| Motorola RAZR i review Posted: 23 Sep 2012 08:42 AM PDT  The Intel-Motorola partnership has been a long time coming. The two officially hooked up at CES 2012, where they committed to a “multi-year, multi-device agreement” to bring Intel-powered Moto phones to market. Ten months and a few leaks later, the first such device, the Motorola RAZR i, reaches European store shelves. It may not have been the bleeding-edge, multi-core, 4G behemoth that some -- including us -- were hoping for, but the RAZR i is nevertheless an important device for both companies. For Moto, it’s a chance to tackle the less hotly-contested mid-range phone market, and differentiate itself through its unique Intel internals. And it’s Intel’s first major Android smartphone from a top-tier manufacturer -- an important milestone for the chip giant in its ongoing war against the ever-present ARM. But all this talk of important firsts and key partnerships means nothing if the device itself isn’t up to snuff. So just how does the Motorola RAZR i shape up in the crowded and fiercely competitive smartphone marketplace of late 2012? Read on to find out.  The RAZR i is a speedy, well-featured handset from Motorola, and it does a great job of showcasing the power of Intel on Android. Camera performance is impressive for a mid-range handset. |  Ho-hum industrial design, last-generation screen tech. Compatibility issues in a handful of applications. Launches with ICS as others are preparing to jump to Jelly Bean. | |   There’s nothing terribly wrong with the RAZR i, and on the whole, we like the direction Moto and Intel are moving in. They’ve delivered a fast performer with a couple of outstanding features, and they deserve credit for that. But does the RAZR i have what it takes to survive the firestorm of competing smartphones coming this October? We’re just not sure. | read more     |
| From the Editor's Desk: So long, Seoul Posted: 23 Sep 2012 06:31 AM PDT  What do you do if you're a company with some good products, but pretty much zero mind share? If you're LG, you pack up a handful of journalists and bring 'em to Seoul for a week-long media tour. That's where I was last week -- Seoul, South Korea, where LG hosted a number of us for the launch of the Optimus G, some closed-door meetings, a little bit of sightseeing, a lot of great food, and a new understanding of how this crazy smartphone business works in general, and for LG in particular. Meanwhile, the world went crazy for the iPhone 5. Bat-shit crazy. It's been a little while since we last chatted. Let's make this one count, shall we? read more     |