LG VX-8100
Phone Scoop Review
Nov 17, 2005 by Jesse Lewin
In-depth review of LG's mainstream EV-DO phone for 2005. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
Disappointing
I'm an LG fan and advocate. I have 4 lines with Verizon and they are all LG's. I was also a Verizon Store Manager for 3 years and I can tell you LG rules and I guess that is why I was so disappointed with the 8100. I am switching from the LG 7000.
Pros: Stylish, compact, Vibrate mode is pretty good. Speaker phone good too.
Cons: The video feature is awful. Looks like a 7-11 store security camera!!! This definitely must be LG's biggest embarrassment since the LG-330. I can't believe LG is taking a step back from the LG 7000. I tried different settings for the video camera and the image still breaks up. Let me know if it is just me or if this has a fix.
Not what I expected
This phone is crippled beyond belief and besides bluetooth and an SD mini slot, its not that big of an upgrade from an 8000 for the money you pay (retail). hell it can almost be considered a downgrade in some ways.
PROS:
-bluetooth
-higher quality screen
-sd mini slot
-smaller than 8000
CONS:
-NO MP3 PLAYER (for crying out loud the 8000 had one)
-bluetooth is crippled
-speakerphone is subpar and gives a bit of an echo sometimes
-partitioning of the memory is weird as heck (u only get 32mb if that)
-ringtones can't be loaded from SD card and you have to rename each MP3 to MID to play
If you have an 8000 or hell even a 7000, you might want to wait to see if Verizon releases an update to fix all the issues. IF you need a phone now, get the Moto E815. It runs circles around this phone and does everything this phone was supposed to do.
Nice... but what is with the light show?
Just got the phone this weekend. Great phone, love the video, photos and mp3 to come. Solid construction. If you are looking for email apps they are buried under IM apps. Not sure why. My one complaint, and it probably would have turned me off to this phone, is the light show on the cover. Horrible, multi-colored, tacky, flashing lights that you can't turn off (as far as I know?). Minus this disco light show feature it is a great phone.
VX-8100: This is progress?
Advances in technology should be measured by how much easier they make your life. I switched from Sprint and a nice little Sanyo phone to Verizon and the VX-8100.
My three main requirements were: 1) voice dialing, 2) speakerphone, and 3) readable displays.
1) Voice dialing. On my Sanyo phone, I could press TALK, the say, "Greg's cell." Now I have to say "Call," then a name, then verify the name, then answer "Yes" or "No" the all the different numbers I have stored for Greg. What used to take 2 steps, now takes 7 or more. This is progress? I wish that someone at LG would have been thoughtful enough to give the option for voice-dependent OR voice-independent.
2) Speakerphone. The speaker is adequate. My biggest problem is that it took awhile to figure out how to turn it on. There was no reference for it in the User's Guide. The speakers remind me of Princess Leia and don't do much for the look of the phone.
3) Readable displays. I need reading glasses all the time. The only thing big about the phone's display is the size of the numbers entered from the keypad. I need the front display and contacts list to be larger. Also, the little (emphasis on "little") icons in the contacts list are not helpful. The little cellphone icon and the office building icon look alot alike. My old phone displayed (M), (H), and (W) after the numbers. No mistaking those.
PROS:
⢠Nice design.
⢠Good sound quality/reception.
CONS:
⢠Voice dialing is tedious and time-consuming.
⢠Displays are too small, not adjustable.
⢠Contacts list not easily readable or recognizable.
LG 8100 is a good phone
The phone is overall a good phone.
Pros:
Great voice features, I could tell the phone thru my blue tooth headset what number to dial, check my messages, voice mail and call from phone book.
The camera is good.
The color screen is bright and crisp
The "get it now" feature is fast. I can check Yahoo, MSN and more very easy.
Size is great for all the stuff you get.
The outside screen is cool.
Cons:
Speaker phone should work with the phone shut.
Need card to use some features and to browse some websites.
I am still playing with this phone, when I learn more, I will post.
http://www.wirelessconsultant.net
Just doesn't work well!
I bought the 8100 because of all the months of hype and its glitzy flashy look. After buying and using it for two days, I discovered that its classy look is about all it has to offer. The speaker phone was highly distorted sounding and frequently breaks up. People could not understand me when I spoke. I discovered this at first when I called in my voice mail name. When the computer said it back to me, I could hardly understand my speech. I had to record it 6 times before it was finally intelligible. I then called Verizon customer service to check on the problem and the lady there said it sounded awful and I should return it. When I returned it to the Verizon store, even the sales rep said it sounded terrible as did the store sample we also tried. After an hour and a half of trying various other phones at the Kiosk (I commend the reps who were so very patient and helpful with my search) I chose the E815 which runs circles around the 8100. Don't waste your time with the 8100, the Moto 815 has it beat hands down when it comes to clear speech at both ends and overall functionality. I am not in any way involved in sales of any cellphones or services relating to them. I am just a common person who likes my phone to work well!
PROS: Cute phone, pretty color, nice buttons, big screen, easy to use menus, solid construction, easy to use camera that takes good enough photos, nice zoom on camera.
CONS: Lousy speaker phone sound, poor call quality on both ends, boring wallpaper, minimal ring tone choices, non-working MP3 player, weak signal bar readings where other phones get 4 bars.
"Get It Now"....or get nothing
I'm giving it half a point because the ringers sound pretty loud...thats it.
Pros-Loud Ringer
CONS:
Slow camera start
Small screen (helps hide the poor camera at least)
Low Res outer display
Bluetooth...cant believe they even call it that. I'm used to OBEX not being supported by VZW, but now DUN?? Come on. It wont support dial up networking, so goodbye modem use (by design of course).
Signal is lousy
Call quality is poor
Battery is seperate from the cover, you know thats gonna creek like hell in a few months.
Those buttons on the flip? They dont do anything!
Battery life is mediocre at best
Not even a belt clip in the box. More for you to buy!
MP3 only works with Verizon's upcoming pay-for MP3 service, you cant use your own.
Ugly, weak interface (soon to be VZW standard) that is not customizable at all.
Like sending yourself your own .midi ringers throuhg a pix message? Disabled! You Get it Now, or you Get Nothing.
Signal so bad VCAST barely works at all.
Looks like an extendable antenna...but its not!
I dont get it, this phone looked so awesome, but when you actually get to using it, it sucks! Its a downgrade, and a virtual ATM for Verizon. Almost every special feature of this phone has some sort of cost associated. MP3 you have to buy from verizon, you cant get you own ringers anymore, so on, so forth. I know they are not a charity, but come on....
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF Stay away!!!
I honestly wanted to like this phone. Prior to field testing the 8100 I had the LG 4400.4500. And 6000 all outstanding phones. Then comes this awful 8100. (Which I tried 3 different ones. This is the break down the way I see it.
Pros
Bright Displays (good outer display)
Excellent camera
Bluetooth
Strong vibrating alert
Multiple numbers per contact
Solid feel
Cons
Poor call quality (fuzzy)(up and down volume)
Very Poor call volume and clarity
Poor speakerphone
A bit large and heavy
LG just has to give up their stub antenna.
FYI
The Motorola E815 screams
I'm not happy!
I thought the phone was cute and did the new every two but heres how I feel
what I like
cute phone
speaker phone o.k.
pretty lights
what i dont like
Its really hard to hear people when they talk
a little thick
wish screen was a bit bigger
phone shutoff on me
I have 10 days left to return the lg. I really like lg but I might keep my lg6000.
Good luck!!!
Really Cool Phone
Someone just bought this phone for me for my birthday and I love it! The ringer sound is amazing. The camera is really nice too.
Pros: Really nice camera.
Great sound quality.
Super cool looks.
Speaker phone sound is amazing!
Easy-to-use menus.
Overall ease-of-use
and good quality screen.
Cons: Not a whole lot of ringers come with this phone.
Also, I couldn't find the speaker phone at first.(Located on the "clear" button) , but that was my fault.
Overall I'd suggest this phone to anyone who wants a phone with nice looks, high-speed internet, and awesome sound.
