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(More customer reviews)I must echo other online reviews about this phone. It shines... and basically that's what it does.
This is a phone about fashion. And thus, I believe it's geared towards fashion concious women.
I'm a middle aged male and I enjoy the shiny look and appreciate the elgant metal that covers most of the phone (so much that it's not just an "accent").
I also appreciate the good sound of the MP3 player and the autofocus of the 2 Megapixel camera with Schneider-Kreuznach Optics (whoever they are).
Therefore, I bought it for my wife. BUT I didn't notice that it didn't work on her operator's band, so I'm stuck with it.
As a middle aged male who's looking for more function than form, this beautiful phone just doesn't work for me, and here's why:
1. The scrolling wheel is not responsive enough.
2. The keys are awkardly placed. Reaching for the bottom row is uncomfortable, and the send and end keys are not where I expect them to be.
3. Also, there's not much tactile feedback to notice the separation between the keys (so you must be able to look at the phone when dialing). Try texting fast with it...
4. The interfase software is not great. Very basic MP3 player.
5. Love the autofocus... Hate the autofocus! It's great that you can get the camera to focus on things 1 inch away from the lens. Great to take a good pic of a business card or any other stationary object. Bad if you try to shoot a moving target, because it takes at least one full second to focus. It just won't work because there's such a delay (at least 2 seconds) from the moment you press the button to the moment the picture is taken, that you get either blurred pictures or the events you want to picture have already passed (and gone). You can't shut down the shutter (no mute, can't change the sound either). And where's the ZOOM??? Couldn't figure it out: Volume keys don't do it and scroll wheel doesn't do it either.
6. Shine! Really, I had never experienced such a frustrating thing as trying to use this phone in sunlight. It's near impossible. It REALLY is that bad.
7. Bluetooth connection has not happened smoothly. I haven't been able to send pics via bluetooth to my BlackBerry Curve. And when I connect the ear piece to the Shine, the ear piece loses all settings and stops connecting to my BB (so I must do the whole pairing process again). I had a Nokia before and I could connect my ear piece to both phones simmultaneously without a problem (I'm not saying I could have two conversations at once, but I could receive a call from any of the two phones at one time).
8. Reception is not good
9. Scratches easily all over; fingerprint magnet
10. I drive a lot. I LOVE voice dialing. Where is it?
11. The loudspeaker is so underpowered that the speakerphone function is close to useless. I love speakerphones because I can multi-task with both hands free.
So, if you're someone who expects a cell phone to be more functional than a basic $10 household phone, maybe this one's not for you.
If you want to shell $200 for a great looking phone that only works as a phone (and not the best at that), that's your call. You can alwas look at it as a piece of jewelery (or get one of those gold plated phones with diamonds and rubies).
I'm fine and happy with my BlackBerry Curve, thank you. Even if I still have to get me a better camera.
Two other words of advice:
1. I bought an unlocked phone imported from I don't know where. Thus, be sure to check connectivity with your operator first! Tri-Band means the phone works on any of 3 bands... make sure your operator has one of them.
2. My primary language is spanish and the phone I got seems to be an asian version. Thus I can only choose between english and a bunch of asian languages (vietnamese, chinese, simplified chinese, etc.)
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LG Shine KE970 Unlocked Phone Black-Label Series with Tri Band GSM, 2 MP Camera, Camcorder, Bluetooth, and MicroSD Memory Expansion--International Version with No Warranty (Shining Silver)From its full stainless steel enclosure to its mirrored LCD screen that transforms into a high-quality color screen when the phone is activated, the LG KE970 Shine is set to capture the attention of mobile users who crave the perfect balance between design and technology. The super-slim design complements its high-tech functionality, which includes a 2.0-megapixel camera and an advanced scroll-key function. Other highlights include stereo Bluetooth, an advanced media player, a MicroSD memory card slot with support for cards up to 2 GB, high-speed data transfer over GPRS, and more.
DesignThe LG Shine is entirely about fashion, convenience, and usability. The ultra-thin, stylish slider design always keeps the unobtrusive internal antenna safely tucked away--always protected from snags or breaking, while the protective and alluring properties of stainless steel add to the phone's durability and style. The 262,000-color, 240 x 320 display is hidden when inactive, a key feature to save battery life, or when keeping a low profile is a must. Basic function keys and media control keys located just below the display are still accessible when the slider is shut, and the slider can be opened to reveal a handsome backlit keypad.
A multi-function scroll key located on the front of the device makes navigation an easy task, allowing for easy navigation of settings, contacts, messages, documents, photos, and videos with minimum effort. Meanwhile, the charging port, USB connection port, volume keys, music player activation key, and a camera key can all be found on the handset's left side. The unit's advanced camera lens and flash can be found on the backside, just above the battery cover. The phone also includes a memory card slot to boost the phone's internal memory.
Calling FeaturesThe Shine boasts powerful calling functions, such as speaker independent voice dialing, which makes it easy to call contacts by simply saying their names. No prior voice training is required and you can even speak individual digits to the phone for quick dialing of numbers you know by heart. And because the Shine is Bluetooth enabled, wireless headsets can be configured with the phone for total handsfree operation.
Messaging, Internet and ToolsThe phone's support for multimedia messaging means that text, photos, video, and audio can be sent with ease. When used in combination with the Shine's built-in camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The built in MMS editor allows the user to create convenient messaging templates for fast MMS messages, as well as the usual ability to create SMS messaging templates. And to make messaging even easier on the Shine, the phone comes stock with built-in T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets--a definite plus for mobile email and text messaging users.
When you need to check your email, or browse the Web for the nearest movie theatre and showtimes, use the phone's advanced WAP 2.0 browser. Find what you need fast over the supported GPRS transfer protocol. And with the phone's built-in document viewer you can view and transport .ppt, .doc, .pdf, .xls, and .txt files. A number of handy software tools are bundled with the Shine including a calendar, an alarm clock, a calculator, a stopwatch timer, a digital note pad, and a vibrating alert alarm.
Connect the Shine to a PC using a USB cable and it will become a mass storage device. Drag and drop files such as music, photos, videos, and more straight to the phone and you can carry them with you wherever you go. No software is required for the PC; simply plug and play.
Imaging and Entertainment The Shine arrives Java enabled, allowing you to play the latest games--a requisite for any high-end fashion phone. The Shine even comes stock with embedded games, and of course, more games can always be downloaded from the Web and loaded onto the phone via convenient USB and Bluetooth connectivity.
Into taking pictures or carrying your music with you everywhere? The Shine's 2.0-megapixel digital camera features a flash, a 2x digital zoom, a multi shot mode, and a photo album feature. The camera also offers up to one hour of video capture. When it's time for music, the Shine boasts an advanced built-in music player. Load up all your favorite music on memory cards, and take your favorite music with you. You can also take advantage of the Shine's Bluetooth wireless headset capability, allowing you to hook up a pair of Bluetooth stereo headphones.
The Shine also supports Flight Mode meaning that the phone's calling abilities are disabled so you can still listen to music, watch videos, play Java games, and more in locations where mobile phones are prohibited, such as aboard airplanes.
Vital Statistics The LG KE970 Shine weighs just 4.19 ounces and measures 3.93 x 1.99 x 0.54 inches. The lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3 hours of digital talk time, and up to 280 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 frequencies.
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