LG VX-8600 Review - Features

Features

Editor Rating: 4.7

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Styling:  5 

Ease of Use:  5 

Display:  4 

Voice Quality:  5 

Battery Life:  4 

Quality/Durability:  5 

The built-in digital music player works with music files purchased and downloaded from the VCast music store; songs cost $1.99 for a dual phone/PC download.  WMA and MP3 files are supported by the phone, but AAC tracks are not.  The integrated music player worked well, though I've always found Verizon's menu system a bit counterintuitive (too many choices are lumped under "Get It Now").  Music playback can be controlled via the internal keypad or three touch-sensitive external music controls.  Combined with the full-featured external display, the external controls make for easy use of the music player without the need to open the handset.  Track and playlist information and even album cover art is viewable on the surprisingly sharp external display.  The only downside is that the external buttons can be a bit "touchy" and accidental brushes of the touch-sensitive controls can lead to inadvertent fast-forwarding or pausing of songs. 

Access to streaming audio and video content via VCast requires EV-DO reception, which was generally solid on this phone.  Verizon does not include a headset of any sort in the VX-8600 package, which is annoying considering it's a "music-centric" device, but also par for the course from a provider who wants to upsell accessories.  Even more frustrating is that the included headset adapter works with 2.5 mm stereo headsets (like the one included in the optional $30 Music Essentials Kit), but not standard 3.5mm earphones.  To use those you'll have to spend another $15 for yet another adapter.  Why, I ask you, why?

Verizon's GPS-based VZ Navigator service is also supported by the VX-8600.  Though I'm not personally a heavy GPS user (I don't drive that much and am pretty used to getting lost when I do), it is a nifty trick to sneak GPS functionality into such a fashion-forward phone.  VZ Navigator offers the standard bag of location-based services tricks, including turn-by-turn directions, local search, and maps.  VZ Navigator is available as an add-on fee service that you purchase directly from the handset.

The VX-8600 also features standard cell phone applications including a contacts manager with photo and ringtone caller ID and groups support, a calendar with appointment and to-do alarms, and a well executed Voice Commands system.  Customization is limited - as is the case on all Verizon phones - but I was able to change the display's wallpaper from the VCast logo to a photo of my choosing.

LG built the VX-8600 with a 1.3 megapixel camera.  The camera is fixed-focus and does not have a flash or flash assist light.  Spec-wise a 1.3MP camera is "last year's model" at this point, as new mid- to high-end multimedia phones coming out on US carriers are sporting two megapixel shooters.  However, unless you're concerned with the printing your camera phone shots, 1.3 megapixels is plenty - it's the quality that counts.

The VX-8600 produced pretty good still images in my testing.  While not the absolute best I've seen, photos from the 8600 were solidly on par with those from other camera phones in its class.  Shots I took in well-lit situations - particularly outdoors - rendered clear and true, with good color and detail.  Predictably, photos snapped in low-light conditions came out grainy and fuzzy.  The occasional shot suffered from a blueish cast; again, this happened less frequently outdoors in good sunlight.

The VX-8600 can also take video clips with sound. Video clips are limited to QCIF (176 x 144) resolution at 15 frames per second maximum.  Video quality was average for a cell phone, which is to say serviceable as "proof of concept," but not anything you'll want to burn to DVD or share with too many people.

One neat feature to note is that the handset's external display acts as a viewfinder when the phone is in camera mode.  Since the camera sensor is mounted just above the display, this makes for a nifty self-portrait aid.