Razr Sharpens Motorola's Stodgy Image

Razr Sharpens Motorolas Stodgy Image
Sleek and stylish are in these days at old-world Motorola as a new focus on design wins back customers and cell-phone market share.

The symbol of the resurgence is the ultra-thin Razr, whose success has helped stamp the Schaumburg-based company as a trendsetter after years of lagging market leader Nokia.

Yankee Group analyst John Jackson says the $450 Razr embodies a departure from Motorola's stodgy, engineering-driven culture of the past.

He says the company is evolving into a more hip consumer electronics maker.

Motorola design chief Jim Wicks says the cell phone has gone from a communications tool to an object of self-expression for many people.

The company is trying to be bolder and design what consumers want.

Motorola says it has sold a million Razrs since their release last fall.