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Nine months after the F9100's lukewarm acceptance, LG has designed another 9000-series QWERTY keypad device; this time named the VX9800. Improving on many of the F9100's shortcomings, the VX9800 promises to be not just a text messaging device, but a complete multimedia package, with an excellent imaging, audio, and connectivity features, making it widely appealing.
Design
Reasonably-sized when closed, the LG VX9800 measures 116 x 50 x 25 mm, larger and thicker than most standard phones to fit the QWERTY keypad. Weighing 147 g, the VX9800 is a bit heavier as well.
While closed, the front panel features a bright 65K-color screen, capable of displaying vivid photos and videos. A fully-functional phone with a 5-way navigational keypad, users never have to open the VX9800 to access features and functionality. Additionally, its numeric keypad can be used for T9 predictive text Similar to the F9100, the VX9800's QWERTY keypad is hidden beneath to minimize size. However instead of a sliding mechanism, the VX9800 uses a more conventional horizontal clamshell design. Opening the VX9800 reveals its state-of-the-art 262K-color screen, able to display graphics at an enormous 320 x 256 px in size. Dual external speakers line both sides of the screen, providing rich and full sounds such as when watching videos the Verizon's VCAST service.
familiar 5-way navigational keypad to the left of the QWERTY keypad is flanked by Send, End, and CLR keys. Two softkeys are located on the top provide convenient access to shortcuts. Conventionally laid out, the VX9800's spacious keyboard is wonderful to use; allowing more comfortable and quicker typing with a more tactile feel and touch. Paired with predictive text, users will be able to text message, email, and chat faster than ever before.
messaging.
On the back, there is a 1.3-megapixel camera. Nearby a built-in flash can be triggered to ensure those recollections show up bright and clear even in low-light conditions.
Camera
Turning over the VX9800, the lens to the 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera is revealed. Similar to the VX8100's camera, the VX9800 can take pictures at up to 1280 x 960 px in size, high enough in resolution to make adequate prints. To save memory, additional resolutions include 640 x 480 px, 320 x 240 px, 176 x 144 px, and 160 x 120 px.
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Screen
Boasting dual eye-catching color displays, the LG VX9800 adds a bit of color to life. Having a 0.162 dot pitch, the external LCD displays 65K-colors at 128 x 160 px in resolution; quite large for an auxiliary screen and the size of many main LCDs on handhelds on the market.
Storage
Storing high-quality multimedia takes a considerable amount of memory. And with enough space for plenty of videos and hours of music, the VX9800 comes with an extraordinary 128 MB of internal memory and a miniSD memory expansion slot for additional storage with optional cards.
Connectivity
Supporting profiles for a variety of Bluetooth-enabled devices including headsets and many new vehicles, users can pair the VX9800 to objects within a 10 meter radius.
Notorious for disabling OBEX (Object Exchange) profile support, Verizon Wireless took the unprecedented step of allowing users to connect the VX9800 to a laptop, allowing wireless transfer of data and multimedia. Synchronizing applications, consumers can use an external USB cable or go wirelessly through Verizon Wireless (Wireless Sync) for a $10 monthly subscription fee plus airtime.
Conclusion
With all the problems the LG F9100 and Motorola A630 faced, QWERTY devices always seemed to specialize on text messaging with severe gaps in multimedia. Catering to the unique demographic, those devices usually sold poorly appealing to the specific niche.
Not with the VX9800. Not only is it a very capable text messaging device with full QWERTY keyboard, but it also boasts an excellent 1.3-megapixel camera, MP3 player with dual external speakers, EV-DO high speed broadband capabilities, miniSD expansion slot, and unrestricted Bluetooth connectivity.
With so many strengths in imaging, audio, messaging, storage, and connectivity, it's difficult to point out any significant weaknesses. But if there is one, it would have to be its size. Fitting a QWERTY keyboard requires the real estate to type comfortably, and unfortunately the VX9800 is not small.
Additionally, to use many of the features, such as video streaming and wireless synchronization, costomers are required to subscribe to Verizon Wireless services. Costing a monthly fee, costomers may need to pay more than expected.
Regardless, the size is used well featuring an impressive 262K-color screen and dual speakers. With an LCD that's large and bright and forward-facing speakers that are loud and clear, the VX9800 is the perfect setup for watching TV.
Packing robust features and functionality into the LG VX9800, gadget enthusiasts may find it hard to even comming close to finding a better device on the market.
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