I just spent the last half hour text messaging with a client. Who would have thought?
When the iPHONE came out and Jeff Turner reviewed it, I was so jealous! First it was an Apple product and second it was wayyyyy sexy. Alas, it was only an ATA&T product, so I had to pass. Luckily for me, Verizon just introduced the LG Voyager VX1000 - and after only having it for about 10 hours, I'm already in love with it.
The features: VZ Navigator: a GPS system that is easy to use, even for me. I programmed in a few locations and it was right on target. I can see, as a Realtor®, using this feature a lot.
Messaging: Video, Photo and Text. So far, I have just used the heck out of texting. I can see the value in being able to send photos since a client sent me photos from a house he was in a week ago....by using his iPHONE lol. When CNET reviewed the LG Voyager, they said the downside was the exterior touch screen did not offer the qwerty keyboard. Maybe, but, the regular phone keypad is MUCH easier to use than most of your standard cell phone keypads. In fact, I used it more than the qwerty feature today. THAT surprised me.
The touch screen does not require a stylist. It's very intuitive, in fact it vibrates and makes a 'tone' when you touch it, which really helps you navigate.
I checked out CBS Sports and ESPN.....got all the game scores for basketball and the NFL from this past week. BTW, you can watch television on the Voyager. Not a feature I plan on activating at the moment, but during World Series Week, who knows lol.
The camera feature - as CNET opined, the clarity could be a bit better. Not bad in a pinch, but I would not want to be using this as my listing photo camera. It's the only downside I see. For me, I have a great digital camera, so no worries. But still, it would have been better to have a higher quality camera feature. I bet this improves on both the iPHONE and LG as time goes on.
Of course you can email, surf the net, download videos. And the next feature I plan to download? VCast Music of course :-)
This phone is pricey, if you ask me. In stores it's about $359. On line you can buy it, with a two year contract, on the Verizon site, for $199. At least that is what it said last week. It's in such demand, it could be higher now. I was fortunate because I had a Company discount so it did not cost me as much for the phone. But if you don't wince at spending a few hundred bucks for a phone, I think this is well worth the price.
Do any of you have this phone? Love to hear what you say about it. I'm in love.
Elaine, it is very slim and personally i like it being larger than two inches, easier to hold
and see!
Sean, there is a premium package. Comes to about 98 bucks a month. That includes Music, GPS, messaging in all forms, the camera and (I think) 1350 minutes. I get a discount on this too. Now mind you, this does NOT include email and web browsing . I think that is another 10 bucks or 13 bucks a month. I'm holding off till I get over the sticker shock on this. But still, less expensive with more features than the verizone Blackberry offered.
Sure it has all of the scores, but can you turn it sideways to watch videos of a skateboarding bulldog like the iPhone?? You'll have to learn how to use Utterz now. There's a post about it on JT's blog.
Melissa: I am envisioning yer hubby and Moni with vodoo dolls of me for this post LOL Seriously, it's awesome.
Jay you would look very cool with this phone (sorry Moni!) :-)
Bob: I have to admit, one of my colleagues has the Q and it seems easier to use than the Blackberry. Mind you, I'm basing my comments on my eyes and their condition or lack thereof. lol.
John! LOL And what tech toy has JT NOT reviewed! LOLOL I can watch videos sideways, you will have to direct me to the bulldog :-)
Sounds pretty cool, Carole. Maybe I will check it out, and compare the costs with my current Blackberry plan and features. I hate the idea of having to learn a new phone again, though!
Hiya Jeff! It is worth checking out anyway. The Blackberry features are wonderful, no doubt about it. I just can't use the keypad! As for the learning curve, trust me, If I could do it in a few hrs, you will have it goin on in one hour! Seriously!
Carole - I have Palm Treo and I don't very much care for the stylist thing and it's quite bulky. Having sunk in the money for it I will have to just salivate over the new toys. BTW -does it have contacts, etc?
Faina yes the contacts feature is fabulous. With my other phone I had to do three steps or so to actually do things with contacts. Here, very fast. And to type them in the touch screen is SOOOO easy. One thing I have not figured out yet is the 'calendar' date planner feature. It's there I just didn't take the time to learn that yet.
great phone, my broker has one and loves it. I have a K1 Motorola, and what I like most is the blue tooth, or direct computer connection for addresses and media, and 25 mn videos.I am envious of your GPS..but I heard I can hook a GPS program on it..Now I have to figure how!
I love my Blackberry Curve..... And I have owned too many damn phones....... AT & T seems to get some good products... I guess the i phone could be in my future???
Hi Lloyd, oh yeah, I think it's so convenient to have the navigation system right on the phone. I'm glad you can get this service on your current phone now and that you are happy with your phone.
Lewis: Yes I think AT and T is the behemoth no? And the Curve looks sharp. The iPHONE price has gone down a bit and maybe now that the LG is out the pricing competition could help too.
George: I can see you with this phone. I admit to not entirely knowing what this means, but they always ask me 'are you elligible to upgrade?' Apparently I was! lol
Hey Rich, T Mobile is a huge provider, I think some lobbying may be in order - tell them to shape up or else comparing them to Verizon may be like comparing apples and oranges :-)
John I can't think of a better way to start the day than watching a skateboarding bulldog and I'm off to do it. Remember the first big Apple ad during a super bowl? well you may be too young, let's just say it blew us all away.
Looks wicked cool! I do love my Blackberry though for the email. Their suretype system is awesome. After having it for over a year it knows most of the words I use. For instance, If I type in CR it knows how to spell CRAP.
I'd say once you add email, it will be perfect for you!
Linda your Flip camera is way cool too. I think you need to teach the cats to skateboard and video them :-) You are so organized, I bet you utilize every feature that Blackberry has to offer and that's no crap lol
I would love to have one of the new "toy" phones but have avoided them to the "old eyes". I definitely don't want to mess with the stylus. But the I-Phone looks intriguing. Since I've used Verizon for years and we get a company discount, I'll have to watch for reviews on this new LG phone.
How hard is it to type an email message on a phone?
Elaine, my eyes are not great, I've worn glasses off and on since I was in fourth grade. It's uber easy to type, I swear. It's the only phone with a great qwerty keyboard and the touch tone 'closed' version is large enough that I am doing tons of typing there without opening the phone to the keyboard. I would go to a verizon store and try it out. Then order it on line with your company discount. I saved a ton of money (I sound like a GEICO commercial LOL)
I most definitely could not see the blackberry screen or keys easily enough to utilize it.
Carole, I stopped by the Verizon store this afternoon to see when my contract expires (next May). I get $100 off when I upgrade at that time. Plus, it's the holidays so prices are higher now, so I'll wait.
Anyway, as I was talking to the sales gal to tell her how I would use it, she suggested that the EnV might be better ... and cheaper. (I don't plan to watch TV or play games). The qwerty board was the same size and it has a flash on the camera. Did you consider this other phone, and if so, why did you not choose it?
Hi Elaine cool! That makes sense. For me, I went with the new phone because of two things; most importantly, although the inside of the phones are similar, the exterior touch screen for the Voyager takes up the entire outside of the phone and makes it really easy for me to see and use. I found it harder to see the screen on the EnV; but again, its a great phone. I also didn't think it was much of a price difference with the upgrade discount, long time service discount and company discount. But mostly it was the exterior screen. and yeah, I bet the price does come down by then!!
Isn't it great having a phone that is easy to use and powerful. I got the HTC Mogul for Sprint a couple of months ago. I love it. It is Windows Mobile Based and user friendly. Between the Internet and texting, I don't know how I survived without it. I think it actually makes phone calls as well! :)
I noticed on your profile that your teaching experience helped you to hone your real estate skills. I completely agree with you. I am a former 3rd grade teacher and am definitely benefiting from the experience in the classroom.
Hi Sara! You made me so curious I had to go to CNET and check out your phone, it looks awesome, I think we have phones that are very similar. OMG I so agree with you. All these years with whatever free phone they gave me when my last one died, and it took the spiffiest bells and whistles that MADE SENSE to lure me in LOL I bet if someone had told us five years ago we would be texting fools we would have said they were crazy! :-) BTW, if anyone wants to see Sara's phone, here is the CNET review of it.
Hi matthew, I think this Voyager IS a combo of the two; it does everything; but a year from now there will be a newer one LOL. I carry the thing around like a baby, I am still in the honeymoon phase lol
angel and I both went with the Motorola Moto Q a while back and it's fantastic. I don't read about them or watch news or sports on TV so I have no interest in those links but finally catching up to the Blackberry crowd was great when it came to emailing while not in the office. Finally my computer doesn't need to be tied to me 24/7! I thought it might mean work traveled with me even more, but it actually allows us to travel more without worrying about work. That's what this tech stuff is supposed to do!
Hi Gabriel! Yeah, my listing partner Mark loves his Q too. Interesting about emails. I am absolutely obsessed and don't even have a laptop - bet I check email 20 times an hour. No joke. So I was (and am) very reluctant to put that feature on my phone....yet lol. But you make such great points about being more worry free and that being what technology is supposed to do. And ok if you wanna know the truth, now I am uber obsessed with texting and half the time that has nothing to do with real estate LOL. I think the Q looks fairly easy to use to.
I found the Q easy, yes, though I guess in theory they all are supposed to be. I have tried to stay away from texting vs. emails - too many different media to do the same thing.
Thanks for the review of the Voyager. My husband just got the Samsung SCH u740 through Verizon. He wanted something with a full keyboard, but doesn't necessarily need it to do email. It also is a very nice size and makes my blackberry look HUGE. I really want to get a treo but not crazy about getting another "over-sized phone"
Gabriel it's truly amazing how fast technology changes now.
Jane Anne, there are lots of options and even the EnV LG phone has a qwerty keyboard and is a tad less expensive. Check out the Voyager though and you might fall in love too :-)
Carolyn it's interesting, I like the fact that it's bigger. I've never felt totally comfortable with the small phones because i can never sit still when I am on the phone I am almost always wandering. Was thinking how I had a forty five min conversation yesterday and stayed stationary for almost the entire time....not my normal mo LOL. This phone fits under my chin really well (yes I know I could use an earpeice that will be my next purchase a blue tooth)
Carole - I'm glad you found a phone you can be passionate about. Despite AT&T and needing now 2 phones since I need my Verizon Treo to open our lockboxes, I LOVE my iPhone. It's wonderful when you can really enjoy using a tool.
I love it more than ever Maureen. In fact, one thing that amazes me, it doesn't need to be charged as frequently as all my other cell phones. Seems like each time I got a new one it had more features that drained the battery; which SHOULD mean this one too but it doesn't. I can go every two days -- and it's my only phone! getting the music is a tad convoluted at times but other than that I have no issues. You might wanna try the Envy (EnV?) as well. Happy New YEar
I am thinking about getting an LG Scoop and I need some reviews, please. People keep saying that Scoops are horrible phones, but I want some reviews from people who actually have a Scoop and know how they work.
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