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CNET editors' rating:
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Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 08/26/2005
The postage-stamp-size external display is a big improvement upon the monochrome screen on the LG VI-125. Supporting a bright 65,000 colors, the display shows the date, the time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID (where available). You can't change the backlighting time, but you can adjust the contrast and select the wallpaper. Above the screen, which functions as a camera viewfinder for taking self-portraits, is the camera lens and flash. With the cell phone in standby mode, you can set the flash to flicker when the LG is off.
The internal display measures 1.75 inches diagonally and supports 65,000 colors. Although it can be hard to see in direct light, it is fine for viewing photos and the simple menus, which come in two styles. You can change the font size, the contrast, and the backlighting, and you get a choice of four clock styles. We also like the dual-clock mode, which can show the time in two cities simultaneously.
The dial pad is nice and roomy--there's even room for a dedicated speakerphone button just above the 2 key--and the buttons are just slightly raised to aid in touch dialing. The blue backlighting is bright enough to see in the darkest rooms. Above the dial pad, you'll find the Talk, Back, and End buttons. Above that, the four navigation keys are user programmable, so you can create shortcuts to your most frequently accessed functions; however, the OK key in the middle of the navigation pad is permanently fixed on accessing camera features in standby mode. You'll also find soft keys on either side of the navigation pad, as well as a dedicated speakerphone key. The left spine features a volume rocker and a button for launching camera mode. Above them is the headset jack, but we found the rubber port cover could never close completely.
The LG PM-225's feature list won't knock anyone's socks off, but what it does offer, it does well. The phone book holds up to 500 contacts, each of which can contain five phone numbers. You can also store up to 500 e-mail and Web addresses. The selection of in-call menu options is respectable: During a call, you can send a text message, set up a three-way call, or record up to 3 minutes of your conversation with the Record Voice Memo option. As for other features, you get a vibrate mode, 12 traditional and 18 polyphonic ring tones, text and multimedia messaging, a notepad, a calculator, an alarm clock, a scheduler, voice dialing, a world clock, and a tip calculator. The speakerphone is a great addition, but you can't turn it on before you make a call.An Auto Answer feature answers incoming calls in car-kit/headset mode--a nice tool to use while driving. A feature called Abbreviated Dialing automatically calls a contact after you've entered the last four digits of that number. You set up Abbreviated Dialing by entering the area code and first three digits of a number. It's a solid feature for business users, since you can simply dial a four-digit extension to reach colleagues who share the same prefix.
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