thumb. Motorola have even made sure customers know what to expect by designing the box the Z3 arrives in as a slider too! The Z3 RIZR is available finished in a choice of red, blue or black and easily fits in the palm of your hand thanks to its slender frame and 16mm thickness. Although it could never be described as heavy, the 115gram weight is a little higher than some of its rivals and is slightly disappointing.

Pop the slider and the keypad, complete with cool blue backlight, is revealed as the screen comes to life. Anyone who has used a Motorola previously will be in very familiar territory since despite an operating system overhaul; it remains visually and operatively almost identical to its predecessors. If you're a 'Moto' newcomer, a few minutes getting to grips with the 3x3 menu icons (all beautifully formed and animated) should be all you need before zipping around like a seasoned professional. Navigation is via a circular control on the upper part of the slider, which is surrounded by the usual call start and end buttons, plus a couple more for cancel and web functions.

One of the biggest issues with the V3 was its lack of any decent features, it was about looks and looks alone. Motorola have recognised this and specced the Z3 to a more acceptable standard, however, don't be expecting anything ground-breaking. First we have a 2MP camera with the lens mounted on the rear panel and not covered by the slider, making it feel more camera like, and an improved music player, this time fed by a MicroSD card slot. With those issues fixed (camera and memory were the V3's biggest downfalls) the Z3 has become a much more versatile phone.

The Z3 RIZR may not be the most technologically advance phone on the market, but we often forget how much battery power all those flash systems use up, a point reflect by the Z3's quoted standby time of 350 hours and a talktime of more the six hours! Although its menu system is hardly refined and the software does have occasional issues, the Z3 still represents excellent value for money, has superb call quality and the soft-touch casing makes it a pleasure to hold; completing another top class model from Motorola.