Blindfolded, most people would have a tough time immediately distinguishing between the A900 and the RAZR. Sure, there are some obvious giveaways, such as buttons one handset has that the other doesn't, but in terms of size, dimension, and weight, the two phones are nearly identical.

That said, the A900 does have several distinctive features, the most immediately evident of which are its two screens. One outside, one inside, both are roughly the same size as the RAZR's (the inner display is just slightly smaller), but they're brighter, much higher in resolution, and capable of showing more colors.

Slick screens usually make a phone's multimedia functions a little more attractive, and that theory holds true for the A900. Its built-in 1.3 megapixel camera doesn't take pictures as pretty as those captured by phones with higher definition image sensors, but its lens swivels on the hinge that connects the display to the keypad, giving users the power to take self portraits using the big screen to preview the shot—a nice touch. It's also handy for shooting video, providing more options for angles and flexibility in framing.

The A900's big, bright screen makes it an ideal device not only for shooting video, but also for watching it—it's amazing what an extra centimeter or two can do to relieve small-screen eye strain.

Other nice photography/videography touches include Bluetooth printing via Pictbridge technology and a variety of post production video effects, including sepia, antique, and black & white.

Another handy feature for video users is the A900's support for Bell's EV-DO network, which allows high speed multimedia downloads—a 1MB file in about 20 seconds, depending on your location. Indeed, the A900 brings users one step closer to turning those syrupy commercials about traveling, downloading video, and making new friends into a reality.

The A900 scores high marks for its MP3 player as well. The handset sports external control keys for playing, pausing, and skipping songs, and the outer display provides track information. It only has 50MB of internal memory (and no memory card slot), which means hardcore music fans won't be retiring their iPods for an A900, but it's undeniably convenient to be able to call upon a dozen or so songs during an unexpected stint in a waiting room or on a subway train.

All that leaves is the A900's communication functionality, which, like the rest of the phone's features, shows signs of only minor flaws.

A memory capable of storing up to 500 numbers, a slick keypad—which, while not made of metal like that of the RAZR, has a very touch intuitive design, and speech-to-text messaging are some of the A900's more impressive com characteristics.

A phone's audio quality is always difficult to judge, since problems could be pinned to the service provider just as easily as the handset. Thankfully, we experienced no issues with reception or how our voices sounded on the other end of the line.

While talk time wasn't included in our tests, Samsung rates the A900 for three hours. That's a little on the low side. However, we can verify that, on a full charge, the A900 will stay in standby mode for an impressive week and a half.

When all is said and done, the few points the A900 loses for originality it wins back with its pair of high quality displays and strong multimedia functionality. If you like the RAZR but would prefer not to run the risk of accidentally confusing your phone with those of half your friends, the A900 makes a good alternative.