LG VX-8100 Review - Introduction & Design
Introduction & DesignThe LG VX8100 is a stellar dual-band CDMA mobile phone with a plethora of features crammed into its sleek frame. Visually, it is a vast improvement over its rather blocky predecessor, the VX8000, and features like its 1.3 Megapixel camera, expandable memory slot, Bluetooth compatibility, and stereo sound put it in the top tier of full-service cellular phones.
The new streamlined design of the VX8100 is very appealing, with graceful, stylized curves and a subtle, abbreviated antenna. The unobtrusive silver and slate blue exterior evokes a professional, yet personable style, which is an apt description of the phone overall. It's a great multi-use phone, with the functionality for high-powered business transactions and the media capabilities for discerning technophiles.
By today's standards of pancake-thin, micro-sized phones, this clamshell phone is a hefty unit, but its size (3.58" h x 1.92" w x 1.03" d) and weight (4.16 oz) are put to good use in this feature-packed phone. Personally, I like having a phone with a little substance; it's easier to use the features when the phone fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.
The VX8100 has a large external screen with stunningly vibrant colors that is diminished only by the clarity of the internal screen, which fills the top half of the phone when you flip it open. The bottom half of the phone includes a navigation panel with four useful shortcuts (Web 2.0, Get Flix and Pix, Calender, and Get It Now) and the OK key. Two additional keys flank the navigation pane, and underneath that are all the standard buttons, as well as a camera and video shortcut key. The front of the phone features buttons that allow you to access the MP3 player with ease, the left side of the phone features volume control buttons and the Voice Command/Voice Memo key, and the right side of the phone features a camera and video key (for self-portraits) and a miniSD expandable memory slot.
 I consider the quality of the buttons on a phone to be a deal-breaking feature, since buttons that are flush with the surface of the phone can be difficult to use if your fingernails extend beyond your fingertips. The VX8100 has raised, silver buttons with blue backlighting that distinctly depress when you use them. (You know you've done something when you push one of these buttons.) Plus, the width of the phone allows it to fit in the average-sized hand and still give you access to the entire keypad with your thumb. My only complaint is that the "OK" button in the center of the navigation panel is difficult to use without hitting the keys that surround it, which means I often end up in an entirely different menu when I meant to confirm a command. The best work-around I've found is to use the tip of my nail instead of the pad of my finger; not the greatest solution, and one that might not be viable for someone with larger hands than mine.
Next: Features »Fetch me more...Quickly jump to more information about related topics, cell phones, carriers or phone manufacturers mentioned in this In-Depth Review by using the links below. About our in-depth cell phone reviewsWe 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 companyApple, BenQ, BlackBerry, Eten, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, o2, Palm, Pantech, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, Sony EricssonMessagingThe messaging capabilities of this phone are quite extensive, although Verizon has added some barriers that limit what you can send to other people. The VX8100 supports MMS, EMS, and standard messaging protocols. The MMS protocol allows you to send and receive messages containing any reasonably-sized combination of text, images, sounds, and video, while the EMS protocol allows you to send text messages with sounds and graphics. Keep in... The VX8100 is a digital dual-band CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) phone that operates in the 1900 MHz and 800 MHz bands, which means you can't use it outside of North America, although CDMA technology uses its available bandwidth more efficiently, which results in faster data transfer. If you need a phone that works throughout the world, this isn't the phone for you, but it's an outstanding choice for dedicated North American use.
This... The LG VX8100 is a powerful phone for business users and media junkies alike. It provides excellent functionality in all the basics, an intuitive user interface, and a classy, user-friendly design. The VX8100 also boasts a wide variety of features that allow you to maximize your cell phone experience. From its expandable memory slot and robust internet capabilities to its quality MP3 player and superior camera, this is an excellent phone that... The interior screen provides a 262,000 color display at 176 x 220 pixels. This relatively large TFT screen has outstanding resolution (the primary advantage of TFT technology), for a crystal-clear display that is visible at most angles, even in the sunlight.
The external screen is a large 128 x 128 pixels with a 65,000 color TFT display. One minor frustration with this phone is that you have to click a button to activate the external screen....
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4.8
