LG A7110 review (AT&T)

According to LG, the A7110 is capable of downloading and playing MobiTV streaming video clips over Cingular's EDGE Class 10 network. Yet when we actually found the MobiTV application, which is hidden away in the menu for Cingular's MediaMail, we received a message that it's not yet available for the phone. In any case, top speeds for EDGE reach 236Kbps. This is a big improvement over streaming video with Cingular's older network, but it's still slower than Verizon's V Cast service.

The A7110 comes loaded with Web and Internet features, the most notable of which is the built-in AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) client. Right out of the box, users can launch an instant-messenger session on their phone. Although the lack of a QWERTY keyboard means you have to do a lot of tapping, it should be a boon for users who want to quickly send and receive IMs. The WAP 2.0 Web browser and built-in Java engine let you quickly get online and download games and applications. Unlike with many phones, you can store you purchased content directly on the phone and access it via the MyMedia folder.

You can personalize the A7110 with a variety of wallpaper and color schemes or download more options and ring tones. The mobile comes with one game, SpaceBall, but you always can get more if you want them.

We tested the triband (GSM 850/1800/1900; EDGE) LG A7110 in the New York metropolitan area and found the call quality to be excellent. We had no problem finding a clear signal and were always able to hear callers clearly. Even on crowded streets, the phone was able to block out much of the background noise.

Battery life was less than stellar. The talk time was an underwhelming 2.75 hours, 15 minutes short of the rated 3 hours. Standby time was an equally mediocre 6.5 days on a single charge, compared with the promised time of 8.3 days. According to the FCC, the A7110 has a digital SAR rating of 0.71 watts per kilogram.