LG VX-2000 Cell Phone

I selected the VX2000 back in February when I signed up for the Verizon Family Choice Plan. It was the only phone they had at the time that had all the features I wanted - speakerphone, voice dial, GPS enabled - and the price ($70 with 2 year plan) was reasonable. I also personally prefer a non-flip to a flip phone.

After struggling with the difficult keypad of the Moto StarTac I wanted something easier to use, and I was attracted to the layout of the LG. The keys are large enough so I don't press two at once, and I don't have to "dig" into the keypad when entering a number. I also liked the four-way pad at the top, without a central button to get in the way.

I read the previous two reviews of this phone, and I am frankly very surprised. I cannot believe we are talking about the same phone. We have three of them - I just gave mine to my younger daughter and picked up a VX6000 (the camera phone), which I am trying out. If I don't like it I may get a fourth VX2000.

Entering numbers is NOT a big deal. You simply enter the number as though you were dialing it, then hit the #1 function button to save it. In one set of steps, you name it, identify it as home, office, mobile, etc., and (optionally) attach a voice tag to it. I set up my frequent call list (20 numbers or so) in less than an hour, and that was doing it cold - just after I got the phone.

I like the "attempted match" feature of its phone book. I have about 50 numbers saved, so scrolling down even halfway means 25 key presses. The match feature cuts that down to 5 or so.

To activate voice dial, you just press the left side of the four-way pad, then speak the voice tag. That's it. My only beef here is that I have to speak carefully for some tags - for example, my wife and older daughter have similar enough names that it can get confused. I should just re-record the voice tags.

Adjusting volume during a call is not a hassle - just use the left and right sides of the pad to adjust it. I do wish there were more levels of volume, though. When using the earpiece, I usually have to turn the volume down to its lowest setting. Turning on the speakerphone is easy, too - just hold down the bottom of the four-way pad for one second. The speakerphone voice quality, while usable, could be better - it's a bit raspy at times.

Battery life is okay. Yes, you don't get all the time promised by the promo literature or the salesdroids, but I always look at those numbers like MPG estimates for cars ("your actual mileage may vary"). If I don't use the phone much, I can go over two days without a recharge. But usually I just plug the phone into its charger every night, as I have been repeatedly assured that this will not harm the battery. It also charges quickly - even 30 minutes or so on a nearly dead phone will get me through the day.

Cell reception has been mostly excellent. I live in an area with a strong signal, so at home and driving around there are no problems. At work it's touch and go due to interference, but if I go outside the signal improves. I have less trouble with dropped calls than my friends who use Nextel or other services. Up in northern Michigan, where Verizon doesn't have a lot of digital service yet, I could still get an analog signal, and while call quality suffered in the remote areas (e.g. the campground), I could get by.

As for the fancy bells and whistles, well, I don't use them. There's only a couple of games loaded, but so what - I don't use a phone to play games. And I don't use mobile web features, so I can't comment on those.

In short, I have found this to be a well-designed, reliable phone, at least so far. I would recommend it to anyone.