Motorola MOTORAZR maxx V6

Motorola's famous RAZR has returned in yet another iteration. Telstra's new Next-G network is the latest beneficiary of the thin, clamshell design for the MOTORAZR maxx V6. Sporting a 2 megapixel camera, microSD memory card support, touch sensitive front multimedia keys and Bluetooth, the maxx V6 is packed with features.

The maxx V6 is an upgrade to Motorola's previous 3G phone, the RAZR V3x. We were pleased with call quality, which was clear and loud during testing. The speakerphone also performed well - we even managed to use it effectively travelling in a car with the windows open.

The maxx V6 includes standard SMS, MMS and email messaging with POP3, IMAP, and SMTP protocols supported. Once again, Motorola has used the iTap predictive text method for text entry, rather than more common T9 method. The V6 can synchronise your messages and address book with Microsoft Outlook using the included USB cable.

The maxx V6 is one of a new generation of Next-G phones, so it is capable of high data speeds. When in a HSDPA coverage area, the V6 maxx displays a 3G+ icon on its screen. As users move out of coverage it reverts to standard 3G, then GSM where there is no 3G coverage available. For connectivity, the maxx V6 offers Bluetooth 2.0 and USB 2.0. A USB data cable is included in the package, which means users can synchronise data between the phone and their PC straight out of the box.

The maxx V6 includes dual cameras; a 2 megapixel camera on the front of the phone supports still image capture at 1600x1200 pixel resolution and also has 8x digital zoom and flash, while a standard VGA camera is on the inside, used for video calling and portrait photos. The photos are quite standard for a camera phone, with notable image noise and poor colour reproduction, but it is more than enough for a few happy snaps - just don't expect to take excellent photos.

Users can store their photos on either the maxx V6's 50MB of internal memory or a microSD card slot, located beneath the battery cover. Unfortunately, Motorola don't include a microSD card in the sales package, so this needs to be factored into a purchase.

Entertainment shouldn't be a problem, as the maxx V6 includes an audio and video player with support for multiple file formats including AAC, WMA, eAAC+, AAC+, WAV, MP3 and XMF. For video, the maxx V6 supports RealVideo, H.263, MPEG4 and WMV files. Sound quality was fairly noteworthy for a phone - while it won't blow you away it is more than acceptable and the included headphones are of a reasonable quality.

Design

The maxx V6 improves on the similar RAZR V3x by measuring 5mm thinner, with dimensions of 104mm x 53mm x 15mm. Although still not as thin as the original RAZR V3, the size of the maxx v6 is still quite notable for a Next-G phone.

Perhaps the best design feature is the glass surface on the front, borrowed from the MOTOKRZR K1. It features a distinctive metallic gloss finish and the same reflective qualities of a mirror, which unfortunately tends to attract plenty of fingerprints. The front of maxx V6 includes a small 120x160 pixel LCD display, touch sensitive multimedia keys and flashes blue when a call or message is received. The Multimedia keys are activated only when the multimedia player is activated, the keys light up from beneath the glass and users simply tap their finger on the surface to activate each key.

The internal screen is a 240x320 pixel TFT LCD with 262,144 colours. Unfortunately, due to the glossy nature of the display, sunlight glare is a significant issue, although the screen does have a good viewing angle. The maxx V6 keypad is similar to the RAZR V3x, with slightly wider buttons. A 5-way navigational pad surrounded by two selection buttons, browser, video call, answer/end call and clear keys round out the controls. The buttons ensure quick text messaging isn't a problem, although we would liked to have seen them raised a little for extra tactility.

The menu system is much the same as previous Motorola phones, with simple icons in the main menu and a list format for most submenus. The maxx V6 is quite easy to use but the graphics of the menu aren't as crisp or clear as some competitor's interfaces. Furthermore, some will be disappointed by the speed of the interface in certain menus; scrolling through long lists is a little sluggish and can become frustrating.

According to the Motorola figures, the battery life is rather disappointing. 180 minutes of talk time and up to 16 days of standby time using the 3G network, increasing to 300 minutes talk time on 2.5G. While this increase is slightly more reasonable, it is still not what we would have hoped for from an advanced 3G handset.