LG 5350 (cellular phone, CDMA2000 1X / AMPS)
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CNET Editors' Review
The good: Compact; sharp color screen; compatible with Sprint's 3G data services; strong features; Java enabled; decent battery life.
The bad: Wireless Web experience should be faster.
The bottom line: The LG 5350 may not have the sex appeal of Samsung's A500, but it holds its own--and it's more affordable.
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 A pocket full of fun, this phone is fairly compact. |
A pocket full of fun, this phone is fairly compact. |
The external LCD is the standard monochrome variety and displays time, date, and caller-ID info, with a blue backlight for flair. All the main buttons on the phone are also lit in blue, except for the End button, which is conveniently illuminated in red.
We liked the dial-pad buttons; they're a decent size, slightly rubberized, and spaced far enough to minimize misdials. We also appreciated the four-way navigational button above the dial pad--it makes scrolling through menus easier--and the dedicated volume control on the side of the phone that doubles as a page up/down scroll button in wireless Web mode. Kudos to LG for avoiding Samsung's mistake with the OK/Enter button; on this model, it's where it should be: in the middle of the four-way navigational control. With its large animated icons, the interface is slightly slicker and cleaner than the A500's.
Like other PCS Vision-enabled phones, the 5350 lets you customize the look of your phone with downloadable graphics, pictures, and sounds, available as part of Sprint's next-generation data service. The wireless Web interface also looks jazzier, though it remains largely text-oriented. (See the Performance section for more on the wireless Web features.)
Keypad kudos to the 5350. It's easier to navigate the phone's menus than that found on Samsung's A500. |
As noted, you can purchase downloadable screensavers and additional games--some are lame, while others are somewhat addictive--for a few dollars. Better yet, by using a special mode that turns off the cell radio, you can play them while you're on a flight.
Speaking of accessories, there's a wireless Web connection kit with USB that allows you to turn your 5350 into a modem. Also, the 5350 is compatible with Sprint's PCS Business Connection service, which allows you to receive corporate e-mail and view your calendar on your phone.
Heavy load: The 5350 comes with a not-so-portable desktop charger. |
Thanks to Openwave's browser--which features Web-page-caching technology, among other enhancements--the 5350's wireless Web experience is slightly better than the A500's. But even though Sprint's 3G network is supposed to make surfing quicker, we didn't notice a significant speed boost. Simultaneously checking sports scores on this model and the WAP-enabled monochrome Sanyo SCP-6200, we didn't get the information any faster on the 5350. Sprint's Vision models currently limit you to XHTML sites, so you can't access the quicker-loading WAP sites. To be clear, the lag time isn't long, but you still have to wait about five seconds for the next screen to appear once you click a link.
As noted, battery life is good, particularly for a color-screen phone. We managed to hit the rated talk time of three hours and came in just a day short the phone's rated standby time of eight days. We should point out that the more you use the phone's backlight and wireless Web features, the bigger a hit the battery takes. Our result for talk time represents continuous use of the phone without the backlight on. Like other LG models, the 5350 comes with a power adapter and a charging cradle. We wish that LG would simply provide a travel charger that plugs directly into the phone. Hide Review
Hunkered down in New York City, Executive Editor David Carnoy covers the gamut of gadgets and writes his Fully Equipped column, which carries the tag line "The electronics you lust for." He's also the author of "Knife Music," a novel that's available at Amazon, bn.com, and as a Kindle, iBooks, or Nook e-book.
User Reviews
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"Dont buy this phone" By moozer
Pros: Umm a little stylish and thats about it.
Cons: Phone is terrible! it shuts off randomly when trying to speed dial someone. the web browser takes literally FOREVER even with good service. the battery falls out all the time, and makes me mad.
Summary: Text messaging is terrible on this, takes forever to send them and sometimes when you push send it takes you to the main screen instead of giving you a confirmation it was sent, so you have to retype the whole thing. Often various browser errors occur, the only good thing ... Expand full review
"Phone would turn off even in an emergency" By CrowesPeak
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: Battery would die and turn off for no reason when charged. Phone turned off while I was driving and I could not call 911 when there was an accident because it turned off and would not turn back on.
Summary: Do not buy this phone if you use the phone for your safety. It does not work well and is not reliable. Everyone who I spoke with that had this phone bought a new one. Waste of money and dangerous.
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