Hands-on with Verizon's LG Voyager on Engadget Mobile

'Bout time we follow up the unboxing with a little hands-on action, eh? We think we've found enough to like about LG's VX10000 Voyager for Verizon to make enV owners... well, green with envy. Head on over to Engadget Mobile for our quick impressions!

[acidslice @ Nov 19th 2007 2:25PM]

swank

[Ryan Trevisol @ Nov 19th 2007 2:48PM]

I'm not a huge fan of LG's propensity to put two screens where one will work. I want to use the big screen with my qwerty!

[Andrew Cooper @ Nov 19th 2007 2:57PM]

Both the inner and outer screens are reportedly the same size

[Ryan Trevisol @ Nov 19th 2007 3:05PM]

Yeah I posted before I realized it was engadget mobile. So fine, but they still could've slimmed it down by only having one . . . . and maybe made the screen fill more of the phone. The big bezel around the inner screen seems more pronounced and highlights how much real estate they wasted.

Now that I've read the review, the interface seems like a hokey stab at apple.

And what's with Times New Roman? It's so old-fashioned. Ewwww.

[Surur @ Nov 19th 2007 4:39PM]

"the interface seems like a hokey stab at apple."

I thought everyone knew by now that Apple copied the interface from the LG Prada, not the other way around.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Nov 19th 2007 5:38PM]

If by "ripped off" you mean "also allows you to touch icons on the screen" and "has four function icons across the bottom of the home screen, then yeah.

[L @ Nov 19th 2007 2:51PM]

Now that looks cheap...

[Mike @ Nov 19th 2007 3:05PM]

I talked to Verizon, and the phone does not come with any memory. This means that if you buy an 8gb micro SD card, it would push the cost of the phone over $460. An iPhone is actually cheaper.

[Podaman @ Nov 19th 2007 3:16PM]

i thought it had 128MB on-board? But yeah, I get your point.

[Grant @ Nov 19th 2007 4:45PM]

but....
it's not meant to be a DAP.
Your comparing the market leading DAP with a phone component to a phone with sub-par DAP functionality.

Apples to Oranges my friend.

[Mike @ Nov 19th 2007 5:00PM]

The Verizon website lists the music part second, so I am assuming that is a significant part of what it is supposed to do. My comments were directed at this phone being Verizon's answer to the iPhone. I think it looks like a nice phone, I just think it may not sell well due to the fact that it is arguably overpriced.

[Podaman @ Nov 19th 2007 3:14PM]

I just got back from a local Verizon store (Pleasanton, CA).

The guy there said they were getting the Voyager in on Friday. The computer listed it at a $299 price point, but it didn't specify if that was before or after a rebate. (I know there's that $50 mail-in)

[akatsuki @ Nov 19th 2007 3:49PM]

I think a slider form would have just been better. Use one screen and slide it over. Thinner is always better, especially in these type of phones which just always end up being bricks.

[Ari @ Nov 19th 2007 5:18PM]

I hear your point but the V and enV have been extremely successful phones, second only to the RAZR line and the form factor has been a hug hit with tweens and other message centric people. Add high end features and you should have a winner. They just need to drop that price a little. Maybe $225 would hit a sweet spot.

[Creator @ Nov 19th 2007 4:03PM]

The voyager comes with 2gb built in memory and will support up to an 8gb micro sd card

[Grant @ Nov 19th 2007 4:48PM]

i played with this in a VZW store, they didn't even have them out yet, they had to pull one out of the back.

I like the feel, it's got nice buttons and feels like a solid built phone.
One feature thats cool is the "vibetouch" which vibrates a little when you use the touch screen.

The only real issue i had with it was that the resolution of the included software is terrible. The screen looks good when web browsing but the home screen icons just look like crap.

[JohnnyB @ Nov 19th 2007 8:16PM]

BFD - Verizon tries to build a Sidekick. Lame.

Definitely Not an iPhone. (iPhone definitely NOT the greatest thing since toast)

Hello Verizon? Can you hear me now? Last year's technology is calling...

[BenDem @ Nov 19th 2007 10:18PM]

Someone please render me free from the horiffic Verizon GUI.. Th enV and some of their other phones are awesome, but the UI brings them way down.

[knoxville @ Nov 19th 2007 11:36PM]

they have actually made it A LOT LOT better now so don't complain unless you've tried them.

Also what GUI would you like? - just wondering cuz i haven't seen anything better from sprint or other companies anyways.

[Lin @ Nov 20th 2007 12:50AM]

VerizonWireless had an LG rep at my local store today for a few hours. I tried out the Voyager and am still uncertain about it. Still cannot order VPak online in the preorder and like the telephone reps, the local reps seem to be selling different solutions to the "how to pay per kilobyte" problem that is caused by the mandatory Nationwide plan.

The fonts can be changed for icons but changing the fonts for the brower is rather difficult as you need to repeat the process several times to enlarge to 200%. (no drop down option to skip a few levels). (So who ever did not like times roman should be pleased.) The fonts on the various websites were clear but so tiny (about 4 point font or less) that it is very tiring to read them. Anther odd thing is that the web browser defaults to a search page but getting to the point were you can type in a web address takes several steps.

Loading the webpages seemed rather slow. The rep felt that this was due to the battery level. (It had been fully charged when he had arrived but after bluetooth use and other demands was down to about 1/3 charge or less.) He had two really nice bluetooth options - one for handsfree speaker for the car and a very simple earpiece that hung on a lanard. Both can be used with Navagator and a new accessory for mounting the Voyager on a dashboard the proper way is coming out.

The rep felt that the voyager was best for IM, texting messaging, etc. He said that there are more apps planned for Get it now (but again, it is get it now so still would I presume be limited.)

I had some difficulty typing on th touchscreen. (the vibrating haptic touch did not really help but that can be changed.) A stylus would have been been much appreciated.

[Dick Islong @ Nov 21st 2007 6:10PM]

Girlfriend waited for this phone to come out. She went into the store and took a look. She has the EnV now. Two minutes later she walked over to the ATT store and bought an iPhone. Yes, the iPhone is the best thing since sliced bread.

[Doug Jensen @ Nov 23rd 2007 3:47PM]

The iPhone is useless for Internet access when you are away from a WiFi hotspot (which most people are most of the time. I'll take sliced bread.

[Video Master @ Nov 23rd 2007 5:51PM]

Dung Jensen, you sound like a douchebag when you say ingnorant comments such as "I'm going to skip the iPhone because it is limited with wi-fi internet coverage." My house has 6 wifi networks to choose from and I live in the suburbs. And to think that you even need internet on your phone is ridiculous. Internet on your phone will never be fast and the keys will never match a full sized QWERTY keyboard so why bother on ANY phone? Thats like saying you won't buy an ipod becuase it doesnt have a built in radio. Whoooooo Cares. Who cares? Apple built an innovative product and thats what Apple is - innovation and ease of use. No other phone has a GREAT music player, a GREAT movie player, a GREAT touchscreen interface and GUI. If thats no what you are looking for then go buy a shitty Voyager and keep using your dull windows PC's.

[Michelle @ Nov 28th 2007 5:59PM]

I was thinking about getting the Voyager at first but then I finally decided on an Ipod Touch and a cheaper phone from Verizon. I am glad that I made this choice. The Voyager isn't as great as it seems, apparently.

[Chad @ Jan 20th 2008 6:31PM]

LG has hit the spot with the Voyager. Its a great phone with Great capabilities..

Check out the best prices on the LG Voyager here: http://cellphone.dothanclassifiedads.com

[edkus @ May 11th 2008 2:33PM]

Screen is way to small. Great "me too" product Verizon! Reminds me of the old Sony Ericsson Phones P800/P900 series...those were good for their time but can't compare to the iPhone...this is obvious indicator that Verizon is trying to stop the exodus of customers (like myself) from moving to the iPhone and off their shitty network.
http://leather.myokhost.com/

[moocow9000 @ Dec 8th 2008 11:10AM]

Let's just stop arguing about this phone... I have it and I think it's great! The Internet is usually faster than the iphone, texting Is amazing alhough I wouldve liked a full touch keyboard instead of a touch regular phone pad. In short, IT IS BETTER THAN THE IPHONE which is the ok thing since the last mac..... Which are all terrible by the way!!!!