Verison's LG-TM510 Has The Stuff!
Written: May 31 '01
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Pros: Tri-Mode, front LCD display.
Cons: Certain options may seem limited to some.
The Bottom Line: A geat wireless with lots of features which incorporates some logical enhancements to the popular clam-shell design.
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| dmezzer's Full Review: LG-TM510 Cell Phone |
The LGIC LG-TM510 put out recently by the largest wireless service provider in the US, Verison, has the stuff to be a contender in the mobile phone marketplace.
This phone has been designed true to the emerging trend of back to basics for cell phones. While not so much a stripped down phone, but a phone stripped of unnecessary novelties in favor of practical features which contribute to improved functionality and usability.
Advanced Features
The first thing that stands out about this phone is reflected in it’s name, “TM” = Tri-Mode. A dual mode wireless phone has the ability to switch between CDMA Digital and Analog Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) depending on network availability. While a tri-mode cellular has Analog, and the ability to operate on two Digital CDMA frequencies, 800 Mhz and 1.9 Ghz, thus tri-mode. This allows the phone to take advantage of a greater range of cellular service availability and share in the current and future benefits of each.
Size is another big factor in cell phone convenience and the LG-TM510 is built on the popular clam shell (or flip phone) idea and has dimensions of 3.7” x 1.9” with a depth of 1.2” and a weight of 4.23 ounces. So while it’s not the smallest phone available in the market today, it’s size still allows for a high level of portability and convenience. For those who have used a flip phone the LG-TM510 has taken the idea one logical step further by featuring 2 LCD displays. One which is on the main body of the phone underneath the closed flip keypad, and one which is placed conveniently on the outside of the flip shell allowing you to view CallerID and status information without having to flip open the unit. Having been a StarTAC user for a couple of years, this feature was on my wish list long before I saw it in a production wireless mobile phone.
Standard Features
Among the more standard cell phone features incorporated into the LG-TM150 are a 199 entry phone book with text and numeric capacity for 5 numbers in each entry. Calendaring, scheduling, calculator, alarm and audio schedule notification as well as PC synchronization capabilities make this phone suitable for Personal Information Management (PIM) purposes. For PC Synchronization the Data Kit accessory is required which retails for about $70.
Ring options are pretty basic with ring, vibrate, ring and vibrate or lamp settings (4 vibrate levels). Choice of ring tones is fairly limited and I don’t believe additional rings can be downloaded at this time. This might prove to be a drawback to some as finding a ring which is loud enough may prove elusive. I always had this problem with the StarTAC and found that using the vibrate generally solved the problem, although it of course eats up more battery power.
Speaking of battery power, the standard lithium ion battery which is included is rated for 3 hours usage time in digital mode and 200 hours standby which is comparable to competing models. There is an extended battery pack available which I’ve seen for around $80.
Keypad entry is facilitated by supporting the standard Tegic T9 Text Input System. Multi-language support is also built in and a 4-way navigation key highlights the keypad allowing for relatively easy menu navigation.
Support for Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a feature. Web browsing capability, and support for 2-way SMS which allows email message forwarding of messages up to 160 characters in length to and from your cell phone.
Some other features of note are of course Caller ID, and Sound Caller ID in which a sound file can be associated with a known caller for a limited number of entries. Voice activated dialing which is a big plus while driving or being otherwise occupied to where dialing by hand is difficult. Voice recording is also possible.
Accessories
Including the accessories discussed above, the listing of accessories that I’m aware which are currently available for this phone are:
Car Lighter Charger
Travel Charger
Desktop Charger
Leather Case
Additional Standard Battery
Extended Battery
PC Data Kit
Conclusion
At a price of $150 and with the features described above this is a cell phone which should provide one with all of the necessities of wireless communication for the present and for a while into the future. As mentioned above the trend for the better selling mobile units as of late has been to trim some of the novelty frills such as embarrassing musical ring tones and swappable casings in every color of the rainbow in favor of some very practical and useful additions such as the second LCD screen and voice dialing. Highly recommended.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 150
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