LG VX8700 (Verizon Wireless)

My sister switched from her old Samsung T209 to the new and recently released LG VX8700. The difference is night and day! I've basically tested out most of the features and I know im bound to find more new ones. I've rated each of these features on a scale of 1 to 10:

Design (10/10) - Phone is ULTRA slim, sleek and sexy. It's slightly thinner than the Motorola RAZR and the LG VX8600 (the phone I use), two already very thin phones. It's more compact in size as well. The brushed metal finish is excellent and the phone feels solid, but this makes it slightly heavier.

Screen (10/10) - Main internal screen is HUGE, bright and beautiful. It's one of the best things about this phone. If you thought the VX8600 has a huge screen, this ones even bigger! The external screen is thinner and runs diaganol on the phone. I prefer the larger screen on my VX8600 but this one is adequate enough for incoming call messages as well as for MP3 player use.

Call Quality (9/10) - Call is clear and crisp. Most importantly, loudness is user adjustable and very loud!

MP3 Player (7/10) - Has just about the same features and use as a regular MP3 player (repeat, A-B, displays ID tags, music info, quality etc). Requires seperately buying the Verizon Music Essentials Kit (contains USB cable, software CD and earbuds) and a MicroSD card (for larger storage of music). After software is installed, getting music to the phone is pretty easy to do and playlist is easy to sort.

Battery Life (9/10) - Usually lasts up to 3+ days for me, thats with regular calling and mp3 player usage. When using the online EVDO network, drops down to 2 days of use (but can be disabled for increased battery life). Overall, the battery life is excellent.

Speakerphone (9/10) - Speakerphone gets much louder now and is a big improvement from the low volume of the VX8600.

Camera/Video (9/10) - Camera now takes 2.0MP shots, which is better than the standard 1.3 found on most camera phones. This results in very nice quality and clear photos for a cell phone. Sometimes you'll need to make changes color and balance in darker environments (no flash) but its easy to use. Not great for action shots since there is a 1-2 second pause. Video quality is lower, but generally thats with all phones today. Store either 15 second video message clips or up to 1 hour of video (if you have a MicroSD card for larger storage).

Bluetooth (7/10) - Fairly easy to use. People are able to send me their ringtones and info without dropped connections. Verizon still limits the file size to send things, which irks me.

MicroSD Slot (6/10) - Necessary if you want to store additional pictures, videos and music. Unfortunately, instead of being located on the side for easy access, they have relocated it to the back, behind the battery compartment. So in order to take it out, you need to remove battery door and battery, which shuts off the phone. Not a big problem if you don't intend on taking out the MicroSD card often.

So far, the phone has been great. Has a huge price tag right now but it should level off within a few weeks or months. If your looking for a new sexy Verizon Wireless phone at a great price and packed with features, this is the phone for you! If you have any questions/comments about the phone or my review, don't hesitate to contact me via eBay. Please vote YES if my review has been helpful to you!

Great looking, sturdy stainless steel cover. Speaker phone works great and the display area is large. Everything works great, Battery seems to hold its power. I use the belt clip and it faces inwards so that the front display will not get damaged. Cool phone. A little expensive if you don't have a 2 year update or instant rebate with yours. retail is $379.....but you can't go wrong either way.

The camera is great... It seems to hold it's signal very well... The button placement is different but easy to use... The only downside I have found with this phone is that it has only one speaker in the handset... There is no external speaker so it makes it a little hard to hear when it is ringing... The front display is different but works well once you get used to it...

The LG VX8700 is the coolest flip phone i have ever owned. Before this I had the LG Chocolate and LG VX8600. Neither of these phones can ever compare. The sound is awesome on this phone, even for music it is much better than the chocolate (supposed to be for music). The way it flips open is strange, but it fits the face well and it doesn't even sound like you are on a cell phone to the other phone. VERY GOOD PHONE AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!