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"The LG Wave AX380 is a great value if you need to make calls" on by maximuslyricus
Pros: Reception, Volume, Bluetooth, Most Everything
Cons: Speaker is on back. Menu/OK button is too small, speakerphone, unable to move menu icons
Summary: The LG Wave is probably the cellphone that I have had. If you are looking for a phone to use to primarily make phone calls, then this one is tops. It has great reception, volume and clarity. The bluetooth works great, and I have been able to download mp3s, screensavers, ringtones, etc. via bluetooth. If you get this phone, you will be able to set your audio downloads as ringtones, and you will be able to set your video to caller ID. The size of the screens are sufficient, and the colors are vibrant. Although the camera is only 1.3 MP, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the pictures are much better than expected (as I have taken several photos that have come out great considering that it's a camera phone).
I would have liked to have been able to move the icons on my menu. I do find myself hitting the arrow keys when I am trying to hit the menu key, but I have pretty much mastered it. The button needs to be a little bit bigger, or raised, but that's no big deal (and the rest of the keypad is very functional even if it is basically flat). Like many phones, the speaker is on the bottom, which I don't particularly care for but it's definitely not a deal breaker.
When my wife puts me on speaker, I hear an echo at times which is annoying, but I can live with it. I don't know if it's the connection, line or what, so I don't know if I can really attribute the echo to the Wave per se.
All in all, the positives of this phone far outshine the nominal negatives. I would definitely recommend this phone for those whose primary purpose is to make a decent phone call. And, to top it off, you have a few toys to play with. For a phone that I only spent $20 bucks on at letstalk.com, I can't complain. -
"best quality phone for the price" on by houszo
Pros: MP3, light, camera, look
Cons: nothing right now
Summary: The Wave is packed with great features that work very well for a really cool price. You get a lot for your money with this phone!
Best feature is the MP3 for me. It's really nice and easy to use.
Camera is great, display is beautiful, calls are clear. I don't have anything bad to say. -
"Great Features but main screen fonts are too small and keys are flat and not very tactile" on by dallase1
Pros: Lots of great features for price, expandable memory, can use MP3s or MIDI files for ring tones so you can have free ring tones
Cons: Keys too flat and have very little tactile feel, touch screen on front is a bit annoying reception not so good in remote areas
Summary: PROS:
When I first got this phone I thought it was great because it can use MIDI files or MP3s for ring tones so I could keep all my customized MIDI ring tones from my old phone or add MP3s if I prefer I also like how it you can copy ring tones to a MicroSD card and then copy to the phones internal memory eliminating the need to buy the over priced connection software and cable kit. Photos, Movies and Voice Recordings can be saved to the memory card for easy transfer to a PC.
The MP3 player is cool for being on a Cell Phone, it won't replace a regular Media Player like the Creative Zen W but it's still nice to have it. The on the front controls for the MP3 Player is a cool Idea but they should have made them regular buttons as opposed to touch sensitive but if you are careful it's not too bad.
The color front screen is nice because it shows the date and time all at once plus it will display picture IDs if someone on your Contacts list calls that you have assigned a picture ID and it also acts as a self portrait view finder for the camera.
The 1.3 MP is a cool feature but it seems to blur easily if you even slightly move it when taking a picture and lacks a flash but most camera phones lack any kind of real flash, my Kyocera had so called flash which was just a led light that was only good for real clsoe up. 1.3 MP is good for a Cell Phone and maybe it does better in sunlight as far as the bluring problem but one does not buy a cell phone as their only camera, that is what a regular digital camera is for.
CONS:
I don't care for how they made the keys flat because it has very little tactile feed back but it's still way better then the Iphone or any touch screen type keypad why do they think people prefer to not be able to actually feel the buttons like on most other devices with buttons?
The Touch sensitive so called buttons on the front are too sensitive and I've changed tracks or made it fast forward / re winde many times because I forgot to lock them before grabbing the closed phone to put it in my belt case or put it down. It's a bit anoying but not so bad that it's aggravating.
I had a Kyocera phone before this one and it had horrible reception, in my home I bearly got a good signal and calls would either drop or break up, the Wave does not seem to have much stronger of a signal because the signal strength meter is usually at 1 or 2 bars but my very first basic non color non flip Nokia phone from Alltel and all my NET10 $30 (30 up front cost not a rebate price )phones made by you guessed it Nokia, all had much better reception also when I would go into Walmart with my Kyocera it would say searching because it lost the signal, not so with cheap NET10 phones they all got 3 bars or better.
Like my Kyocera the flip seems to dig into my ear and if I try and move the phone up past the top of my ear the hole where the ear pice is goes past my ear's hole making it harder to hear the other person but maybe that is just a matter of finding a comfortable postion on my ear without missing my ear hole.
One last complaint is that the fonts are too small when reading or entering contacts for some reason they chose black letters on a white back ground, there should be a way to change the font sizes on more then just the dialing numbers and also change the back ground color when entering information. We older folk don't have the same sharp eyesight as them younger people, it's a larger screen so why use small fonts? My old Kyocera had a much smaller main screen but it was eaiser to read the text on it because it had larger fonts.
All around it's a better phone then my old Kyocera but could definitly use some improvments that would not be hard to implement.
All and all it's a good phone that could eaisly be better witout exspecting perfection. When you are limited by Alltel's selection for a fair price I'd say the Wave is a good choice, if only they still offered Nokia phones the Best Brand Of Cell Phone On The Market.Updated
I mistakenly said as on of the Pros that you can assign MP3s as ring tones, you can't so that is a big CON and is wrong, I should be able to assign any supported audio file as a ring tone. -
"Tough amazing phoneq" on by narn3049
Pros: Tough, I mean it can stand up to anything
Cons: None not one
Summary: Not that bad of a device. My friend got this phone around when it came out. He abused this thing daily, even got it wet. He went and upgraded to a droid but still considers this the toughest he's owned.
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"Great phone when new, doesn't age well." on by Chord1995
Pros: Great music player, good camera (even a self portrate screen), great signal, good looks.
Cons: Requires an adapter to use regular headphones. After 1 year, battery has troubles, charger doesn't always work, phone doesn't always recognize that it's open.
Summary: I got the U.S. Cellular version of this phone (the UX 380) which is very similar to the Alltel version but has a red-to-black shell. This phone has great features: a built-in digital music player (which can be used with the phone closed using the touch sensitive areas on it's shell), a 1.3MP camera (which also can be used with the phone closed), calendar functions that rivals some PDAs', and great signal (especially for the price). This phone isn't without it's flaws though. Even new, the charger was difficult to attach, and has become nearly impossible after 18 months. The 2.5mm jack has to have an adapter to use a regular headphone jack. The battery, which lasted 3 days when new, has dropped to less than 8 hours with regular use. Last, the phone has quit recognizing when it's open or closed, which makes it difficult to use some functions. Overall, for the price, this phone has been very good. I just wish it aged better.
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