LG Chocolate VX8500 Cell Phone Review - Making/Receiving Calls
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Alfredo Padilla Published on March 16, 2007 Comment on this |
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Dialing Speed (4.08)
To test dialing speed we make 5 phone calls to 5 different numbers and take the average time to get from phone closed to send key. It was quick and easy to make calls on the LG Chocolate, simply reveal the slider, key in your phone number and then hit the send key. This procedure took an average of 3.61 seconds. This is significantly better than the Motorola Razr V3m, which took an average of 4.9 seconds to complete. Overall we were very pleased with how easy it was to make calls on the Chocolate.
Talk and End Button (4.0)
The talk and end buttons on the LG Chocolate are different than those found on many phones because of their placement. The talk key is where you would expect it to be, flanking the directional pad below and to the left. Instead of finding the end button on the opposite side of the directional pad however, you will find it on the left hand side of the phone.
This curious placement allows LG to place a back button where you would normally find the end key, this key is used extensively for navigation and easy access to it is important. Furthermore, an end key is less important on a slider where you can end any call by simply closing the slider.
The placement does create some problems however. For example, if you want to get back to the home screen you will need to readjust your hold on the phone to reach the end key. The send key is a touch sensitive key, so there is no tactile feedback, but it is very convenient to reach for. The end key, despite being a real buttons, provides very poor tactile feedback, and is difficult to find by feel.
Overall we like the fact that LG was willing to buck the trend and use a different layout for the send and end keys, but many users who are used to a standard layout may find the Chocolate’s keys frustrating. We found the keys difficult to get used to, and even once we did get used to them we did not like the feel of either key.
Call Management (6.0)
The call management features on the LG Chocolate are very functional and well thought out. Call history goes back at least 30 days. You can view all calls as well as incoming, outgoing and missed calls. In the list you get the phone number, time and date of the call. When you select an item you also see call duration. Call timers are also extensive, providing information about all, received, dialed, roaming and last calls. There is also a counter for data. Each of these timers can be reset individually, or you can reset them all.
Once you are in a call you are given several options. You can choose to mute the call by hitting the left soft key. The right soft key provides you with a menu that allows access to important applications like messages or contacts, as well as allowing you to record the call. We were disappointed by the fact that the Chocolate doesn’t allow you to put calls on hold, make a second call or conference calls. Call waiting is present however.
Startup to Call (4.81)
Because we’ve all faced a situation where our phone was turned off and we urgently needed to make a call we test how long it takes handsets to go from off to send. We time how long it takes to make calls to five different test phone numbers, and then take the average. The LG Chocolate took an average of 20.8 seconds to make a call. This is an excellent time compared to other phones, for example the Motorola Razr V3m took 35.7 seconds to go from off to send, while the Motorola Q, a smartphone, took a whopping one minute eleven seconds.
Ring Volume (8.9)
To test ring volume we placed the Motorola Q 4 inches away from a sound pressure meter, set the volume to maximum and choose the loudest ringtone available on the phone. We then call the phone and measure the maximum decibels produced. The LG Chocolate scored an impressive 88.7 decibels on this test. This is as loud as the Motorola Razr V3m, but is significantly louder than most other phones. If you have the volume set to maximum on the Chocolate, chances are you’re not going to miss a call.
Ringtone Customizability (0.0)
You cannot use music files are ringtones on the LG Chocolate. This is an unfortunate omission for a music oriented handset, but is not surprising as carriers wish to ensure that they can continue to sell ringtones separate from music.
Non Audio Alerts (6.0)
The Vibration alert on the LG Chocolate is weak, we barely noticed it in our pocket and you could easily miss a call if you were distracted. Compared to a phone like the Motorola Razr V3m, the vibration alert was fairly weak. In addition to vibration, the screen on the Chocolate lights up and displays an incoming call message with the phone number that is dialing in. We were happy to see that the entire screen was taken up. Overall we were not too impressed by the non audio alerts on the Chocolate.
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