From the standby screen, you can tap one of four on-screen buttons along the bottom of the display to access essential mobile functions: a voice-capable numberpad, the contacts list, messaging options and the main menu.
There's a stylus for that retro feel
If you tap the top of the screen, a useful status panel appears, with details of memory, coverage and quick access buttons for Bluetooth and the music player.
On the side of the display, just above the main row of control icons is an arrowed tab, which brings into play the widgets - mini applications for fast access to useful functions. The widget selection is limited compared to the Renoir's, but does include calendar, world clock, memo, analogue alarm clock, music player, image viewer and FM radio.
Tap one of the icons in the toolbar - or drag with your finger - and it pops up in expanded form on the main part of the screen. You can select or drag and drop as many as you like wherever you like on the screen, and for those who like order, a quick shake of the phone will reorder them neatly into grid formation. You can change widgets around as much as you like, dragging and dropping ones you no longer want back onto the open toolbar.
It’s not just app widgets you can pull up onscreen. Swipe your finger sideways across the display and a transition takes you to an alternative home page, similar in look to the first but with a toolbar for speed-dialling up to eight favourite contacts. You can place contacts from your phonebook - with or without associated images - on screen. Pressing the contact enables you to quickly call, send a message or edit the contact details.
The side-facing Micro SD card slot is hot-swappable
The main menu structure is generally familiar from previous touchscreen LGs. When you press the menu icon from the standby screen, a grid of function icons appears along with a vertical sidebar of four control category icons. As you press these category tabs – Communicate, Entertainment, Utilities and Settings – the icons on the main part of the screen change accordingly.
COMMENTS
No contest
Its cheaper than an iPhone for a reason. Its not as good as an iPhone. You can get a 3G iPhone for this price on contract, yes you need to sign up to £30/month but if you were to use the Cookie for data on a pay as you go basis you'd soon rack up similar costs.
There seems to be a bit of inverse snobbery were the iPhone is concerned. People are casting around to get something that they can say is an iPhone beater. They'll do anything, and accept any limitation, to convince themselves that they are better than iPhone owners. Why is that?
You used to get the same on BBC Radio 4 too. The presenters were happy not to know about URLs and the Internet. Somehow if you can stay ignorant it makes you a better person. Whatever, the fact that everything is compared with the iPhone shows what an impact it has had. Don't put it all down to advertising either, they wouldn't sell as many as they do based on that alone.
A bit too low specced for me....
The lack of 3G/HSDPA for simple web-browsing is quite off-putting. Granted, it's not essential and Opera Mini's compression option helps to make up for the lack of speed. But, it sure is nice to have the speed of 3G/HSDPA when one does want to web-browse.
Another thing I'm surprised about is the really low talk time listed for this phone: According to the specs, posted over at GSMArena, the talk time is a mere 3.5 hours. That's really quite low for a 2.5G phone. Even my dear old, long departed SE W810i - stolen and replaced with a Nokia 6500 Slide - could go for 8 hours.
Personally, I'd dismiss this phone and spend a bit more money to get the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic instead. Even at a slightly higher price point the 5800 is better value for the money.
Bought this...
I bought this for my girlfriend as one of her christmas presents. For the money you really can't beat it. She isn't a huge phone person so doesn't really NEED any advanced features.
She will use this mainly just as a phone more than a music player etc as she has an iPod for that. But she does like the idea of touch screen input etc.
I checked the phone over very quickly and it seems pretty decent. The menus were quick and easy to navigate and it runs pretty fluidly, obviously not as smooth as a high end phones such as the iPhone, but at this price point its perfect for people who don't want or need the top of the range kit.
I'd be happy to use this as a phone, but do prefer my N95 8GB and i'm not a huge fan of touch screens. Although theres not many devices which have such a smooth UI as the iPhone.
The LG is great for the price if you want a touchscreen. Hopefully she does like the phone when she gets it tomorrow lol. If she doesn't it can always be swapped.
On a side note when I got it I did it as a "PAYG" upgrade on o2 at Carphone Warehouse and she is getting £24 of credit since she has topped up £240 since her last "PAYG upgrade". Pretty good!
Really Appealing but I Wouldn't Buy It
It really looks pretty and it also has some good practical sides: the document reader, good organizer, e-mail, Opera Mini should produce decent results on that screen... It's not a smartphone, but it doesn't seem half dumb either, especially for the price.
On the other hand, the prices of Internet access through GPRS or EDGE are extortionate around here so I woudln't be using things that depend on it alot, and my portable music player certainly does a better job as far as listening to music is concerned, while my current phone has a much better battery life, so, while being quite decent for the price, the Cookie has little to offer me.
Damn my new phone!
If I was in the market for a new phone I'd be *very* interested. Maybe it'll be good to see other cheap alternatives spring up now :)
