VX1: Worth the Upgrade?
Written: Aug 24 '02 (Updated Aug 29 '02)
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Pros: Battery Life and Design
Cons: The Ring Tone Controversy (see below) and Unintuitive Menus
The Bottom Line: The VX1 is a great improvement over its previous models. It is a reliable phone that I would definitely recommend.
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| skribbler's Full Review: LG VXI Cell Phone |
The LG-VX1 is the updated model of the popular LG-TM510. It has the styling features of the TM510, the flip design and an outer LCD screen, with the same solid tri-mode reception and call quality.
If you are searching for a flip phone now in the Verizon market, chances are you are looking at the Motorola V60, which EVERYONE has... or the LGs. Although my TM510 provided me a good year of service, I have to recommend getting the VX1, the upgrade is definitely worth the price.
PROS
Better Compact Design
The TM510 was compact, but the problem was it's bulky width which made it protrude out noticeably. The new VX1 is slimmer with a nice brushed finish and smooth, stylish curves. It is in my opinion, the optimal size for a cell phone. The outer LCD screen, once a innovative new feature, is now standard on flips and is present here as well.
Excellent Battery Life
The battery life of the VX1 is noticeably improved. My TM510 would have to be recharged every night. The VX1, depending on usage, can last a good 2-3 days! This is accomplished through a "power save" feature whereby the phone conserves energy when it's not being used. Don't worry, all your calls will still get through as the feature is quickly disabled upon any action. The battery life is one of the best features of this phone.
Technologically Advanced
The phone has a OpenWave 4.1 Web Browser and is Express Network (1xRTT) capable. This means fast, wireless web surfing on your phone. It also means it is possible to hook it up to a laptop and use it as a modem!
Alphabetized Phone Book
The old TM510 didn't have it, which was very annoying. The VX1 does. Problem solved.
CONS
Unintuitive Interface
The menus are similar to the TM510s, in other words you won't pick them up right away. In fact, they are switched around now so even if you were a TM510 user, you still have to take some time to learn the menus. This is not a big deal. Once you get used to the phone, it's a piece of cake.
The Ring Tone Controversy
If you read other opinions, you may have noticed a big point of contention about this phone seems to be its ring tone, which deserves some clearing up.
1)Yes it does have both ring, vibrate, and ring + vibrate features.
2)You can select ring volume using the phone's sound menu. On this selection menu all the ring tones sound soft. The ACTUAL tones will be louder. But this doesn't matter if the phone is closed, see next point.
3)The ring tone is indeed at a CONSTANT volume no matter what you set it to if the phone is closed (and users usually have it closed to receive incoming calls). This tone is relatively loud, but still does not seem as loud as the loudest ring in the old TM510. So in my opinion, the maximum ring tone could actually stand to be a little louder. I guess we all want different ring volumes to match different environments, but with this phone the ring tone is set to (in not so scientific terms) "medium-loud" all the time.
SPECIFICATIONS
-800MHz/1900MHz CDMA/AMPS Tri Mode
-Size: 3.3" x 1.8" x 0.97"
-Weight: 3.8 oz
The phone retails for $199.99 under contract under the Verizon website. Longer contracts drop the price down more. I suggest, as always, to shop around and bargain the price. I got it for around 100 dollars from an authorized Verizon dealer.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 100
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Epinions.com ID:
skribbler
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Location: New York
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
I'm a UPenn business student. I love to play pool, basketball, and karaoke. Epinions rocks.
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