Little Phone with Lots of Power
Written: Jun 29 '02 (Updated Jul 01 '02)
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Pros: Small, Great battery life, Clear reception, Easy 1-touch dialing, Outside Caller ID display
Cons: Phone book not alphabetical, Manual not helpful, Menus sometimes cumbersome
The Bottom Line: Highly recommended, compact, high sound quality. All-around great phone!!
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| sllesq's Full Review: LG-TM510 Cell Phone |
I had been using a Motorola StarTac phone for 2 years when I purchased the LG-TM510. The first thing I noticed was how small it is. I thought my StarTac was small, well the LG easily fits in the change pockets of my favorites overalls, while the StarTac just fit. The LG even fits in the regular pockets of my jeans and shorts! The compact size is also important for me because I have very small hands, so the ability to hold the phone and hit the menu or number buttons with the same hand is a BIG plus for me. My StarTac was just a little too wide for me to do that.
The first thing that drew me to the LG was the Verizon salesperson's recommendation--she had been using one for quite a while and couldn't have been more enthusiastic about how wonderful it was. Though I was somewhat skeptical--she WAS trying to make a sale, after all--I figured with the choice of any phone in the store it had to count for something that she was using this one. One of the first things she pointed out to me was the external Caller ID display. I have found this to be a wonderful feature, it enables me to use the "Open to Answer" feature and still have the benefit of knowing who is calling. I figure, what's the point of having Caller ID if you can't use it effectively?!
I have found the reception on the LG-TM510 to be crystal clear, even when the signal strength is low. I don't think any wireless phone is every as clear as a land line (nor is any cordless phone for that matter), however this is the 4th different wireless model I've owned in my life and it is by far the clearest. I also like the fact that the volume buttons are on the side of the phone--this allows me to increase or decrease the volume while I am talking without having to interrupt my call.
The battery on the LG-TM510 holds a charge very well. I usually charge it every night (the directions specifically say you don't have to wait until the battery is drained before you charge it) but even if I don't, I've gone 2 or 3 days before it's down to half, even when I have used the phone quite a bit. The charger is very fast, and I like the fact that there is a light on the base that goes from red to green when the battery is fully charged. I don't have to take the phone out of the cradle to see if the battery is charged. It can be a little awkward to get the phone to sit right in the charger, but this is a minor issue.
The phone book on the LG-TM510 is not alphabetical (unless you enter it that way), but if you can remember what memory location the number you want to call is in, you can just hold down that number and it will dial the number for you. I've found the search capabilities to be excellent, so this isn't a huge deal for me. The menus can sometimes be cumbersome but after a few uses I learned the shortcuts to the ones I use most frequently (i.e. Ring/Vibrate and Ringer Volume). The one thing I did not like about this phone is the leather case--first of all if you have the phone in the case it does not fit in the charging cradle, and the case has a piece of fabric that covers the inside display window. It comes with a plastic belt clip holster, and I have found this to be very easy to use, plus I was given a hand strap (which should be included but isn't), which makes the phone easier to handle when I don't have pockets or a belt.
Additional features that I liked were the many, many ring tones available, the Web and text messaging capability, and the little extras like a calculator and country code list. The phone also has voice dialing capabilities but I haven't used these at all so I can't say how they work.
I was able to get the phone at a reduced price by signing up for a 2-year service agreement (which was no big deal because I had been with Bell Atlantic Mobile/Verizon Wireless for 6 years already and have been very happy with their service), but in comparison to other phones I didn't find the LG to be outrageously priced. The manual is very poor, but if you've used any cell/wireless phone before you can probably figure out the important stuff on your own.
One last thing I wanted to note, I have the black phone, it is also available in silver, but the salespeople all told me that they have had problems with the paint chipping on the silver ones.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 149.99
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Epinions.com ID:
sllesq
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Reviews written: 64
Trusted by: 26 members
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