No Longer A Phone, But Now A PDA With The Ability To Make Phone Calls
Written: Feb 16 '03 (Updated Jan 18 '04)
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Pros: Good, vibrant, colorful screen. Good options.
Cons: Costs money to download extras. Bad default games.
The Bottom Line: Very nice phone, good sound quality, nice features, a definite must if you want something other than a Samsung.
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| rmskater's Full Review: LG LX5350 |
This phone has a very bright, nice colorful screen. However, the screen's resolution is not as fine as the Samsung Vision models. For example, if you get a picture, you can tell it is a picture, but it also can look like a computer graphic. It looks like one of the more advanced graphics, though, like the ones seen on the next gen video game consoles.
Downloading ringers and screensavers WILL cost you money. I had a plan with unlimited Vision. However, this unlimited Vision only let me browse the web. I didn't know this. (Read my review on SprintPCS service) After downloading alot of ringers from free sites, like "PCSpix.com" (upload midi files, then download them to your phone as ringers), "matrixM.com" download ringers and screensavers, and a few others, I found that my Sprint invoice had jumped to about $210, from a normal $60 bill. (By the way, if you do happen to go to "matrixM.com", please put "RMskater" as your referral. Thank you)
When I called Sprint, they said it was in the fine print, but have yet to find it.
Other than that, the phone is nice. Some irritating features, though. I had a Samsung A460 before, and the directional pad had functioned as 4 shortcut keys.
On the LG-LX5350, though, two buttons are hard keys for the web. In other words, the up key will always only access the instant messaging, and the right key will always only launch the browser. This can be annoying if you don't have a plan with Vision. You have no way of changing these two shortcuts. It's like Sprint's trying to convince you to get Vision.
The down key always accesses your downloads: ringers, screensavers, games, etc.
The left key is the only key that you can assign a shortcut to.
This phone also has two softkeys at the top for other functions. I have grown to like softkeys. They can be used for almost anything that the phone manufacturer wants.
An annoying function that I have had to get used to is that the "one" key is the voicemail key. I wish that it had been left as the "Okay" key being the voicemail check.
This phone has one and two button phone dial. A nice feature is that you don't HAVE to assign a number to speed dial, and each entry can have more than one number and each number can have its own speed dial.
I've noticed that this phone has frozen; when I'm playing a game or accessing my phone book, this phone has frozen. I've had to take the battery out (a cold boot). Not fun, but then again, this is more like a computer, not a phone, so it can freeze.
This phone is getting closer to a PDA, or a Pocket PC, and less like a phone. It has so many features that resemble a PDA. As a result, you're gonna notice that you'll get "slow down" on your phone as you download more content on your phone.
It has voice dial and can record up to 3 minutes of memo. In addition to a voice memo, you can record up to three minutes of a phone conversation, although you'll only hear the other person, you won't hear yourself. This will also take the three minutes out of your recording time.
This phone's external speaker, used for the ringer also utilizes the phone's monitor function. What this does is that it mutes the mic and lets you monitor the conversation.
This is kind of useful, for example, you can monitor the line if you are put on hold. However, you can't talk. I don't really like this too much. I think that it would be better as a full speakerphone instead of just a monitor.
Actually, there is one time when you can use this feature as a speakerphone. When you dial *2 from your cell phone, if you put the phone on "Monitor On", the mute will not activate. Therefore, you can talk to your Sprint Representative with a speakerphone. Unfortunately, this is the only time that you can use the monitor function as a speakerphone. All other times, it will mute the microphone.
This phone also has a world time clock, an easy tip calculator for restaurants, and a calculator.
In addtion, it also has an airplane mode, for when you want to play games on an airplane. Can also double as a modem, but I don't know about that.
This phone also has a photo album. It isn't mentioned in the manual, but you can put pictures onto the phone, however, you need to buy the cable and software; you can't connect it to the SprintPCS camera.
A quick update, there is one thing that I need to make everybody aware of. Just recently, I have experienced that my phone has been turning itself off without my telling it to. I have found this to be very annoying, due to the fact that I have so much content on my phone that it takes a while for my phone to turn on again.
My phone sits in its charger overnight, charging. I always leave it on, so that Camilla (my fiance), can call me if she needs to. In the morning, when I pick up the phone, it is on. However, when I push the talk button to call her, the phone will turn itself off. I have discussed this with Sprint, and they say that the phone is in sleep mode. However, it is doing this when there is no need to, like when I push a button. This has gotten quite frustrating, but this aside, everything else works wonderfully.
The other thing to note is that the charger sometimes doesn't make a good connection. I have placed the phone in the charger (cradle type of charger), and the red LED comes on, telling me that it is charging. However, it usually starts flashing after a while. The people at Sprint told me that this is because the phone is not making a good connection with the charger. I think that this is stupid. The contacts always connect, but when I jiggle the phone, the red LED usually stops flashing and re-maintains a steady glow.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 208.95
Recommended for: Stylish Trendsetters - Hip and Trendy
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Epinions.com ID:
rmskater
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Location: Plano, Texas, USA
Reviews written: 62
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
I like skateboarding and I love my cats and my best friend, Kelly.
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