Cell Phone Reviews by Cellphonedia

LG ENV The new LG VX9900 is the successor to the popular LG 9800 and as such takes from it the good traits we have come to love and refines it further. More popularly known with its alias as the LG enV, there is not a more fitting name, as the 9900 would definitely be the source of envy for gadget aficionados.

The enV has room for 1,000 contacts in its phone book, twice that of the 9800, and can manage as much as six phone numbers for each contact, two email addresses and notes. The user can also attach photos with their contacts and save them to groups. This is especially useful when sending text messages to a particular group as not to be tedious. Not just for text, the enV is also capable of multimedia messaging, instant messaging and even email. The handset is also Bluetooth 1.2 enabled and comes with profiles for Bluetooth headsets, file transfers, dial up networking and others. It also has the increasingly popular EV-DO capabilities and with it can take advantages of 3G services such as the V Cast video and V Cast music store. You also have the after purchase options of other services such as the VZ Navigator and Backup Assistance and leisure services such as Fox Sports Pro and an application that can give you drink recipes called the TinyBartender. All these features make the LG enV a well rounded device for the modern professionals.

LG ENV VX9900 Camera and Display

The LG enV VX9900 has an integrated 2 mega pixel camera that takes both still pictures and can also double as a credible camcorder. This is far better than the usual 1.3 that comes with even high end camera phone models. Pictures can be taken in six resolutions, to be precise: 1600 x 1200 (maximum), 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240, 176 x 144, and a minimum of 160 x 120 pixels.

The usual array or photo effects to tweak your shots are also available such as the four white balance settings and a choice of four color effects. Also a night mode, brightness control, self timer and a choice of three shutter sounds are available. It is also good to note that the user can take pictures in silence with the silent shutter option. And although at only rated at 2.5 x, the inclusion of a digital zoom is more than what other handsets had to offer and may prove to be of great use at some occasions. And as should be standard for all camera phones, as it is not, the LG enV has an auto focus that greatly helped in keeping the shots steady thus eliminating blur almost every time. In fact, pictures taken with the enV looked crisp and more than decent, with vivid colors and good over all brightness. Do not attempt to take pictures in dark environments though as even with an integrated flash, images looked dark and dull.

In camcorder mode though, and unlike with the still camera capabilities, the user is only presented with two video resolution options, specifically: 176 x 144 pixels (QCIF), and the better 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA). Editing options are similar as with the still camera mode though, which means better versatility with video. Multimedia destined video clips are limited to only fifteen seconds and is probably adequate while on the other hand, the user can capture videos for up to an hour. Photos and videos can be saved directly to the enV's 64 MB of shared memory but it is advisable to save instead to a memory card, especially if you intend to back up you shots to a computer or other removable disc drives. With regards to video quality though, the user should be well advised to keep his / her hands steady as the enV does not handle quick movements very well.

LG enV VX9900 Design and Accessories

Although LG in not known for making stylish handsets and releases phones that are rather too boxy for most consumer's taste. They however score big with the enV's design. Although still a bit “square”, the boxy effect works for the enV and the words simple and effective better suits it than dull and uninspiring. Looking like your standard candy bar phone, the enV actually utilizes the clamshell design to hide the QWERTY keyboard from plain view. The hinges seem built with solid construction and opens to a full 180 degrees. Working with the enV while it rests on a table is not an easy feat though as the bulging lens behind the handset keeps the phone from being steady.

Like with previous models, the enV's navigation pad can be found left of the QWERTY keyboard albeit now black instead of the usual silver. This works in keeping the phone looking neat and the buttons not as busy looking as it is. Stereo speakers are separated by the vivid display of the enV's screen and provide ample volume to the listener.

Summary of LG ENv VX9900 Features

• Weight: 130 g
• Width: 53 mm
• Height: 118 mm
• Thickness: 19.8 mm
• Network: Type A-GPS, LBS
• Screen Resolution: Main Display - LCD (Color TFT / TFD), 262,144 colors (18-bit), 320 x 240 pixel resolution
• External Display: 65,000 colors, TFT LCD, 160 x 128 pixel resolution
• Data: CDMA2000 1x EV-DO
• Connectivity: Bluetooth (HSP, HFN, DUN, OPP, FTP, A2DP, AVRC, BPP, HID), USB, PCSync
• Web Browser: WAP
• Music: MP3, WMA
• Camera: 2.0 mega pixels
• Messaging: EMS, MMS
• Expansion Slot: microSD (TransFlash) up to 4 GB
• Tones: Polyphonic ring tones, Vibrating Alert, Custom, Real Music
• Software Features: BREW, Games
• Other Features: Voice dialing(speaker-independent / plus voice control and text-to-speech), Voice memo
• Battery: 950 mAh, LiPolymer, 4.5 hours talk time, 460 hours stand by time

PROS: The LG enV VX9900 is a generally pleasing little gadget that is a joy to use. The call quality is decent plus the QWERTY keyboard is particularly not hard on the fingers. Photo quality with the camera is also more than adequate.

CONS: The external display on the enV could have used a bit more in terms of size, as it seemed really small. Also streaming video could do a lot better.

Overall: Although far from being perfect, it looks as if LG is establishing itself in the mobile phone competition with the enV. It has its quirks and flaws but can be easily overcome by the nifty features it comes with. Overall, the enV is a nice combination of functionality and fun at a very reasonable price.