The LG Voyager Has it All

Introduction:
What’s your mobile destination? If it’s a phone that delivers interesting functionality, superior service and great applications, get ready — LG and Verizon Wireless are ready to take you on a wireless voyage. Welcome to the world of mobile convergence!

From sharing photos on-the-go to text-messaging and searching the Internet, today’s mobile devices — like the LG Voyager from Verizon Wireless — lets users connect to others and find things easier and quicker than before — and they even have the ability to make voice calls! Want to learn more? Keep reading.

Features and Design:
The LG Voyager's nice curves and beefy body (4.6 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches) are reminiscent of a classic American car -- big but beautiful. The 2.8-inch, 240-by-400-pixel exterior touchscreen invites iPhone comparisons, and the similarities don’t end there; unlock the screen by touching the virtual Unlock button and tap the center, and you'll see an icon layout that will look familiar to Apple fans. There's also a locking switch on the side, but we preferred using the on-screen button.

Although the Voyager's touchscreen supports swiping for scrolling pages or dragging sliders, it doesn't have Apple's multi-touch interface or supremely responsive feel. But it does vibrate (haptic feedback, which you can disable) when you dial or use the pop-up virtual keyboard -- something the iPhone conspicuously lacks.

Dialing on the touchscreen is a snap thanks to a virtual keypad that appears when you tap the phone icon. The screen occasionally mistook our swipes for taps when we scrolled through our contacts, but overall touch navigation was pretty smooth. There's a touch calibration feature, but we didn't notice a difference before and after using it.

The Voyager opens sideways to reveal an internal LCD (also 2.8-inch and 240 x 400 pixels) flanked by a pair of stereo speakers and set in front of one of the finger-friendliest QWERTY keyboards we've seen on a phone. There's also a directional pad and OK button on the right, as well as call controls. Unfortunately, in flip mode you lose access to the volume buttons on the left (hinged) side of the phone, making it a pain to adjust volume while watching video on the internal screen.

Inside, there's 183MB of flash memory, which looks pathetic in comparison to the iPhone's 8GB until you uncover the microSDHC slot, which supports tiny memory cards up to 8GB. Of course, for $349 USD (with 2-year contract), the Voyager should really come with at least a 2GB card.

Conclusion:
The LG Voyager's mission is to unseat the iPhone as the hottest touchscreen handset out there. It addresses many complaints about Apple's controversy magnet and has many of the same goodies, including an email client and a music player. And although the Voyager's touchscreen interface isn't as slick as the iPhone's, features like stereo Bluetooth, GPS, video recording, a spacious QWERTY keyboard, and mobile TV support actually give it an edge!

LG Voyager - Verizon's iPhone?

Well I finally got my hands on the phone everyone on Verizon Wireless's network has been getting information about: The LG Voyager, or VX10000. Certainly with its black look, touch screen atop the display, internal memory capability, and plethora of features, most consider this the "iPhone" of Verizon Wireless. Is it though?

I do not plan to go into a "Voyager vs. iPhone" debate as I'm solely looking into the Voyager itself. But I will call out a few things that the Voyager outperforms on from the iPhone's standpoint along with functionality, look, and feel. So, in we go!

At first look, the touch-screen interface is fairly easy to navigate. Simply touch what you wish to go to, and the phone will launch that application or folder. Scrolling by using the touch interface takes a bit of getting used to, but the best way I think of it as is to scroll like you're pushing up a paper out of a folder. The more you slide from down/up or up/down, the more or less you see of the options you wish to select. Keep that in mind as you use the interface.

Speeds on VZW's network and Mobile TV far surpass anything that would be found on an iPhone, as you have 400-700kbps on EV-DO as compared to 135kbps on ED-GE through AT&T's network. And with the faster speeds, the HTML browser allows you navigation of web pages at a faster and easier rate than on an iPhone.

The camera works just as if you have a digital camera in your hand, but be leary iPhone users: you cannot send or receive picture messages on your phone, can you? Oh wait, you can...if you send or receive from/to an email address. Well...the LG Voyager allows it up to its 1.3MP resolution. (The 2.0MP is too large for an MMS message.)

Then, we have to love our QWERTY keyboard for those of us texters who text or type by feel. (PICK ME!) You can still navigate using traditional methods with the flip open as compared to on an iPhone, and it does assist for some back-end usage if you prefer "the old-fashioned way" to doing things.

Sure, the downfall is your memory card must be purchased separately from the phone itself, whereas the iPhone has it built internally. But you can then swap out microSD cards up to 8GB in size allowing for music, photos, or videos to be stored on your Voyager. AND, with a removable battery, you can restart your phone if ever it needs to be hard rebooted. iPhone? Have fun trying to do that without voiding your warranty. And finally, pricing is always expensive with both phones, which may be a drawback to some consumers.

So, alas, the user interface is a bit quirky to get used to, and the device has a bit of a learning curve. What phone doesn't though, these days? Try a Voyager and see what you think of its feel in a Verizon store. 5-Star Rating comes from Mr. Ter. =)

Specifications on the LG vx10000 Voyager

LG Voyager VX10000

The revolutionary LG Voyager VX10000 for Verizon Wireless is the first LG handset with software that lets you interact on a tactile level with the phone. Flick your finger up, down or sideways to move through photos or albums and expand your fingers to zoom into a Web page. The LG Voyager VX10000 also packs in VCAST Mobile TV and Music, MP3 player with stereo Bluetooth, high-speed data, and GPS for an amazingly entertaining mobile experience.


Highlights
First Verizon Wireless Phone With Tactile Touch Software
Experience Live TV or Streaming Music With V CAST Mobile TV
Bluetooth Wireless Technology Lets Your Stream Stereo Music
Hidden QWERTY Keyboard Lets You Send Text, Instant and Email Messages Quickly
Built-in Music Player Lets You Download Music Over-the-air Or Sync With A PC
2.0 Megapixel Autofocus Camera Takes Print-quality Stills, or Extra-long Video Clips
Supports VZ Navigator Audible Turn-by-turn Directions
What's In The Box With The Phone
Additional Items Included - Battery, Wall Charger, User Guide, V CAST Music Manager Software, USB Cable
Advanced Features
Digital Camera - 2.0 Megapixel Resolution (1600 x 1200 Pixels Max), Autofocus, Landscape Viewfinder, Picture Editing
Streaming Multimedia Support - Get On-demand Streaming, Live TV and Music With V CAST Mobile TV Add-on Plan Feature
Direct To Printer Printing - Yes, Supports Bluetooth BIP Profile To Support Direct-to-printer Printing With Compatible Printers
MP3 Player - Plays MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+ Files, Playlists, V CAST Download or Sync From PC (USB Cable Incl.)
GPS Services Support - Yes, Get Turn-by-turn Directions with VZ Navigator from Verizon Wireless Get It Now Service
Bluetooth Wireless Technology - Yes, v1.2, Headset, Handsfree, DUN, OPP, FTP, BPP, HID Profiles Supported
Two-handed Gaming Experience - Yes, Wide Keyboard Format, 3D Graphics and Dual Stereo Speakers Is A Superior Gaming Experience
Video Capture / Camcorder - QVGA Resolution (320 x 240 Pixels Max), Up To 1 Hour Length With Available Memory, Multiple Formats
QWERTY Keyboard - Yes, Protected When Not In Use, Widely-spaced Keys
Bluetooth Stereo Headset (A2DP) - Yes, Supports A2DP and AVRC Profiles So You Can Stream Music To Compatible (A2DP) Devices
Voice-driven Menus - Yes, Advanced Voice Commands With No Pre-training Needed
Parental Controls - Yes, Keep Track of Your Child’s Whereabouts with Chaperone from Verizon Wireless Get It Now Service
Messaging Features
Multimedia Messaging - Yes, Send and Receive Picture or Video Messages With TXT+PIX+FLIX Messaging Add-on Rate Plan Feature
HTML Web Browsing - Full HTML Web Browsing, Bookmarks, High-speed Data Downloads
Text Messaging (SMS) - Yes, Send and Receive Text Messages With TXT+PIX+FLIX Messaging Add-on Rate Plan Feature
Email Client - Supports VZW Mobile Email, Supports POP3 and Corporate Email w/ SYNC Software (Add'l Fees May Apply)
Instant Messenger Built-in - Yes, Send and Receive Instant Messages With TXT+PIX+FLIX Messaging Add-on Rate Plan Feature
Personalization and Fun Features
Polyphonic Ringtones - Yes, Downloadable
Custom Ringtones - Yes
MP3 Ringtones - Yes, Supports MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+ Files
Ringer Profiles - Yes
Picture Caller ID - Yes
Games - Yes, Downloadable Brew Titles
Customizable Graphics - Yes, Downloadable
Core Features
Color Main Display - 400 x 240 Pixels, Over 262,000 Colors
External Display - 400

Best Phone Verizon Sells, But Still Limited To DEATH!

I purchased the Voyager from Amazon for $160. So far I have been both impressed and disappointed with Verizon's constant attempts at controlling 100% of the customers experiences. If Verizon allowed the same Freedom as a Sprint or T-Mobile, they would be close to Perfect.

Pros:
1. Very clear sound. I have not heard any static. Calls sound like Landline calls.
2. Perfect shape design. I love the 9800 series when it comes to design. I love the full keyboard layout and the fact that the phone is a Fold-Open design. Keeping the inside screen safe. I have always preferred talking to someone on a Bar-Style phone, as opposed to a Flip-Phone. So you get both a Flip and Bar-Style phone.
3. Stereo speakers. Both speakers are loud and make content sound crisp and clean.
4. Due 18 bit screens. Both the outside and inside display screens are large and powerful. You would need a program called "Bitpim" in order to make and transfer your own clips and wallpaper to your phone. Don't waste money on the garbage, 1-use, content that Verizon sells.
5. 2MP camera. The camera can take clean pictures, and also has some Night features. NOT Night-Vision! Just some spec's that can help photos taken at night look clearer. Pretty nice camera for a phone.
6. Voice Features are great!My voice has a deep sound to it, which the phone has little problem understanding. I also like the fact that I can set the phone to read the name or numbers of incoming calls.

The Cons:
1. The Voyager being offered through Verizon, causes it to be limited by the BREW OS. BREW offers little to no free applications. Verizon will nickel and dime you to death for every little feature. They charge for application email support, for games, and for applications.
2. While the phone does have an HTML browser, it is not on the level of Opera mini. It cuts pages into pieces, where older version of Opera mini would keep it all in 1 window. The browser is also very slow when it comes to opening large web sites.
3. VCast clips are many, but not very clear. VCast has lots and lots of great clips. But unlike Sprint, Vcast clips are far more pixelated and there is no Streaming TV. VCast will also not work when in 1x parts of the nation and while roaming; unlike SprintTV.
4. VCast Mobile TV is nice, but not $15 a month nice. You get 8 channels... Yeah, only 8. So while VCast TV looks much better then SprintTV, the content is very limited. Out of the 8 channels, 4 are news. Every news channels shows the same things, so having 4 of them is a waste. It would be better to get 1 news channel and 3 more entertainment channels.
5. Sound of clips and TV are muffled and quite when the phone is closed. You can view clips on the outside display, but since the stereo speakers are inside, you will not be able to get great sound from them when the phone is closed. And since Bluetooth profiles have always been limited by Verizon, I no longer have a working set of Bluetooth headphones that work with this phone. There is still a headphones port, so you can use wired headphones.
6. NO STREAMING!! You can't access FREE stream radio or TV, unless you stream it from your computer.
7. GPS, but so what. Verizon charges $9.99 a month for unlimited GPS use. You also have to spend $15 for unlimited VCast for this feature to not charge you for data use. For a 24 hour trial, it cost $2.99 (PLUS DATA USAGE), which is a HORRIBLE PRICE! And since the phone only uses BREW, no free GPS application.

From An Actual Owner, who paid full retail

Pros: Design, QWERTY keyboard, touch interface, slimness.

Cons: Takes some time to get used to, expensive.

Summary: First of all, I think people are either reviewing without actually having held the phone or being overly critical because they paid so much for it.

EXTERNAL DISPLAY: The touchscreen is an absolutely beauty, its very responsive and not overly sensitive. It doesn't smudge like other phones or touch screens out there which is excellent. The outside menus would be better if they were more customizable content wise but a heck of a lot more friendly than the standard verizon OS.

INTERNAL DISPLAY + SPEAKERS: Just as beautiful, and it actually makes it easier to do certain things with the inside instead of outside screens. The two side speakers are GREAT, and even at the loudest setting there is little to no distortion.

INTERNET BROWSER + EASE OF USE: Yes, this doesn't have WiFi but at $15.00 per month for EVDO its not bad at all. The browser works great, although like with everything if you're expecting the full functionality of your laptop or desktop on the tiny little screen you are expecting too much. After a bit of a steep learning curve navigatin, it's good.

TOOLS & MENUS: It has a great set of tools that you see on all other Verizon phones, and the menus are the same only you get to them faster due to the different interface.

BATTERY LIFE: It's GOOD. Most people say its horrible. But using the Internet off and on, texting constantly from either screen and making phone calls I only went through about 60% of my fully charged batter in a 12 hour period.


OVERALL: If you are buying this phone strictly as a web browsing tool, don't. This is a multimedia PHONE. And as a phone it EXCELS in multimedia features.



WISH LIST SLASH QUESTION: If there is anyway to make it SYNC with Microsfot Outlook through a Get It Know App or USB Connection I'd give it a 10 out of 10.