LG Spectrum Reviewed

tonyyag · 02-12-2012, 10:57 AM

Thanks for all the review info. The LG Spectrum (which I bought a week ago after after trading off with the Rezound) only lets my Mac access the SD card via USB as mass storage. It worked once the first time I tried it, but not since. My incredible allows access to both internal and SD memory. Is there any way to do that with the Spectrum? I tried unmounting the SD card, but it still can't see the internal storage. I am considering returning the LG for a Rezound: Better cameras, more internal memory, HDMI port, more like my Incredible, etc.

bL33d · 02-12-2012, 11:08 AM

hmm i know the usb doubles as hdmi out aswell just need the adapter and im not sure about internel memory sorry.

tonyyag · 02-12-2012, 11:24 AM

Thanks for all the review info. Coming from an Incredible, here are my impressions after a week with the LG Spectrum:

LIKE: Screen, Battery life, Application folders (allow you to set up custom folders (e.g. Clocks, Games, Audio, players, etc.) folders without filling up the 7 screens) , Thinner, light, still has removeable battery (nixed the RAZR for me) and removeable SD Card (Nixed the Galaxy for me), has Gesture features. e.g that help move the cursor by tapping on the sides..helps mitigate loss of trackball.

DISLIKE: Only 4G (<2G useable) internal memory that I can't access (see earlier post), Average cameras, no HDMI port, no trackball, no charging LED, no FM Radio, few accessories like batteries yet, no root solution yet.

QUESTIONS: Will the ICS upgrade cut into the useable (2G) internal memory?
Outlook for ICS Upgrade (It has just 3 buttons in anticipation)?
Have other LG phones eventually been rooted?

DILEMMA: Keep it or trade for a Rezound?

bL33d · 02-12-2012, 03:13 PM

Ya I hear ya. Have till tomorrow to trade in for different phone. Phone but I really like the screen and form factor. I'm using adw launcher ex which is very smooth. So I'll prob keep it but lg better get Ics out soon.

VZWRocks · 02-12-2012, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyyag

Thanks for all the review info. Coming from an Incredible, here are my impressions after a week with the LG Spectrum:

LIKE: Screen, Battery life, Application folders (allow you to set up custom folders (e.g. Clocks, Games, Audio, players, etc.) folders without filling up the 7 screens) , Thinner, light, still has removeable battery (nixed the RAZR for me) and removeable SD Card (Nixed the Galaxy for me), has Gesture features. e.g that help move the cursor by tapping on the sides..helps mitigate loss of trackball.

DISLIKE: Only 4G (<2G useable) internal memory that I can't access (see earlier post), Average cameras, no HDMI port, no trackball, no charging LED, no FM Radio, few accessories like batteries yet, no root solution yet.

QUESTIONS: Will the ICS upgrade cut into the useable (2G) internal memory?
Outlook for ICS Upgrade (It has just 3 buttons in anticipation)?
Have other LG phones eventually been rooted?

DILEMMA: Keep it or trade for a Rezound?

ICS will probably reduce the on-board memory yes, but hopefully by not much.

An MHL adapter will take care of the lack of an HDMI out (converts USB to HDMI out)

Lots more accessories with the Rezound, no problem there.

I havent compared the cameras on the devices but the Rezound one is one of the better ones I have seen.

If you are hoping for a quicker update to ICS the Rezound is a better way to go (at least two leaked builds so far so work is well underway and we have no idea when it will come to the Spectrum. 3 buttons or no LG has a terrible update track record, especially on US devices.

It's really your choice but IMHO the Rezound is a better phone. If I were you I would go spend some serious time with the demo model at the VZW store.

tonyyag · 02-12-2012, 08:20 PM

TNX. I really like the LG Spectrum's Application folders (allow you to set up custom folders (e.g. Clocks, Games, Audio, players, etc.) folders without filling up the 7 screens). Is there any way to do that on the Rezound?

tonyyag · 02-12-2012, 08:55 PM

Would ADW Launcher provide folders similar to those on the LG Spectrum...you can create as many as u want, name them, and put up to 16 shortcut icons in each, while they appear among normal icons in each of the 7 screens?

VZWRocks · 02-12-2012, 09:24 PM

You dont need a third party launcher to create folders

Long press (from home screen) > Folders > New Folder

Edit the name of the folder and drag what you want into it.

Any lancer can do this (except ICS which copies iPhone and creates a folder when you drag one icon on top of another).

socialmuse · 02-17-2012, 07:12 PM

Picked my Spectrum up a week ago.
Like:
First thing is first. The screen is gorgeous. Easily the best screen on any phone right now. not as high ppi as the *phone but it is really close and a heck of a lot bigger. It is bright, colors are wonderful. The glass is highly reflective and is difficult to see when a light is bouncing right into your cornea.
Phone is fast. loads everything quickly. no lag on anything.
Camera is quick. maybe half second shutter lag. Pictures look great. One thing i dont like about the camera is when looking at pictures that the phone has taken the picture does NOT fill up the whole screen. I cant find any setting that can fix this.
The 4G is extremely fast. (Salt Lake City) I have no network issues or dropped calls.

Dislike:
The worst part of this phone is battery. Best i got so far was about 9 hours. i have turned off the 4G and dimmed the screen to stretch every minute out of the battery. I would consider myself a heavy user also. constantly turning my phone on to check for messages. Emails push to my phone all day. I am on twitter all day long (@socialmuse) and text a lot.
I dont like the stock skin. the Dialer looks like it was designed for children.
Physical size of the phone is a bit bigger than i like but it comes with that beautiful screen so i can deal with that. and is very smooth which makes it slippery. Cases should fix that part.

Other stuff:
Speaker works fine. It is loud and crisp. Microphone is also great. people on the other end hear every word i say.
I have been told there is a NFC chip in this thing but i have yet to figure that part out.
Lack of notification LED kinda sucks but i'm already used to it and dont even care or notice that it is missing.

I am running GoPro Launcher, Go Text App and SwiftkeyX

My wife just got the HTC Rezound. THat thing has awesome sound. and screen is great. battery lasts her all day. light user. I like my phone better in everyway except size. Rezound feels so much better in hand.