Motorola RAZRi hits UK stores today

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razr-i.jpgThe Motorola RAZRi, Motorola’s first Intel-powered smartphone, is now available to buy in the UK.

Phones4U are the first to post their options, offering the Android handset at £21.50 a month through O2.

If you’re among the first 500 to order from Phones4U, you’ll also get a free pair of MOTOROKR S305 Wireless Stereo Headphones thrown in for free.

T-Mobile and Orange have also announced pricing for the handset, putting at £31 a month on a two year contract, with no upfront fee. Virgin too will sell the phone at £23 a month on a two year contract, though expect an upfront fee, which has yet to be announced. Likewise, Tesco Mobile will sell the phone, but have yet to announce pricing.

Calling it their biggest launch in the UK since the original RAZR, Motorola’s RAZRi employs a 2GHz Medfield processor, differentiating itself from its ARM-based rivals. Though a single core chipset, Intel claim that hyperthreading technology actually makes it perform better and more efficiently than dual-core rivals.

Based on the Droid RAZR M design, it comes complete with a 4.3-inch, edge-to-edge AMOLED display, finished with Gorilla Glass to keep it safe from scuffs, and with a Kevlar back plate to protect its guts. Splash Guard also keeps it protected from light exposure to moisture.Android is the operating system of choice, but it’s Ice Cream Sandwich rather than the newer Jelly Bean at the moment. Here’s hoping for an update lands soon after launch.

An 8MP camera with burst capture modes also feature, booting up in under a second.

NFC and a 2000mAh battery rounds off the spec sheet, which Motorola claims (in tandem with the Intel chipset) give 40% better battery life than their previous smartphones.

A white version of the phone is also expected to land shortly, so hold out if you’re after a smartphone a whiter shade of pale.

Gerald Lynch
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