For better or worse, the relentless barrage of RAZR 2 variants might only be getting started. Motorola's South Korean outpost has teamed up with SK Telecom to release the RAZR 2 Pink Silver, featuring an "espresso" hued keypad teamed with a light pink case for folks who want to whisper their fashion sense, not scream it -- or, in Motorola's words, for a "confident young generation." Look for it now in SKT retailers if you happen to be in the area.

[Via Unwired View]

A Vertu it's not, but that's not stopping Motorola from borrowing Maranello's most prized symbol of speed and excess yet again. Last time around, Moto was trying its hand at reworking the Z8 into a phone befitting some of the world's most exotic cars -- an effort that we believe failed spectacularly, for the record -- and this time around it looks like the RAZR 2 V9 will be the unwitting target. Technologically, the phone's a dead ringer for its less-flashy cousin, but in terms of appearance... well, that's a whole different story, thanks to a checkered pattern on the phone's metal surface, red trim, and if we had to guess, a full range of Ferrari-themed pictures and sounds. Oh, and they've also managed to throw in a lambskin case embossed with the hallowed badge. No word on pricing, but it seems that it'll only be available in Asia and Latin America -- for a very small fraction of the price of the real thing, may we add.

In case you hadn't noticed, Virgin Mobile rocks an ever-so-slightly higher end lineup north of the border than it does in the US, and to that end, it's just released the RAZR 2 V9m. We all know the drill here by now: 2 inch external QVGA display with music controls, 2.2 inch internal QVGA display, stereo Bluetooth, EV-DO, microSD expansion, and a 2 megapixel camera, all of which are ready to sit just above the KRZR in Virgin's stable. Grab it now for $149 CAD (about $147) on a three-year deal.

[Via Mobile In Canada]

Hello, Fido! Welcome to, oh, about two months ago. We know that you live in Rogers' ginormous shadow, but let's try to be more on the ball, k? From the looks of your RAZR 2 product page, you're still a little sleepy, too: "Cristal [sic] Talk" isn't how Moto spells it -- and as curious as we are about "pear to peer gaming," we're pretty sure you meant "peer to peer." Anyhoo, unlike Rogers' V9, it looks like Fido is getting the same pinkish color scheme that AT&T is rocking -- for better or for worse -- and features the usual V9 goodness: HSDPA, A2DP, a 2 megapixel cam, microSD expansion, and so on. Speaking of microSD, Fido throws a 2GB card into the deal, but being a couple months behind the bleeding edge doesn't come cheap -- it'll run $150 on a three-year contract after $125 rebate.

[Via Mobile In Canada]

Seriously, are there any North American carriers left at this point that don't carry the RAZR 2? Yeah, we know there are a few that still don't, but wow, we've gotta admit we're impressed with Motorola's ability to seal the deal here. Telus' version of the V9m appears identical to Alltel's, featuring a dark blue shell, GPS, EV-DO, microSD expansion, and a 2 megapixel cam. Telus naturally bundles its full suite of ARPU-enhancing goodies like Telus Mobile Radio and Mobile TV -- so if you think the $249.99 CAD (about $265) you're paying upfront on a three-year contract is the only way Telus is going to make some coin off of ya, you're dead wrong.

[Via Mobile In Canada]

Though the CTIA's fall show tends to be light on fresh hardware, we were delighted to see that Moto came prepared with some examples of two of its larger announcements in recent memory: the posh RAZR 2 Luxury Edition and the U9 skipping stone clamshell. Both models were surprisingly visually stunning. The RAZR 2 Luxury Edition looked a little over the top from its press photos -- don't get us wrong, it still is over the top, but in a surprisingly attractive way. The gold accents actually look like gold (18 and 24 karat gold, to be specific), the exclusive patterned backside is actually functional by giving the handset a non-slip surface, and the reskined UI builds on the V8's already solid JUIX backbone. Meanwhile, the U9 (pictured) makes its first public appearance in a pair of colors, blending the original PEBL's design DNA with a few concepts borrowed from recent Sony Ericsson models. We think Moto picked the right ideas to crib, too -- the translucent covers and partially concealed external displays look pretty tight in this form factor. Click on for the visuals!

Right on time, T-Mobile has announced retail availability today of the Motorola RAZR 2 V8. Unlike its V9 brethren on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon, T-Mobile's version rocks out with 2GB of integrated storage -- perfect for making use of the media player via that glorious two-inch external display. Other goodies include a 2 megapixel cam, myFaves support (naturally), and a subdued color scheme that should see a few more fans than AT&T's wild "mahogany" version. Conspicuously missing is any support for 3G, but hey, it's T-Mobile, whatdya expect? Grab it today for $250 on contract after rebates.

As you well know, Motorola's RAZR 2 V8 isn't slated to land on T-Mobile until October 15th, but how's about a few looks to keep you antsy over the weekend? Thanks to a tipster who managed to get his hands around one of the T-Mobile-branded handsets, we're now getting our first looks at the device. So without further ado, why not check out the gallery below to see what the fuss is all about?

[Thanks, Chris]

We still think it's a little early in the RAZR 2's life to be changing up colors and trimmings and turning it into a special edition, but what do we know? As expected, Motorola's announced the "Luxury Edition" of the EDGE-only RAZR 2 V8, trimming the phone with 18 and 24 karat gold accents, a black "vacuum metal" finish, etched sides and nav wheel, and a soft-touch posterior endowed with a snakeskin pattern. A bundled H680 Bluetooth headset (trimmed with 18 karat gold, naturally) and a leather carrying case round out the package, fit for the aspiring Vertu owner who hasn't quite yet reached a Vertu salary. Look for it to start showing up in "select regions" -- the US included, we suspect -- before the year's out.

Field tidbits from Engadget's mobile insider, The Boy Genius.

Can you feel the excitement? Following up on previous intel, we've now been able to confirm that T-Mobile will be launching its version of Moto's RAZR 2 -- the EDGE-only V8 -- on October 15. That's good news for customers of the network; yeah, it sucks that 3G goes to the wayside (not like you're getting it on T-Mobile anyway), but in exchange you get the Linux-based JUIX platform underhood in place of the V9's old-skool Synergy. The carrier's documentation indicates that it's positioning the V8 to sell to "young and aspirational, social" peeps between 18 and 30 who are "willing to pay a premium to get the latest and greatest." Just how much of a premium, you ask? Look for it to drop in most markets for $250 on a two-year contract after rebates, $400 contract-free.

They sure do look beautiful flying in formation during their annual migration, but when one of Illinois's rare Aves Razeruses crashes and burns on a busy Moscow street corner, well, it's never a pretty sight. Check out another pic of the carnage after the break...

[Via Tech Ticker Blog, thanks chirag]

If you had to pick a runner-up for the title of Most Anticipated Phone of 2007, the RAZR 2 series might be it. Not because there's anything particularly revolutionary about it -- there's not -- but simply because it's the follow-on to the RAZR, the phone that singlehandedly challenged manufacturers to make handsets impossibly thin, vaulted mobiles from mere tools to status symbols, and brought Motorola out of a death spiral. Ironically, Moto finds itself right back in the same pickle today, having spent far too long riding the original RAZR's success into the ground. It needs a hit, and it needs one now. If the RAZR 2 doesn't deliver that hit, though, it won't be for lack of carrier interest -- all four US carriers have launched or will launch (T-Mobile, we're looking at you) one version or another of the device, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here, we take a quick look at Sprint's version, the V9m. Is it the savior Motorola so desperately needs?

It has been beaten out by the three other national carriers and Alltel at this point (how humiliating!), but that's not stopping T-Mobile from getting around to launching its very own rendition of the Motorola RAZR 2 next month. According to Boy Genius Report, we can look specifically toward October 15 to get our V8 on through T-Mobile stores. Yep, that's right, we said "V8" -- meaning we can count on MOTOMAGX in place of Synergy for the operating system (a boon for Linux fans) and an utter lack of 3G, logical considering that T-Mobile has yet to roll out its next-gen network. No word on pricing, but we'd expect it to be in line with its neighbors.

Holy crap, it didn't take long at all for Motorola to start the process of diluting its RAZR 2 brand (sound like a familiar tactic?) with a confusing array of variants and special editions. What happened to "we will not ride one horse to the bitter end again," guys? Ah, well... anyway, the RAZR 2 du jour for the holiday season will be the "Luxury Edition," featuring gold-plated accents on a black background (could look nice or terribly gaudy, we won't know until we see it), an "engraved diamond pattern" on the d-pad, a soft touch rear, and a bunch of bundled accessories. No word on whether this one will be an EDGE-only V8 or a 3G V9, but if we had to guess, we'd say it'll probably be a V8 to give AT&T a little more exclusive breathing room. Also in the pipe is the H12 Bluetooth headset that appears to be positioned as a higher-end unit. We'll pass along visuals as we get 'em, but in the meantime, follow the break for more details straight from the horse's mouth.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Alltel has followed up three of its four national competitors today in releasing a variant of Motorola's RAZR 2, the V9m. As you might expect, Alltel's version has some carrier-specific customization -- Celltop, XM Radio, and TeleNav GPS are all on board, features well suited for the V9m's EV-DO radio -- and it seems to be sporting the most conservative color scheme we've seen to date for a RAZR 2 launched in the States (could be good or bad depending on your taste and your line of work, we suppose). Otherwise, the V9m comes with stereo Bluetooth support, microSD expansion, and that huge external display that we've fallen in love with. Grab it today for $299.99 on contract after rebate.