LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 (Verizon Wireless)

Pros: Great touch interface
Excellent call quality
Sleek design
Thin profile
Great for texting, easy to use virtual keyboard
Screen landscape switches when phone orientation is changed
Excellent Battery Life

Cons: Internet usage requires using a stylus for best accuracy
Slow browser can make internet/email frustrating
Scrolling takes time to get used to
Zoom is too sensitive in the browser
Phone really needs a trackball to complete it

Summary: Overall, I was very surprised by the LG Chocolate Touch. I previously was using the LG Chocolate VX8550, and was looking for a phone that I could text on, use the internet on, but still keep the high quality calls that I was used to. I also wanted to avoid the high per month fees that Verizon charges for their smart phone data plans. My choice came down to Chocolate Touch and the LG enV Touch. I had read enough bad reviews about the poor reliability and battery life in the enV touch, so I decided to go with the Chocolate and take advantage of the 30 day exchange if necessary. I'll go through several areas of the phone in my review.

Styling

The look of the phone is sleek. It feels very comfortable in my hand as a phone and as well as a media device. There is a handy speakerphone button on the side of the phone that makes switching to speakerphone mode a snap. There is also a button to lock the screen as well, in addition to side button for the camera, music player, and volume.

Screen

The screen is bright and has quite a bit of clarity. There is a sliding screen lock on the touch screen that prevents accidental phone dialing and screen selecting if you carry the phone in your pocket. The screen changes orientation when you turn the phone sideways, giving you a full keyboard for texting or a wider view for web browsing. There is also a proximity sensor in the phone that shuts the screen off as you bring it close to your face to talk on the phone.

Texting

I've found texting to be a breeze on the phone. I really wasn't a big texter on my last phone, since it didn't have a keyboard that was easy to use. This phone really makes texting fun, and the virtual keyboard is much easier to use than I anticipated.

Call Quality

Call quality on the phone has been great. The Verizon service has always been pretty good, but sometimes the phones don't take full advantage of it. This phone has performed well - voices sound clear and not mechanical.

Phone features

The dialing buttons are exceptional. They are big and easy to hit. You are presented with many options on the screen when you connect a call, such as adding them as a contact, etc. which you can do if you are using the speakerphone.

Email and Internet Access

This is the one area that the phone struggles. It should be no surprise, as most phones in this category aren't going to be as smooth to use as their Smartphone/Blackberry cousins. I found both to be slower than I liked. However, I've found that using a stylus has really improved the experience. One issue is that the areas to select things on web pages are really small, so that then you go to click on it with your finger you either miss or zoom in by mistake. Using a stylus makes for a much smoother experience, and allows you to click more accurately. I am not a heavy internet user, so I don't mind this so much, but the power user will want to go with a smartphone or blackberry. especially if you want a lot of apps and the like.

Scrolling

This takes some time to get used to. I was used to the Ipod touch scrolling feature, which does a great job of differentiating between a scroll and click. On the Chocolate, you need to place your finger down, then keep in down as you scroll. Scrolling up with your finger makes the page go down, and vice versa. You can make the scroll go fast by placing your finger down and moving it quickly up/down, sort of like the ipod touch/phone.

Zoom

The zoom in the internet browsing is much too sensitive. I find myself zooming when I don't want to. This happens mostly when trying to drag the page to a new area. As I get used to the phone it happens less and less, so there is a learning curve, and it does get better with time.

Overall, I love my new phone. I realize it isn't the top of the line, but for me and my needs it fits perfectly. It's got great features, a nice price, and is just fun to use. It also looks great and gets the "oooo and ahhs" from my friends, which is nice as well! If LG ever creates another model in the future, they should include a trackball for scrolling around the web pages more smoothly.