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Motorola Takes Its Razrs To The Maxx

Eric Zeman

Motorola trotted out a trio of Android-based Razr smartphones for Verizon Wireless. Check out the Razr HD, Maxx HD, and Razr M's display and battery prowess.

Apple iPhone 5 Vs. Samsung Galaxy S III: What We Know
Apple iPhone 5 Vs. Samsung Galaxy S III: What We Know
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Motorola and Verizon Wireless's big show in New York City Wednesday revealed the Razr HD, Razr Maxx, and Razr M. These three new Android devices share a number of features, but each has its own personality.

Shared features of the phones include LTE 4G, Google's Android platform, dual-core 1.5-GHz processors from Qualcomm, NFC, Kevlar lining, and generous amounts of storage. What sets them apart? Plenty.

Razr HD -- The Razr HD is a fresh take on the Razr introduced in 2011. The biggest change is the display. It has grown from 4.3 inches to 4.7 inches, and the resolution has improved from 540 x 960 to 720 x 1280 pixels. Though Motorola increased the screen size, it didn't increase the footprint of the device, which is about the exact same size as last year's model, save for the thickness. Where the 2011 Razr was 7.1mm thick, this year's model is 8.4mm thick, but makes up for it with an improved battery.

Maxx HD -- The Maxx HD's only real distinction between it and the Razr HD is that it has a larger battery. It has the same display, the same radios, the same camera, and other features. It is a smidge thicker (9.3mm versus 8.4mm) and has a somewhat larger battery stuffed inside. It's also a bit heavier than the Razr HD. Some might say the trade-off in improved battery weight is worth the thickness and weight gain.

Verizon Wireless hasn't released pricing and availability information for these two phones yet, other than to say they'll be available before the holidays.

Razr M -- The Razr M offers big features in a small package. It dials the screen size down to 4.3 inches and qHD resolution, but thanks to Motorola's new display tech, the overall footprint is really, really small. It includes many of the features of the Razr HD and Maxx HD, but in a form factor that is friendlier to those with smaller hands.

The Razr M goes on sale the week of September 10 and will cost only $99 after rebate with a new agreement.

At the announcement, Google chairman Eric Schmidt revealed that Google is now activating 1.3 million new Android handsets every day, and that there are 480 million Android devices out there in the world. Tablets account for only 70,000 of those daily activations, however. The Android platform is responsible for 52% of smartphone sales in the U.S. Schmidt believes that its software vision and Motorola's hardware chops combined will be a good marriage for the Android ecosystem. Based on today's new products, the marriage is off to a decent start.

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