Preview: Moto RAZR2 Series
The keypads of the V8 and V9m are the same shape but with a slightly different layout. Each has 4 straight rows of keys but no vertical dividers between the numbers in each row. Because the phone is so wide, the horizontal lines dividing the rows make them look much narrower than they actually are. Each row is tall enough that you can hit a key without hitting the number above or below it.
The problem comes when hitting numbers within a row. The numbers, and the invisible buttons beneath them, are at the far edges of the phone and down the center, while the text label fall to the left or right of the number. Instead of vertical dividers, the RAZR2 just has a massive amount of empty space between the keys. If you don't press on the number itself, you have no idea whether you're pressing the intended digit or the next number over. This doesn't affect accuracy between the first a second digit of each row since there is so much space between the two, but because the letters bring the second and third digits so close together, there is more of a problem there.
The V9 solves this problem by ever so gently curving each row of keys, so the middle key is slightly lower than the other two.
Motorola consistently has some of the best signal strength and sound quality in phones we test and the RAZR2 is no exception. The sound is loud and clear - better than the Z6 we recently previewed but not quite as loud as the Q9h.
![](/img/a/p/10683_800.jpg)