LG Dare cell phone review - At a Glance (by Noah Kravitz)

LG Dare Review - At a Glance

Specs Images Expert reviews User reviews Manual Compare Accessories Mobile Content

Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2008
by Noah Kravitz, Editor in Chief, PhoneDog Media

At a Glance Introduction Design & Features Usability & Performance Conclusion

At a Glance

Editor Rating:

4.7

Styling: 5

Ease of Use: 5

Display: 4

Voice Quality: 4

Battery Life: 5

Quality/Durability: 5

What’s Good: Attractive, highly customizable UI with home screen shortcuts; Compact design with high-res touchscreen; HTML Web browser and Email app with EV-DO Rev A support; VCAST Music and Video Support; Rhapsody streaming music support; 3.2 MP camera with flash and VGA video capture; 3.5mm headphone jack; Accelerometer and proximity sensor

What’s Not Good: “Full HTML” Web browser is mildly disappointing; Touchscreen can take a bit of getting used to; No VCAST TV support

Bottom Line: Dare is the best multimedia phone Verizon currently offers and the best cameraphone they’ve ever offered. It may well be the best cameraphone available from any US carrier right now, as well. Though the touchscreen is smaller than those of its competitors (iPhone, Instinct, and Vu come to mind), it’s bright, clear, and relatively responsive. If you don’t need QWERTY or VCAST TV, Dare is the best feature phone on VZW, and arguably the best media-rich handset currently available on a US carrier.

Specs:
Make/Model: LG Dare
Network: CDMA 850 / 1900
Data: 1x EV-DO Rev. A (3G)
Carrier: Verizon Wireless
Size: 104 x 56 x 13 mm
Weight: 107 g
Form Factor: Candybar with Full Touchscreen
Display: 3.0” Color LCD, 240 x 400 resolution, 262,000 Colors
Memory: 200MB Internal Memory, microSD card slot
Notable Features: Full touchscreen; Virtual QWERTY/T9 and handwriting recognition; 3.2MP camera with flash; VGA video capture with slo-mo up to 120 fps; HTML Web browser; VCAST Video and Music Support; Rhapsody streaming music support; GPS with VZ Navigator software

Next: Introduction »

About our in-depth cell phone reviews

We take great pride to ensure that the our reviews are thorough and accurate. In no way are our editors directed or influenced by any manufacturers, advertisers, or partners; we believe that honest, opinionated reviews -positive or negative - are the only way to maintain credibility and serve our users.

Reviews by company

Apple, BenQ, BlackBerry, Eten, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, o2, Palm, Pantech, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, Sony Ericsson

ibmills @ Oct 4 8:00 PM

the fone is nice but i find it is not compatible to the mercedes benz bluetooth i down load it to my car and it works but than when i leave the car and get back in the car i have to reload it again to my lg my motorola i t stayed connected until i walked twenty feet away then i get back in the car it would still be connected so any one else has this problem hateing haveing to go into fone and add every time i get in car

Reply to this comment

Buddab @ Sep 16 10:02 PM

I have had this phone since it came out... I loved it at first... I just got my 3rd one tonight. My first LG Dare touch screen went out. They did replace it with a new one... 97 days later I am back at the store getting another one. This time when I push the camera button it states CAMERA START ERROR....SO tonight I come home with my 3rd phone.... I am thinking of getting a different phone any ideas????

Reply to this comment

a.c012 @ Sep 8 3:14 PM

wich is better the samsung glyde or the motorola rival (reply back)

Reply to this comment

corn9268 @ Nov 3 4:10 PM

motorola rival the glides battery last a bout 30 minutes if u r texting

VoyagerDude @ Aug 13 12:31 AM

I think im gonna get this phone but im not sure

Reply to this comment

jades491 @ Aug 2 3:07 PM

i mite get dis fone 4 mi bday nov 18.does it realy hv alot of problems?

Reply to this comment

jalundin @ Aug 5 5:08 PM

Check the reviews of this phone on Cnet.com and Amazon.com. I have an enV now and have been looking at phones for 2 months and I have decided to get the Dare, or the Samsung Rogue (Avail Aug 15).

i_luv_tacos_010 @ Jul 27 2:03 AM

idk which i should get. the env touch or the dare?

Reply to this comment

vaan144 @ Jul 29 5:24 PM

the lg dare is smaller , but the env touch has a qwerty keyboard. they both havec a 3 inch display, but some argue that the display on the touch is better. the env touch is better for messaging, but may be too big. they have the same exact camera - 3.2 mp autofocus and flash, and the dare is thinner than the env.

drew1590 @ Jul 16 2:36 PM

i have the dare its cool works well can your home screeen be horizontal too or just in your text and on the internet???

Reply to this comment

brandi_lulu_ @ Jul 12 4:22 AM

i want this phone i think

Reply to this comment

hdsoccer @ Jul 9 8:17 PM

do not buy this dare.
I loved this phone when i got it. But three days later, a whole line of pixels on the screen went out. Verizon gave me another new dare.
I had that phone for five months when the speaker stopped working. Verizon overnighted me another new Dare.
I have had the one i have for a week now and am very fustrated. The new software installed on the new device has glitches in the text messaging interface. I took the phone back down to verizon and they told me i had to wait for a software update. Now how is this fare? I have had to deal with this phone constantly and now i have a device that has defective software and i have to deal with it until a new version comes out. How fair is that?
DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE!

Reply to this comment

zacky2cool @ Jul 4 8:25 AM

im getting the LG DARE on july 26th thats my birthday im so excited i think that phone is soo sickkkk and i love its touch screen
its always nice to have a phone that fits into your hand and is not a little bit bigger its perfect size

Reply to this comment

leanna100 @ Jun 20 8:15 PM

DARE RULES!

Reply to this comment

bond523 @ Jun 15 10:14 AM

yo everyone whos hating on the dare really it just isn't the right phone for you. i've had the dare for about a month now and I love it. the camera rocks, the touch screen works just fine for me and better than my voyager. I could have waited for the Env touch but i wanted the full touch screen experience without the hassle of a mandatory expenxive internet plan. My dare works just fine for me even though it may not be the right phone for one of u. And the touch screen keyboard takes one day to get use to after that I was flying on the keyboard and internet isnt the best but it works well and I love the favorites and moveable shortcuts. Really an all round cool phone and no complaints.

Reply to this comment