LG Venus Cell Phone Review - Hardware
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Mark Brezinski Published on December 05, 2007 Comment on this |
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Keypad
Text Words Per Minute (9.26)
What better way to test the keypad than perform a typing test? First we turn predictive text on, then open up some application where we can enter text. Then we time how long it takes to enter in our test paragraph. From this we can figure out a words per minute score. We do five trials and then take the average for our score.
The Venus chewed through our sample paragraph in 20.73 seconds, which is about 46.31 words per minute. As you can see on the below chart, this is towards the fast end of the spectrum. It's important to point out that the below phones have either touchscreen QWERTY keyboards or normal keypads; there isn't a traditional QWERTY represented. We were actually surprised we were able to squeeze almost 46 words per minute out of the keypad, because the grip necessary for typing with both thumbs was a bit awkward. The keypad is so near the bottom of the phone there isn't much to counterbalance the top from toppling every time you lift up both thumbs.
| Cell Phone | Words Per Minute | Score |
| LG Venus | 46.31 | 9.26 |
| LG Chocolate Vx8550 | 38.49 | 7.70 |
| Apple iPhone | 39.6 | 7.92 |
| HTC Touch | 25.9 | 5.18 |
| Razr2 V9m | 44 | 8.80 |
| Samsung Juke | 36.7 | 7.34 |
T9 and Auto Complete (5.0)
The Venus features T9, but not auto complete. The T9 wasn't able to learn words we commonly used. For a phone aimed at the hip youth of today, the Venus really doesn't have very good texting support.
One Hand Usability (8.51)
Typically phones with keypads do better on this one-handed typing test than those with QWERTY keyboards. The reason is the keys are much closer together, so there isn't much thumb movement. The more thumb movement, the more the phone will pitch and roll around in your hand, and the less accurate each press will be.
With only one hand and the Venus, we managed to type out our test paragraph in 22.56 seconds. This is about 42.55 words per minute. Those with an eye for details will notice this is less than four words per minute slower than with two hands. This is the amazing super power of keypads: their one-handed and two -handed words per minute scores tend to be very similar. We thought the Venus would do worse here, because the off-balance grip is more exaggerated with just one hand holding the phone and typing.
| Cell Phone | Words Per Minute | Score |
| LG Venus | 42.55 | 8.51 |
| LG Chocolate Vx8550 | 29.8 | 5.96 |
| Apple iPhone | 32.1 | 6.42 |
| HTC Touch | 24.2 | 4.84 |
| Razr2 V9m | 39.2 | 7.84 |
| Samsung Juke | 31.25 | 6.25 |
Keypad Backlighting (5.5)
The Venus's keypad is fairly evenly lit, though the light itself isn't very bright. It should be enough to see the keys in the dark, but those with sub-par vision might have issues with the relative dimness. There are a few settings for keypad backlighting. You can opt to have it on for 7, 15, or 30 second intervals, always on, or always off. There is no light sensor; the keypad will always come on when you slide open the phone.
Controls
D-Pad/Joystick (3.0)
The Venus doesn't have a traditional physical D-pad. Its touchscreen, however, is a dedicated D-pad surrogate, and we will score it as such. As the D-pad is software-based, there are times where it isn't very responsive, or doesn't respond at all. Only rarely could we could click it as fast as we could a normal D-pad. The only real advantage the virtual D-pad has over an actual D-pad is it can change dynamically, replacing the traditional 5-key array with appropriately labeled buttons. Normally, D-pad shortcut reminders would either necessitate main screen real estate, or else you'd be required to remember the function of each. If it weren't for the responsiveness issue, the touchscreen would be a great D-pad replacement.
Touch Screen (3.0)
Jog Dial (0.0)
The Venus doesn't have a jog dial; not even the volume keys provide list-scrolling functionality.
Soft Buttons (5.0)
The soft buttons suffer and benefit from all the issues of the D-pad. As they aren't physical keys, they can sometimes be unresponsive, though this isn't as debilitating as it is on the D-pad. The soft keys benefit more from the dynamic changing than the D-pad, however, as the D-pad only reformats in certain applications while most screens have a few common menu items that deserve soft key assignment. There can be up to four soft key options at once. Normal physical key arrangements only have two. We wish all four keys were used more often than they are, as there are definitely a few screens with important menu items that only use two soft keys. A great example would be the browser, which could definitely benefit from a "Go to URL" button in the bottom left slot.
Volume Control (3.0)
The volume keys are located on the left side of the phone. Thought it might look like a rocker, you can hit both keys at once. The slight dip in the middle represents an almost imperceptible change in the topography. As such, the best way to differentiate between up and down is to just navigate to each button from the outside. The keys do have a good snap to them, so you'll know if you've pressed it, and also if you've pressed both accidentally.
Power and Standby (4.0)
Power is handled by the end key. Just press it for a bit and the phone will turn off. The key itself offers good tactile response, and the wait isn't too long or short. Standby mode happens automatically, a few minutes after you've stopped using the phone. As such, there aren't any buttons to control it. There also aren't any software options to control it either.
Other Buttons (7.0)
The Venus has four additional buttons not discussed in a section above. The first is the CLR key, which sits in the middle seat of the keypad's top row. It functions as a back button and delete key. The left side of the phone has a dedicated voice command key, whose secondary function starts the voice recorder. The right side of the phone has a music key whose secondary function is to start playing from where you left off. The camera button is also on the right side, and it can open up the video recorder as a secondary function.
Display
Primary Screen Gross Resolution (8.0)
Both of the Venus's screens have QVGA resolution, or 320 x 240 pixels. This is a standard resolution for displays, as you might've guessed from the table below. The only two exceptions are the iPhone and the Juke, which have gargantuan and diminutive screens respectively.
| Cell Phone | Resolution | Score |
| LG Venus | 320 x 240 | 8.00 |
| LG Chocolate Vx8550 | 320 x 240 | 8.00 |
| Apple iPhone | 480 x 320 | 9.00 |
| HTC Touch | 320 x 240 | 8.00 |
| Razr2 V9m | 320 x 240 | 8.00 |
| Samsung Juke | 220 x 128 | 3.00 |
Primary Screen Pixels per Inch (10.0)
Pixels per inch, or PPI, is a pretty self-explanatory measurement. The Venus has 200 PPI, meaning every inch of display is comprised of 200 pixels even. This is a good score, which comes from a slightly smaller than average screen and a completely average resolution. The iPhone, Touch, and Razr2 all had larger screens than the Venus, meaning their resolutions had to cover more of an area. The Venus will have sharp lines and more accurate color representation than phones with lower PPI.
| Cell Phone | Pixels Per Inch | Score |
| LG Venus | 200 | 10.00 |
| LG Chocolate Vx8550 | 200 | 10.00 |
| Apple iPhone | 164.8 | 8.24 |
| HTC Touch | 142.9 | 7.15 |
| Razr2 V9m | 181.8 | 9.09 |
| Samsung Juke | 115.73 | 5.79 |
Screen Physical Size (5.00)
The Venus's main screen is a mere two inches diagonally. This is the industry minimum of sorts, as only few phones dare dip below a 2" diagonal. The table below emphasizes this; the only screen smaller than two inches is the Juke's, and the Juke is a tiny, tiny phone.
| Cell Phone | Size Diagonal (inches) | Score |
| LG Venus | 2 | 5.00 |
| LG Chocolate Vx8550 | 2 | 5.00 |
| Apple iPhone | 3.5 | 8.75 |
| HTC Touch | 2.8 | 7.00 |
| Razr2 V9m | 2.2 | 5.50 |
| Samsung Juke | 1.45 | 3.63 |
Screen Brightness (2.65)
Testing screen brightness is a relatively simple process. First we turn up the brightness settings. Then we browse to a blank white web site (putting it in full screen if available). Lastly, we hold the phone two inches away from a light sensor and measure the light output in lux. This score is based partly on its lux level, but also on the available brightness settings.
The Venus measured 63 lux on this test. This is slightly sub par. Our results for brightness cover a fairly large range, but as of this review, the average result is around 73 lux. The Venus also has a few strikes against it in its software. First of all, there are no brightness settings, which, as previously alluded to, is a fair chunk of the score. Secondly, the Venus just doesn't want its display to stay on for any length of time. The only options under backlight settings are to set the dim timer. There are only three delay settings for the dimmer: 7 seconds, 15 seconds, and 30 seconds. You can also opt to turn off the backlight completely. There isn't an option to keep it on indefinitely, or to extend it past 30 seconds. We took off a half point here: it's a pointless and annoying restriction.
| Cell Phone | Brightness (lux) | Score |
| LG Venus | 63 | 2.65 |
| LG Chocolate Vx8550 | 55 | 3.15 |
| Apple iPhone | 168 | 15.40 |
| HTC Touch | 105 | 8.00 |
| Razr2 V9m | 52 | 5.85 |
| Samsung Juke | 43 | 3.65 |
Screen Bright Light Performance (3.0)
This test is a practical one: how well can you see the screen on a sunny day? To test, we shine 3000 lux at the phone, which is the equivalent light output of such a day, and try to read the screen. The main screen had quite a bit of glare, but we could read it. The touchscreen was almost totally hidden under the glare, however. You will definitely have to shield the secondary screen more often than not to see the options.
Color Depth (8.0)
The Venus boasts 262,000 colors, a color display which finds itself in the phone equivalent of the upper middle class (or at least until phones start displaying colors in excess of 16 million). The Venus will be capable of deep, vibrant colors.
| Cell Phone | Colors (thousands) | Score |
| LG Venus | 262 | 8.0 |
| LG Chocolate Vx8550 | 262 | 8.0 |
| Apple iPhone | 65 | 6.0 |
| HTC Touch | 65 | 6.0 |
| Razr2 V9m | 65 | 6.0 |
| Samsung Juke | 262 | 8.0 |
Secondary Screen (12.19)
The Venus's secondary screen boasts an impressive display for its size. It runs 262,000 colors, has a 176 x 240 resolution display, measures 1.49 inches diagonally, and has touch capabilities. Of course the secondary display is a little different than most phones as it shares the front of the phone with the main display instead of being on the outside of a clamshell as you find on phones like the Razr2 V9m.
Ports & Storage
Power & Data Ports (2.0)
The Venus uses a proprietary port for both power and charging. Thankfully, it comes with a USB cable (as all phones should), so as long as you don't lose it you should be fine. The phone will be able to charge via a USB connection.
Headphone & Jack Compatibility (6.0)
The Venus has a 2.5mm headphone jack. It also supports Bluetooth headsets. While we definitely appreciate a standard headphone jack, we would've liked to see the much more common 3.5mm jack.
Internal Storage (1.0) Though not explicitly stated on either Verizon or LG's websites, the Venus has about 136MB of internal storage. Memory is partitioned on the phone: music receives 63.5MB, and the phone gets the remaining 72.5MB. This isn't a lot in either case. We'd recommend picking up a memory card if you want to store a significant amount of music on the Venus.
Expansion Slot & Format (8.0)
The Venus accepts MicroSD cards with SDHC support. This means you can hold up to 8GB on your card, which is very substantial. This makes the Venus a viable Mp3 player replacement as long as you're willing to invest in a suitably sized card.
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