The Incredible Shrinking Phone!
Written: May 07 '01 (Updated Jun 06 '01)
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Pros: Lightweight and tiny; large display for its size; web access, calendar, calculator
Cons: Digital-only single-band phone (no analog roaming); may be useless in an emergency
The Bottom Line: It's one of the lightest, smallest phones anywhere, and crammed with useful goodies.
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| scooterbos's Full Review: LG Goldstar SP510/TP1100 Cell Phone |
I've owned the LG Electronics SP510, otherwise known as the Sprint Touchpoint 1100 in the US, for about three months now, and I've generally been very pleased with it. It's one of the smallest and lightest phones on the market (3.4 inches (86mm) long, 1.9" (48mm) wide, 1" (25mm) thick, and only 4.2 ounces (119gr)!), but it still packs a ton of features:
Five line LCD display screen
Second LCD on outside cover shows caller ID without having to answer the phone
Calendar/alarm personal information manager
100 name contact list stores six numbers for each name (home, office, mobile, pager, data, fax)
Web Access
User-selectable rings and vibrate mode
Backlit keypad for night dialing
Calculator
Games (Blackjack, Tile Puzzle)
Data capable, functions as a wireless modem with optional access kit
The sound quality and reception are quite good; in fact, it's better than my previous Sprint phone, the Samsung SCH-3500. In addition, the phone itself is well constructed, with a nice fit and finish. The clamshell hinge seems fairly sturdy, if not industrial strength. I've even dropped it a couple of times on concrete and hardwood, without any noticeable damage or scratches - although I wouldn't recommend doing this on purpose just to test its durability!
All of the various settings and controls are logically placed and easy to figure out without referring to the manual. I especially like the big rocker switch on the left side for adjusting call volume - it's right where you want it during a call. Above the dial keypad is a large four-way "mouse" button, which makes skipping through the various menu items a breeze.
The big screen ("big," of course, being relative on a surface less than five square inches) means that it can fit more information than many other comparable models; this definitely makes a difference in web browsing mode. In addition, the second LCD on the outside cover displays the date, time, signal strength, battery level and even caller ID without having to open the phone.
Don't expect web access to be like your desktop computer, but for reading short e-mails and getting quick bits of data, like the weather or stock quotes, it's a handy feature. In theory, you can send e-mail as well, but it's a total pain trying to type with a 10-key number pad.
The Touchpoint 1100 does not come with a belt clip, but Sprint does sell a leather case as an option. Of course, it's so small that it fits in any of my pockets without a problem. The only included "accessory" is the charging stand. The battery holds up pretty well, although it's not intended for heavy use (about 1.5 hours talk time/96 hours standby; as usual, the manufacturer's estimated times are a bit exaggerated). There are tradeoffs with a phone this tiny.
If you need a small and incredibly portable phone and you don't expect to use it much outside of an area with Sprint PCS service, the Touchpoint 1100 is a good choice. However, it's a single-band, digital-only phone, with no analog roaming option. For example, I was on Cape Cod this weekend and in many areas, the phone could not get any signal. You wouldn't ever want to rely on a phone like this if you needed something for road emergencies.
That caveat aside, for "urban warriors" like me, the Touchpoint is the last word in drop-dead techno-toy chic.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 129
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Epinions.com ID:
scooterbos
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Member: Scott
Location: Boston, MA
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 5 members
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