Having been the unfortunate owner of a Verizon-provided, basic LG phone and having used friends’ and family members’ Motorola phones, I started out as a fan boy before I even got my own phone. The Razr is a durable and minimalist, yet functional, alternative which does everything I need. The W385 is no different.

For features, the W385 comes with a camera, text and picture messages, ring and ring back tones, and more. The default rings were a little annoying, so I quickly replaced it with Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.”

The feature I find most useful, though, that is no longer standard on phones is the deferred delivery of text messages. My boyfriend owns three phones, none of which have the option, including the Blackberry. With my phone, though, I can think of something while laying in bed and text myself to remind me to do something the next day at the time I need to get it done.

The phone is very sturdy. This is important to me, because I tend to carry it in either my backpack or pocket, and at times forget about it and end up putting it through some abuse the manufacturer correctly anticipated. The screen has some scratches, but nothing too severe.

I wish the front display could be a little more detailed and just flash the incoming caller’s phone number or name, rather than reminding me at 3-second intervals that I am using Verizon. I do not think the advertising is necessary in this case. The battery has held up well over the last year and can go for about a week without charging if I do not talk too much. My only problem so far came when my cat chewed up my power cord - the phone would actually de-charge itself overnight until I replaced it.

Finally, the phone is quite stylish and minimalist. It comes with a basic, clean design to match its set of features. I highly recommend the Motorola W385 to anybody looking for a new phone who doesn’t need or want all the extra fluff they tend to be packed with these days.

Rating: 7