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Category: Mobile Phone Reviews

Mobile Phones, Smart Phones, Cell Phones and anything like them review and comparisons.

  • LG U8360 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome the review of the LG U8360 mobile phone. There aren't any reviews addressing what I consider important about this phone so I decided to write a decent one up! The U8360 is what we use to test most of the games reviewed on this site (2006) hence a bench mark phone. This doesn't mean it is the best mobile phone to buy. Just means we compare this to others and vice versa. This model was originally released in 2004 as a top spec phone designed for the 3 3G network however time passes quickly in the mobile phone world and it was initially launched as a top range phone but over the years is has obviously dropped down the order. As for 2007 the U8360 new represents an entry level phone. But what a fantastic entry level phone! Battery Life : The original 3G mobiles back in 2000 if you remember where the size and weight of the GSM phones some 10 years ago and had very short battery lives. The LG U-series where the first of the 'small' 3G mobiles. Any 3G phone packs in a lot of technology. This one has a tri-band GSM and UTMS or 3G transceiver! And since 3G coverage isn't as common as GSM it will use more battery power switching or roaming between networks rather than just staying connected on just one. These are our estimates: So far with at least 1 hour each day viewing a video streaming and a few SMS and short calls it'll go for 2 days . On standby it seems to last 5-6 days with 1 minute call each day. Strangely 1 hour game session every day it lasted over 4 days. It does have a high capacity battery compared to other mobiles and takes awhile to charge. Essentially it has a long battery life. Speed : The phone is pretty fast. When you activate a phones menu system there's only a small delay as you navigate between options. It is not as fast as the Nokia 6230 which is probably has the fastest operation out there. The slowest part is waiting for the service providers internet based menu to show but that's no surprise since it needs to connect to the 'net'. The CPU is good enough for video processing and MP3s, however the latest JAVA games run a tad slowly ie those made in 2006 onwards. Construction. The U8360 is a well put together phone. The screen, keypad, and extra buttons all align correctly. The flip system is sturdy. Only the battery cover on the back creaks every so often. Overall a solid but plastic feel. Not too heavy not too light. Overall very solid phone if old style. Pictures on the internet don't do justice to most phones but the same it time this is not an attractive phone in the flesh. Since its been around for a few years now its shape has dated quite badly - but its hardware in it is still competitive with the latest 3G handsets and only a few things missing from the current mid-range versions. Functionality general The U8360 has almost all you need in a mobile phone in 2007. Almost because its missing a few things eg. IR port, poor PC software bundle etc.. see below for more detail. There is a ton of internal memory - at least 22MB which you can use to store what ever files you want, that said you should only store the DRM or copy protected files internally with the rest on the memory card. Yes you can change background images on external and internal screens. Yes you can use images and ringtones that are stored on the memory card. No you cannot transfer downloaded content from 3 to your memory card. Bluetooth Bluetooth functionality is excellent. It allows you to use most bluetooth headsets and most of all transfer files without installing the LG software. MP3 and sound The inbuilt speakers sound as per any other mobile, head set sounds is again OK. The camera/video recorder It takes OK pictures for a mobile phone. It also has a lot of features for a camera phone. Features like brightness, various scenes modes light daylight, indoor outdoors, night mode, a timer !, various effects like sepia etc.. multiple picture size and quality, a very bright light you can turn on. Overall picture quality is average for a mobile. This means it's better than some but not good as other. It doesn't produce sharp pictures but they aren't too blurry either and the colours when adjusted appropriately are an OK match. It certainly won't rival a normal digital camera. Although it only has one camera lens, it is mounted on a rotating mount hence for video calls or camera you have to adjust the location of the lens. The camera bezel doesn't feel too refined but even after 12 months of abuse it still works! The only real issue is that the camera and video recorder functions are a very slow to work once activated. The screens The LG U8360 had dual screens as per most flip or clam shell designs. The inner main screen is truly a good thing. It's nice and bright lots of colours and so forth. As good as the Nokia 6230 but bigger. Can't complain really. The outer screen is a colour non-active matrix screen CSTN as per most mobiles. I guess its acceptable considering it's the secondary display but there are better ones today. Call quality and network reception Since 3 is the only network that sells this phone and their coverage in Australia is not exactly extensive. The U8360 tries hard to maintain a 3G reception strength. In fact according to their coverage maps I live in a area without coverage by a mile so so. Despite that the phone manages to get 3G reception most of the time. GSM reception is naturally very good - just a good as the latest Nokia 6230. It automatically changes from 3G to GSM networks quickly. Voice only call quality is very good on 3G or GSM networks. Video call quality is good but could be improved. The screen refresh rate is not as good as newer models. Issues This is a very stable phone. It's operating system doesn't really crash or stop working for unknown reasons. New themes are difficult to find on the web but at least you can make up your own. However changing the flip open and close tones to one you've made up cannot be done. Changing ringtones to MP3 or Midi is easily done and lots of different profiles. A short fall is the tone for SMS messages. Although it can play various tone formats eg. MP3, it doesn't play a tone for more that 10 or so seconds - which is disappointing. The biggest issue I have with this is the key pad. First impression are that its horrible. It requires too much force to press and doesn't provide enough feedback when its been pressed. That said you get used to it so fast SMS messages can be sent with reasonable accuracy. LG Phone software for Windows This piece of software that comes with the phone is just barely OK. It has all the stuff which you need to manage the data on your phone. (Tested on XP SP2) Unfortunately it has a serious bug which really should be fixed. The bug relates to the selection of the 'COM port' To get the connection to work you have to go into the menu and select it again. You see it defaults to the correct port BUT it just doesn't seem to register until you actually select it again. Aside for this the connection its self is not stable dropping out for no reason. It is not a acceptable since USB devices have been around for many years likewise USB phone connections. Price You can't buy usually buy this phone outright as it is often tied to the 3 network and can't be unlocked. Price as of this update is $169.00 pre-paid. Included in the package are Stereo headphones, USB data cable, A/C Travel charger, CD software, Wrist Strap and user guide. Summary The most compelling reason to buy this phone is price. Second is the number of features it has. It has lot of functions not found on other brands of phones in the same price bracket. In my opinion it is by far the best entry level phone out there. The standout features in this price range is the ability to run JAVA applications, high quality screen and bluetooth, network reception capabilities. It is primarily a 3G mobile phone so you are tied to a 3G network in my case 3 but as expected all competitive in terms of pricing. See the page on 3 and the other mobile networks on the menu for more information. My recommendation? It's an excellent starter 3G or GSM phone - if you can live with its looks.
    • Best features Price for features. Dual screens. Great main screen. Bluetooth. Really bright flash/light. Multiple alarms. Streaming video is displayed on the external screen when lid is closed.
    • Could do better features Buttons could feel better. Buttons could be easier to press. External screen could be higher resolution. Speaker could be louder. Headset volume could be louder. PC software could be better. Plastic casing is shiny and easily prone to finger marks.
    • Worst features No Infrared. Headphone socket is in the wrong place, awkward and propriety.
    • Detailed features 1000 contacts + pictures Profiles Customisable backgrounds
    Price history $269 AUS PRE-PAID 3 2006 $169 AUS PRE-PAID 3 2007
    • Network Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) 3G W-CMDA 2100 MHz (Aust only)
    • Design Flip Phone L 92.4mm W48.9mm D24.2 mm Weight 132 grams Silver, Black, Lime Green
    • Display/s Internal: 262K TFT - 176 x 220 pixels External: 65K CSTN - 110 x 88 pixels
    • Camera/Video Single 1.3MP Camera MP4, WMV, 3GP Flash
    • Connectivity Bluetooth, USB adapter cable (included)
    • Memory 22MB Internal Up to 512MB External MicroSD/Transflash
    • Ringtones MP3, MIDI, WAV
    • Features SMS, MMS, WAP JAVA MIDP 2.0 Speaker Phone/Hands free Ability to record voice and telephone calls Wireless modem for PC Wireless audio and video streaming. Media Player MP3, JPG, GIF Web browser

  • LG U310 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the LG U310 mobile phone review. We decided to review this one because the 3 network is heavily promoting the phone as 'The Big Brother 2007 mobile phone'. The U310 classed as an entry level 3G mobile phone due to price. So it has the basic mobile phone functions and anything else is a bonus. It's a good looking phone that's even better looking in the flesh. We reckon its pretty good phone but a tad over priced. Battery Life The battery life of this phone is very average. If you use your phone for any length of time be it voice calls or web surfing, even videos it will barely last a day. Left on standby you can expect 4 days. Speed The phone is fast. When you activate any of the phones menu system there's only a small delay as you navigate between options. The CPU is good enough for video processing and MP3s and JAVA games run smoothly and quickly. It seems to load web pages with graphics and other content faster than the U8360. Construction The U310 is a well put together phone. The front and back are made made from shiny and reflective plastic that is reasonably scratch resistant. The screen, keypad, and extra buttons all align correctly. The flip system feels sturdy and the rotating camera moves with better precision than other older models. It does not have any creaking panels! The phone feels light but tight. Again pictures over the internet don't do the phone justice, it is a nice looking phone in the flesh even with the buttons on the front. The keypad is sized for normal sized hands although a few buttons like the 'C' and 'Back' buttons are smaller than the rest. The keys have a OK click feel to them finished in matte silver plastic. Keypad backlighting is blue. Like all LG clam shells its various ports are hidden by hinged covers with all the ports custom connectors. they are located along the 2 sides of the phone rather than at the base. The MicroSD slot is on the right and the headphone/charging on the left. It has a dedicated camera activation button on the side and volume up and down. I noticed that some distortion on the main screen when ever I closed the lid, caused by pressure on the cover. Functionality The U310 has almost all you need in a standard mobile phone in 2007. The only notable features beyond entry level are the external music controls, 3G, Web Browser and OLED external display. It is very stable with no crashes experience to date. You can group contacts and assign customised tones, you can also use the profile features like silent and outdoor, and customised profiles, speed dials, set various alarms, a good looking calculator, world time application, unit converter application and so forth. See the features list above for more. Yes you can change background images on external and internal screens. Yes you can use images and ringtones that are stored on the memory card. No you cannot transfer downloaded content from 3 to your memory card. Of note is the Memory Info function which tells you how much memory you have left in a neat pie chart! Connectivity Bluetooth functionality is good. It allows you to use various bluetooth headsets but only limited functionality when connecting to a PC without the LG software suite installed. Unfortunately no infrared or USB cables are included. MP3 and video/sound The LG's inbuilt speaker sounds as per any other mobile so its very average. The MP3 player has a visualiser function and you can even create playlists. The music player software is basic not as comprehensive as the Sony-Ericsson Walkman phones. Eg. no equaliser, track info etc... Sound from the standard headphones is distortion free but a tad harsh. However when the benchmark Sony earphones where plugged in proved that the U310 did play nice rounded sound. With the lid closed your can still play music and select playlists and view the visualiser. The LG U310 did not have a FM radio which is a disappointment - in this price range (and for being the latest model) FM radios should be standard equipment - and expected. For streaming video the LG player is the standard version used on the entire LG range so its pretty good. Video streaming is OK but still a bit choppy - it has a wide screen mode that means turning the phone over on its side for the full screen. Web Browser The included browser is a LG version and works well. Since the phone tech is pretty good downloading pages and content is fast. Superior to the U8360. Yes, you can go to your own URLs. The camera/video recorder The LG U310 takes OK pictures for a mobile phone. It also has a lot of features for a camera phone. Features like brightness, various scenes modes light daylight, indoor outdoors, night mode, a timer, various effects like sepia etc.. multiple picture size and quality. Regardless of the range of settings overall picture quality is probably below-average when comparing to a mid range mobile but acceptable if judged against it entry level competitors. It doesn't produce sharp pictures and the colours left a lot to be desired. Although it only has one camera lens, it is on a rotating mount hence for video calls or camera you have to adjust the location of the lens. The camera bezel feels reasonably solid. LG have addressed the very slow camera start time on their phones and this one can be activated in less than a second. However there is still a noticeable delay between pressing the button and the picture being taken. The screens The U310 has dual screens as per most flip or clam shell designs. The inner main screen is truly a good thing. It's nice and bright lots of colours and so forth. As good as the U8360 and better than some in its price catergory. Can't complain really. The outer screen is the latest OLED technology. Quality of the picture despite being only 65K colours is easily superior to CTSN. Call quality and network reception Since 3 is the only network that sells this phone and their coverage in Australia is not exactly extensive. Like other LG phones this one tries hard to maintain a 3G connection. It switches between GSM and 3G with minimal lag. We estimate that it is capable of maintaining a 3G connection beyond the limits of a towers range by about 1km. Voice call quality is very good on GSM or 3G networks. Voices sound bright rather than flat. Video calls are OK but still has a bit of a lag between screen refreshes. Issues When you close the lid when viewing a streaming video it is not displayed on the external screen. We missed this feature! - as the U8360 had it and we used it! The other is poor software and hardware bundle. Eg. For this price range we expected at least a couple games and a memory card. The SMS message ringtone only plays for 10 seconds and cannot be adjusted. LG Phone software for Windows This piece of software that comes with the phone is pretty good. Much better than prior versions. It has all the stuff which you need to manage the data on your phone. Unfortunately you have to install it before you can send files via bluetooth. Network You can't buy usually buy this phone outright as it is often tied to the 3 network and can't be unlocked. Summary Although it does everything well there are not many features that make this phone a must buy. While it does look good, better than the pictures suggest it doesn't have much else. I would describe it as just a nice looking compact mobile phone. The standout features in this price range is the OLED external display which is superior to CSTN displays, external memory card slot. However it is not as feature packed as the U8360. It is primarily a 3G mobile phone so you are tied to a 3G network in our case 3 but it does roam well on other networks. Our recommendation? It's a good starter 3G phone but there are better. If you only plan to watch Big Brother on it then consider the cheaper pre-paid U8360.
    • Network Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) 3G UTMS W-CMDA 2100 MHz (Aust only)
    • Design Flip Phone L93.7 x W49 x D18.3 mm Weight 89 grams Black/Silver/White/Pink
    • Display/s Internal: 262K TFT - 176 x 220 pixels External: 65K OLED - 96 x 96 pixels
    • Camera/Video Single 1.3MP Camera x2 digital zoom Video capable MP4, WMV, 3GP
    • Connectivity Bluetooth
    • Memory 10 MB internal memory MicroSD memory - up to 512MB
    • Ringtones MP3, MIDI, WAV, Vibration
    • Features SMS, MMS, IM, WAP, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 Wireless modem for PC Wireless audio and video streaming. Web browser Speaker Phone/Hands free Media player MP3, AMR, AAC, AAC+ MIDI *See below for more details.
    • Speed Vs Nokia 6230 Navigation 9/10
    • Battery Life Battery Life : 800mAh Li Ion Claimed operating times: Standby 160 hours Voice 124 minutes Video 68 minutes
    • Sample camera pictures
    LG U310 Best features Price for features. Dual screens one of them OLED! Great main and external screen. Bluetooth. Multiple alarms with external button control for snooze and off. External media controls.
    • Could do better features (based on price range)
    Connectors should be on the base. Not enough internal memory. Should be able to access memory card without installing the PC software.
    • Worst features
    No Infrared. Headphone socket is in the wrong place, awkward and propriety. Headphone socket cover gets in the way. Poor package only stereo headphones, A/C Travel charger, CD software and user guide. No additional software installed eg. No games or different backgrounds. No MicroSD card include as part of the package.
    • Detailed features
    Flight mode World clock 40 dialled numbers 40 received calls 40 missed calls 100 Calendar 100 To Do 5 Memo 5 Secret Memo 20 Dateulator 300 SMS in phone 500 Contacts in phone with pictures Price history $259 AUS PRE-PAID 3 2007