Find Whirlpool Deals at Lowe’sLG Chocolate 3 - black (Verizon Wireless)
Manufacturer: LG Electronics U.S.A. Part number: CHOCOLATE3LGVZW
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The LG Chocolate 3's design doesn't quite match up to its predecessors, but upgraded features like a built-in FM transmitter makes it a worthy music phone purchase.
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CNET editors' review
LG Chocolate 3 - black (Verizon Wireless) price range: $49.99
- Reviewed by: Nicole Lee
- Reviewed on: 07/15/2008
- Released on: 07/13/2008
The good: The LG Chocolate 3 is an attractive phone with easy-to-use controls, two brilliant displays, and plenty of multimedia features. It also has a 3.5-mm headset jack, stereo Bluetooth, and a built-in FM transmitter. Call quality was excellent as well.
The bad: The LG Chocolate 3 suffers from a flat and slippery keypad, plus a reflective front surface that's prone to fingerprint smudges.
The bottom line: The LG Chocolate 3's design doesn't quite match up to its predecessors, but upgraded features like a built-in FM transmitter makes it a worthy music phone purchase.
One could argue that as the Razr was to Motorola, the Chocolate was to LG. It was the first real iconic phone from LG, gaining plenty of hype because of its slender look and candy bar moniker. The Chocolate was also one of the first to really showcase Verizon's V Cast Music player, with its unique touch-sensitive music player controls and focus on the multimedia experience. We weren't too thrilled with the first iteration, but its sequel, the LG VX8550 Chocoate, was sweetened up to our liking thanks to its mechanical scroll wheel and easier-to-use controls.
But LG wasn't comfortable resting on its laurels. In an effort to broaden the Chocolate's appeal, LG has decided to produce a flip version of the iconic phone, dubbed the LG Chocolate 3. (We at first thought the LG VX8600 was the flip-phone successor to the LG Chocolate, but we were mistaken). Verizon is also marketing the LG Chocolate 3 as the marquee phone for its new V Cast Music with Rhapsody service, so the Chocolate 3 is amped up with music-focused features like a 3.5-mm headset jack plus a built-in FM transmitter. Though we're big fans of its multimedia features, we have to say its design has lost some of the luster and sex appeal of its predecessors. The LG Chocolate 3 is available from Verizon Wireless for $129.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year service agreement.
Design
As the first flip phone in the Chocolate line of handsets, the design of the Chocolate 3 is markedly different from its predecessors--the only remaining similarity appears to be the iPod-like scroll wheel on the front of the device. Measuring 3.87 inches high by 1.94 inches wide by 0.64 inch thick, it is also the least "chocolate bar"-looking of the lot, with a wide yet slim rectangular body. While we appreciate LG going in a different design direction for the Chocolate 3, this new design makes the Chocolate 3 look and feel like just any other slim flip phone on the market, and it doesn't seem as special and iconic as its predecessors.
Like the LG Decoy, the Chocolate 3 has a reflective mirrorlike finish on the entire front surface of the phone. It's so reflective that it almost obscures the 1.76-inch 262,000-color external screen located right above the scroll wheel. The external screen displays the typical caller ID, date, time, and battery and signal strength information when in standby mode. You can adjust the backlight time and clock format, but not much else.
From the external screen, you can then access a limited menu. The menu options are presented in rotating pattern, so it's easy to navigate just by using the scroll wheel. Menu options include the camera, the calendar, the messaging in-box, the My Music folder, and the My Pictures folder. This way, you can take a quick glance at things like your recent messages or the day's events without having to open the phone. Also, since there's no dedicated camera button, this is the only way to access the camera feature when the phone is closed. Of course, you can also access the music player interface either via the My Music folder or simply by hitting the dedicated Music button on the right spine. The display shows the album art of the song, plus you can play, pause, rewind, or fast forward the music by clicking on the scroll wheel (more on the music player in the Features section).
Underneath the display is the aforementioned mechanical scroll wheel. It feels reminiscent of the one on the VX8550 Chocolate, and that's a good thing. The spun metal surface of the wheel makes it feel tactile, and the wheel spins freely without a lot of resistance. We could press the wheel in four different quadrants (up, down, left, right) and the middle button quite easily, as well. Almost too easily, in fact; this is why the Chocolate 3 has a Keylock/Hold button on the right spine to prevent accidental presses. Unlike that of the two other Chocolate phones, the Chocolate 3 does not have any touch-sensitive navigation keys, which is just fine by us.
The left spine of the Chocolate 3 is home to a 3.5mm headset jack (very nice!), the volume rocker, a voice command key, and the charger jack. The microSD card slot plus the Music and Keylock buttons are on the right. A camera lens sits on top of the external screen. There's no self-portrait mirror, but that's OK since the external display also acts as a viewfinder. There's no flash LED, however.
Flip open the phone and you'll find an attractive 2.2-inch 262,000-color main display. Images look sharp and colorful, and the clean lines of the graphic menu interface complement the display very well. You can adjust the backlight time, the font size, the clock format, plus the menu layout.
Underneath the display is a simple navigation array, which consists of two soft keys, a circular toggle plus OK button, a dedicated speakerphone key, a dedicated camera key, plus the Send, Clear, and End/Power keys. The up, down, and left directions on the circular toggle doubles as shortcuts to three user-defined functions. For even more shortcut options, the right arrow leads to a My Shortcuts folder, which you can list with any four favorite shortcuts.
The overall keypad, both the navigation array and the alphanumeric keys, felt quite slippery and flat. There were slight delineations between each key, which helped with dialing and texting, but we still wouldn't recommend dialing by feel.
The LG Chocolate 3 comes with a USB cable plus an AC adapter.
Features
Like all the other Chocolate phones, the LG Chocolate 3 is one music-focused phone. But first, the basics. The LG Chocolate 3 comes with a 1,000-entry phone book, with room in each entry for five numbers and two e-mail addresses. The entries can then be organized into caller groups, assigned a photo for caller ID, or paired with one of 21 ringtones or one of six alert tones. Other features include a speakerphone, text and multimedia messaging, voice command and dialing, a calculator, a tip calculator, a calendar, an alarm clock, a stopwatch, a world clock, a notepad, and a vibrate mode. More advanced users will like the wireless Web browser, e-mail, instant messaging, USB mass storage capabilities, and a support for a robust array of Bluetooth profiles--they include stereo Bluetooth, phonebook access, dial-up networking, printing, file transfer, and more. It also has support for VZ Navigator, Verizon's location-based turn-by-turn service.
Since the LG Chocolate 3 has EV-DO support, it has access to Verizon's full array of V Cast services, which include streaming video courtesy of V Cast Video, as well as music downloads thanks to the newly launched V Cast Music with Rhapsody. You can download songs over the air directly to the phone for $1.99, which also includes a simultaneous download to the PC. To save money, you can download songs to the PC for 99 cents each, and then transfer the songs to your phone via a USB cable. The Chocolate 3 has a whopping 1GB of internal memory, plus you can supplement it with a microSD card slot that takes up to 8GB cards. Though you can stream music to your PC via the $14.99 a month Rhapsody service, you can't stream music wirelessly to your phone.
The music player interface is fairly simple, and it appears the same on both the main and external display. The album art dominates the screen, while the player controls appear along the bottom. As we mentioned earlier, you can use the scroll wheel to control the music as well as scroll through the list of songs. Music settings include shuffle, repeat, six equalizer presets, and music only mode (this turns off the cell phone radio so that you use the phone only as a music player). You can create and manage your own playlists, plus there's a rhythmical cursor option that has an effect of a colorful cursor as the music is playing. Also a very nice feature of the music player is that there's a built-in FM transmitter for three different bands--88.1 Mhz, 96.1 Mhz, and 106.1 Mhz. Just select one, tune your radio to it, and the music will transmit to your radio. The music player supports WMA, MP3, and unprotected AAC and AAC+ file formats. You can multitask while listening to the music as well.
The LG Chocolate 3 has a 2.0-megapixel camera, which is an improvement over its predecessors. It can take photos in four different resolutions (1,600x1,200, 1,280x960, 640x480, and 320x240), five different white-balance settings, five different color effects, and three different spot photometry modes. Other options include a brightness setting, a self-timer, plus the choice of three shutter sounds (plus a fourth silent option). Photo quality was pretty good, but nothing spectacular. Images looked sharp enough, but they did seem slightly washed out. There's also a built-in camcorder that can record up to two resolutions (320x240 and 176x144) in two different times (up to 30 seconds for MMS and up to 1 hour or available memory). Video quality was expectedly low-quality and shaky, as expected from a camera phone. That said, it's okay for simple candid shots.
Personalization options are aplenty with the LG Chocolate 3. There's a variety of wallpapers, alert sounds, and display themes to choose from, and if you aren't satisfied with what you get, you can always download more via the Web browser. No games or applications come with the phone, but again, you can download them via the Web.
Performance
We tested the (CDMA 800/1900; EV-DO) LG Chocolate 3 in San Francisco using Verizon's service. We were very impressed by the call quality. Callers had no problem hearing us; we sounded loud and clear with very little static at all. We also heard them without much problem, though there was the occasional static in the background. Speakerphone quality was predictably tinny and hollow, but callers could still hear us quite well. We were able to pair the Chocolate 3 with the Aliph Jawbone 2 without a problem.
Music quality was decent as well. The bass was a little lacking, but the overall quality is good enough for short stints while waiting in line or riding the bus. Of course, we recommend the use of a pair of good headphones for the best listening experience. Download speeds were more than satisfactory--a 1.8 MB song took a little less than a minute to download. Streaming video quality from V Cast is about the same as other phones with the same service--rather pixelated for fast-action movies, but very little rebuffering time.
The LG Chocolate 3 has a rated battery life of 4.5 hours talk time and 14.5 days of standby time. Our tests revealed a talk time of 5 hours and 7 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the LG Chocolate 3 has a digital SAR rating of 1.26 watts per kilogram.
User reviews
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Nice Simple Flip Phone
by clions3 on July 18, 2008
Pros: Slim, sleek, FM transmitter, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Cons: Slower browser, no flash
Summary: I owned the LG Voyager for a good 29 days and decided to trade it in due mainly to the touch screen and the slight delay the phone seemed to ...
Summary: I owned the LG Voyager for a good 29 days and decided to trade it in due mainly to the touch screen and the slight delay the phone seemed to have.
So far, I'm pretty impressed by the Chocolate 3. I love the 1 GB memory for music. The FM transmitter has pretty good quality, there are a few times when it's fuzzy but that's what you get with most transmitters. Putting music on the phone is straightforward and fast. I have not used Rhapsody and I don't plan on adding another $15 to my plan.
One neat feature about this phone is Dashboard. It's fast and easy to use. The one channel I use the most is definitely Weather.
Call quality and reception is fine, no problems with that. Texting is good, just took a little getting used to coming from the Voyager but now it's easy as ever. Battery life is definitely better than the Voyager, I charge it every few days.
The menus are a lot more customizable and user-friendly than most Verizon phones. There are 4 display themes and lots of ringtones. The front screen, "click-wheel", all great, especially for viewing texts and controlling the music.
VCast Videos has decent quality.
Basically my only complaint so far about the phone is the browser-that isn't comparable with the Voyager. If you want a phone with a fast and easy to use browser, you may want to think twice about this phone. It's not slow but isn't 3G, and typing into a website can sometimes be difficult.
Otherwise it's an easy to use phone with plenty of features. Any questions? Just ask.10 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Music+Stereo Bluetooth+FM Transmitter=SUCCESS!
by samstrozzo on October 23, 2008
Pros: Strong-signaled stereo bluetooth, adequate FM transmitter, easy-to-use music system, 3.5mm headphone jack (!!), expandable microSD slot, very helpful and convenient front screen, programmable shortcut buttons, small form size like the RAZR
Cons: Front scroll wheel somewhat temperamental, a tad slow response on some features, fiip-phone spring not 100% durable after use, keypad not as pleasant to text on as RAZR, haven't found a way to set music you put on the phone yourself as ringtones
Summary: First, anyone wanting the perfect balance between an mp3 player and a phone need go no further. I was originally in the market for a RAZR v9, but after reviewing ...
Summary: First, anyone wanting the perfect balance between an mp3 player and a phone need go no further. I was originally in the market for a RAZR v9, but after reviewing the specs, I decided this was the phone for me. I couldn't be more happy!
Obviously, as the pros state, this phone has pretty much anything a music buff can need in a phone. Of course, it's not the world's greatest mp3 player, but it's all in what you're expecting. For me, I haven't found anything that an iPod can do that the Chocolate 3 can't; it even has the scroll-wheel like the iPod, except it's a more tactile feel. The wheel takes a little getting used to, but it's not rocket science.
The best thing about this phone to me is the variety of musical connectivity; loading music is easiest by plugging it into your computer's USB port and copy/pasting your music onto the phone. The phone also charges while loading, and automatically sorts songs by their ID3 tags just like an iPod. You can also load music via Bluetooth from your computer, as well as download from Verizon's VCast service. I don't use that because it costs more money, but it doesn't hinder my phone in any way.
In terms of music playing, the best feature ever is the built in 3.5mm headphone jack, something that is often taken for granted on cell phones. Also, stereo bluetooth (A2DP) is WONDERFUL... I recommend the Motorola S805 headphones for anyone who wants noise-canceling headphones with GREAT reception, sound, and still hands-free calling simultaneously. If you have no headphones, the built in speaker is acceptable enough to play while waiting on a midnight bus or whatever time you have to kill.
The phone itself is very similar in form and depth to the RAZR v9; I wasn't expecting it to be a good looking as it is. I have the light blue version, but the Black looks just as good. It's pretty sturdy, too; I've given it hell for the past three months, and it's still fine. My only complaint is the keypad itself... it isn't as smooth as the buttons on a Motorola phone, but it's just something to get used to.
One thing I really like that is unique to this phone is the ability to recieve and read text messages, view and play music and pictures, start and use the camera, and view calendar entries from the front screen... without having to open the phone. This may seem useless, but I've found it to be quite helpful, especially when you're in a place (such as class) when you want to stay inconspicuous.
The phone has all the basic features you'd expect... calendar, calculator, alarm clock, notepad... plus a fairly good camera (albeit no flash). The buttons on the phone are all laid out well, and the circular navigation arrows around the "ok" button are all programmable to a number of phone functions. When the phone is closed, there is an automatic lock-keys button to keep you from accidentally doing things to the phone while it's in your pocket. All you have to do to unlock it is press the button on the side, and you're good to go.
All in all, I strongly recommend this phone for anyone who likes bluetooth connectivity, listening to music without having to carry a separate mp3 player, and still have all the features of a good phone. The battery life lasts about three days on average, depending on what you're doing, and that makes it great for travel. One minor con is that the phone, while using USB, does not use the standard mini-USB port on the phone; there is a proprietary USB connection type on the phone side, which makes it annoying when you forget the cord that came with the phone. But overall, I'm glad I went with LG, and I'm glad LG went with a flip style for the next Chocolate!!9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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good phone overall, FM transmitter limited power
by estonianguy on July 28, 2008
Pros: nice glossy finish, easy to use, 1GB memory, good call quality
Cons: FM signal strength low, Rhapsody software is trouble sometimes
Summary: Fm transmitter was the whole reason why I bought it.
I've had it for two days. I'm not really happy with the FM transmitter quality in my car ...Summary: Fm transmitter was the whole reason why I bought it.
I've had it for two days. I'm not really happy with the FM transmitter quality in my car but it seems to work better in my wife's (2003 versus 2007 Elantra, after market stereo versus factory stereo). It plays fine over my home stereo system as long as it is near it. It is very sensitive to where you place it in the car, it makes noise when you move it around . And good luck finding an empty radio frequency in a city (manual recommend a frequency that is empty between other empty frequencies for optimal sound quality) ! It transmits over the radio station signal but there is more background noise. I've been able to get good stereo quality with varying luck, maybe I haven't found the right frequency yet, although I've tried a bunch. Signal quality keeps changing as I drive around and I don't like messing with the phone when I'm driving. I'm pretty sure that FM transmitter max signal strength is regulated by some agency, I hope that LG used the maximum allowed.
I would much rather connect it to an auxiliary port, easy enough with the 3.5 jack, but I don't have one in my car.
Picture quality is pretty good, it is easy to use. Rhapsody software is occasionally giving me hard time transferring my existing music to the phone though. It says 8 sec and 5 min later nothing is still happening. I haven't been able to figure out how to use Windows Media Player Sync option yet, it can't find the device. I think Rhapsody might be the only way to get the files on it.
I like the phone overall. I'll keep it if I am able to work my way around the quirks.6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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One good phone!!!
by jmburley on July 23, 2008
Pros: Music player, great features, very good battery, clear reception
Cons: Can't set songs as ringtone
Summary: This is the best phone I've ever had, I've been a fan of LG for a while. I had a LG 1400i with AT&T but I ...
Summary: This is the best phone I've ever had, I've been a fan of LG for a while. I had a LG 1400i with AT&T but I dumped them and purchased this phone the first day it came out and I don't regret it. This phone is great, it holds it's signal so there won't be any dropped calls. It has a 2mp camera that is crystal clear, it's also a video camera. The sound quality is great, everything sounds so clear and loud. It's also a MP3 player which holds 1GB of music before you have to add a microSD card. The best thing about this phone is the FM transmitter. You set your home/car stereo on a dead FM station and you can play the songs on your phone thru the stereo.
The only thing I don't like about this phone is that you can't save any of your songs as your ringtone. You have to purchase VCast for an extra $15/month in order to set songs as ringtones. However I found a free website that will let you upload songs to their site and then they'll send it to you in a text. It's phonezoo.com and it's free. So now when people call me I can assign them their own ringtone. Also the outside of the phone looks like it can get scratched very easily so you may need a cover or holder to protect it. I'm also disappointed that Verizon can't transfer my address book from my old phone into this one, they say the new chocolate isn't in their database yet. They should have done this before they began selling the phone.
The battery on this phone is great, I can go 2 days before I have to charge it and that doesn't take very long at all. The speakerphone is cool as well, it's pretty loud so you can hear the caller very well. Other reviews mentioned that the buttons were kinda slick, well it's not something that you can't manage. They're not as slick as the RAZR, I have no problem punching numbers or texting with one hand.
The navigation wheel is pretty cool too, you don't have to open the phone to control the music player. This phone is just perfect for making calls, it's not too big to hold in your hand. It fits nicely in your pocket or on your hip if you have a holder.
Overall this is a great phone it has a lot of features that I'm sure everyone will enjoy. It's durable, dependable, sleek, and well built. Of course there will be people who complain about this or that but bottom line is if you are thinking about getting this go to a Verizon store and hold it and try it out. Once you do that I'm sure you will like it. That's what I did and I don't regret it, especially once they told me that I could get 2 of these for free!! I'm sold.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Error messages.Overheating while charging.
by italiansoxgirl25 on August 27, 2008
Pros: front display is awesome...swirls like an ipod or use as directional buttons...ringtones are awesome.
Cons: Overheating while charging and the phone shuts down...i downloaded 6 songs and all just dissappeared ..Ive tried 3 diffrent phones...all same results. verizon will be reporting this phone to see if they had similar complaints. Error messages appear.
Summary: Overall I fell in love with this phone. it worked for a good month and then...it was all down hill from there. Once they figure out this overheating charging ...
Summary: Overall I fell in love with this phone. it worked for a good month and then...it was all down hill from there. Once they figure out this overheating charging problem...i may consider getting this one again.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Disappointing Sound Quality
by JonathanS100 on July 30, 2008
Pros: Slim and light; Excellent quality screen image
Cons: Disappointing Sound quality
Summary: I was looking for a slim and light phone with good battery life. My previous phone was a Motorola Razor v3c. That phone had excellent sound quality. Unfortuantely, the Chocolate'...
Summary: I was looking for a slim and light phone with good battery life. My previous phone was a Motorola Razor v3c. That phone had excellent sound quality. Unfortuantely, the Chocolate's call quality is not nearly as good as my old Razor. In this case, it appears I traded the slightly longer battery life of the Chocolate for the better reception and call quality of the similar Motorola Moto.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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great easy to use phone loaded with features
by bluesguitarguy72 on July 17, 2008
Pros: small size, no external buttons to press in your pocket, music player, large bright screen, great camera, long usage time, fm transmitter, standard headset jack, it's not trying to be an iphone
Cons: keypad is a little slick and takes some getting used to, no html browser
Summary: I returned my Voyager after less than 24 hrs and I got the LG Chocolate 3.I highly recommend this for someone who wants a functional phone without the overly ...
Summary: I returned my Voyager after less than 24 hrs and I got the LG Chocolate 3.I highly recommend this for someone who wants a functional phone without the overly complicated and hyped features such as a touch screen and a qwerty keypad. The music player works great, the camera takes good pics,it has strong signal strength, two bright screens, and a wide array of customizations all wrapped up in a simple to use flip. In my opinion the Chocolate 3 is the best "dumb phone" Verizon is currently offering.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Just What I Was Looking For!
by msesroh on August 10, 2008
Pros: Large front display, Ability to open music, pics, txt , callendar, camera from scroll wheel, music with headphones is awsome! large keypad,
Cons: Wish they had a slip on belt case available. Can only find the pouch type.
Summary: I'm 49 and I think the chocolate3 is sleek and classic. Wanted a great looking phone, but not all the gimmicks. Love being able to have music/phone together ...
Summary: I'm 49 and I think the chocolate3 is sleek and classic. Wanted a great looking phone, but not all the gimmicks. Love being able to have music/phone together in one device. No problems dialing in the sun because it has a keypad, not the gimmick touch screens that are so popular. Would of liked a qwerty keyboard, but then those phones get way too big. Love being able to slip it in my pocket or small purse and go. Do not have to worry about the phone dialing on it's own because of clamshell design. Great phone. Like all the features. I have the light blue, husband has the black. Good cool looking phone for people with style.
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A solid complimentary piece to an iPod Touch
by ijbrekke on January 19, 2009
Pros: Functional outer screen, pocketable (thin enough), acceptable camera quality, highly customizable interfaces, usable music software (unlike most phones), good call quality, exceptional speaker volume (external and earpiece), good overall reception.
Cons: Easily scratched, menus can be a little too layered, software (version 5.0) is laggy in spots, sometimes hard to open one-handed, microphone is directional and can amplify breathing noises if held in left hand, "echo" effect with your own voice.
Summary: As a Verizon customer, I originally hoped to find a do-it-all phone similar to the iPhone without sacrificing reception and call-quality with AT&T. After being immensely dissapointed with ...
Summary: As a Verizon customer, I originally hoped to find a do-it-all phone similar to the iPhone without sacrificing reception and call-quality with AT&T. After being immensely dissapointed with the Blackberry Storm (software), Samsung Omnia (lag), Motorola Krave (quirky), LG Dare (touchscreen), LG Voyager (touchscreen, BIG), and most of the other phones in Verizon's lineup, I decided on the LG Chocolate 3 as the best "standard" phone. This, combined with an iPod Touch for pretty much everything else, has proven to be a great combination of usability.
The Chocolate 3 is a solid phone, being reliable while also generally accomplishing what it set out to do: use a classic design that brings limited yet successful multimedia tools to the table. The music player is perfectly functional, audio quality is decent (but not great), and I've had plenty of success with the FM Transmitter. The menus and general layout of the phone are also highly customizable, and I will never discount a device for allowing it's user to change almost everything about it; customizability breeds comfort with the device. Every change made to the interface can be viewed before being applied, something I haven't seen on any previous phone and a brilliant gesture by LG.
The phone does suffer from lagging software occasionally, particularily when a call is being answered by flipping the phone open (can take up to a full second to show a connection). I would like to see a software update that can address this issue. I also noticed a quirk solely because I'm a lefty: when the phone is talked into when held in the right hand, percussive syllables (P's, B's, etc...) do not generate "air" noise in the microphone, but when held in the left hand they definitely do. I avoid this by tilting the microphone away from my mouth when talking with my left hand, but it's still something that should be checked out in-store if you're a lefty like myself. Call quality is generally good-to-very good, with a hint of the "echo" voice effect in the background.
The outer screen is very functional as a viewing device, being the exact size of pictures taken with the phone. Messaging inbox, calender, music, and the camera (for self-portraits) can also be accessed without opening the phone, and so far pictures and texts are the main usages. Could the phone do without this outer functionality? Sure, but it is easier to check these things one-handed and scroll around with the scroll-wheel. It's a quality of the phone that I originally thought would bug me but had turned out to be very usable in daily use.
Like all Verizon phones, I feel that the menu system and text-messaging layout could use a large update. Menus are often 3-4 clicks deep, and text messages are still separated into inbox/outbox format. If the software for threaded text messages exists, why not allow the option? It makes far more sense to me to organize conversations in this manner. This is not exclusive to the Chocolate but rather a call to Verizon to update ALL of their devices for this technology.
Transferring music onto the device is easy with the supplied USB cable, and I was even able to get downloaded iTunes songs to work on the phone. I recommend drag-and-drop over Rhapsody, the program doesn't really offer any options besides building playlists, and I could not figure out a way to auto-sync music to the device.
The Chocolate 3's multimedia options are not strong enough to replace an iPod or compete in smartphone territory, but it's multimedia functions do work very well for occassional use. As a phone it does it's job perfectly well, and makes a wonderful compliment to a device like an iPod Touch, which can handle nearly everything that an iPhone can. If you are in the market for a device like the iPhone but are stuck on Verizon I would recommend this combination over any of Verizon's iPhone competitors, as all of them are not as good as Apple's flagship. That being said, give all of these devices a try in the store and see which is right for you.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A beautiful convergence of phone and MP3 player.
by jamesbowen13 on December 27, 2008
Pros: Large external screen (with convenient menu), MP3 player is fully functional, 1GB internal memory, standard 3.5mm headphone jack, FM transmitter is decent, USB charger. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that the phone is pretty sexy.
Cons: No camera flash, phone delay before answering phone calls, smudge-prone (but that goes for virtually any high-end phone), inability to sync calendar w/ computer, inability to set songs as ringtones (blame Verizon), construction feels weak.
Summary: Generally speaking, I have nothing but praise for this phone. However, from reading other reviews, it does seem like others may have received defective products... Just be careful.
I?m ...Summary: Generally speaking, I have nothing but praise for this phone. However, from reading other reviews, it does seem like others may have received defective products... Just be careful.
I?m really glad LG made the Chocolate into a flip phone. (Sliding mechanisms such as those on the old Chocolates wear out too easily.)
Over the last 3 months I?ve had it, this phone has continually surprised me with its nifty features. I liked that?
-the large external screen functions as a mirror when in camera mode
-the keypad is generously sized and easy to use
-the FM transmitter can be tuned to ANY FM station
-it's easy to sneakily read text messages in class using the external screen
-you can browse pictures quickly on the external screen
-it works just like an MP3 player when closed (and it even displays album art and has a visualizer)
-the MP3 player has equalizer modes (bass boost, treble boost, voice, concert hall?my fav, classical, and of course, normal)
-you can put it in Music Only mode (kind of a form of airplane mode)
-it takes up to 8GB microSD cards
-the charger has a built-in USB cord (so you can charge it w/ a computer anywhere even without the adapter)
-it has a USB mode that enables you to use it like a USB drive (the phone functions as a card reader, essentially)
-standard 3.5 mm headphone jack
-attractive, friendly interface
-good signal/reception (and I live in the extended coverage area)
-beautiful 3D graphics (I like playing Monopoly on it)
-when you flip open the phone to take a call, you have to wait about 3 seconds before it will let you answer
To address some concerns...
-the FM transmitter is weak, but the trick is to tune it to a station that is unused, and to make sure that there are NO USED STATIONS on either side
-it attracts smudges, but virtually EVERY high-end phone you buy nowadays will attract smudges
-the sound quality is amazing (using headphones or a jack plugged into your car stereo system). I don?t know why others have had trouble with this. I just made sure that I had the sound quality set at 256 kbs in Windows Media Player when I synched music (don?t bother using Rhapsody).
-the built-in speaker doesn?t have the best sound quality, but I thought it was decent by cell phone standards
-unfortunately, the inability to sync the calendar w/ your computer makes the calendar feature pretty useless
-can?t set songs in MP3 player as ringtones (but I think that?s just something Verizon does to promote its ringtone sales)
-when you flip open the phone to take a call, you have to wait about 3 seconds before it will let you answer
-no camera flash, but this doesn?t bother me since the quality is good (and that?s what a real digital camera is for anyway)
-the hinge feels weak and the phone doesn?t feel incredibly sturdy (invest in a case)
Overall, I think this is a great phone at a great value. Furthermore, all the bells and whistles of the MP3 player make it a worthy music phone. And the ability to expand the memory up to 8GB enables this phone to seamlessly double as a fully functional MP3 player.
I love this phone. If you take the time to get acquainted with its features, I think you will too.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: LG Electronics U.S.A.
- Part number: CHOCOLATE3LGVZW
- Description: Talk about a sweet phone. LG took everything LG loved about the Chocolate phones and made them even tastier. There's still a music player with external control wheel, but now it has an FM transmitter to sync it to your car stereo. Then you can pick from, like, a million songs from Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music Library. Well, more than a million. More like 3 million songs. Enjoy rocking out with the dual speakers and Bluetooth for wireless stereo sound. You're going to want to store as many songs as you can on a luxurious Gigabyte of memory. Or, just opt for the expandable memory up to an 8GB microSD card. Who knows how much you'll need once you're snapping pix of your friends every chance you get. The Chocolate 3 upgraded to a 2.0 megapixel camera that takes a good shot of everyone's best angle. So keep your eyes peeled.
General
- Product Type Cellular phone With digital camera / digital player
- Service Provider Verizon Wireless
- Width 1.9 in
- Depth 0.6 in
- Height 3.9 in
- Weight 3.4 oz
- Body Color Black
Cellular
- Technology CDMA2000 1X
- Band CDMA2000 1X 1900/800
- Phone Design Folder type phone
- Antenna Internal
- Vibrating Alert Yes
- Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Voice Dialing Yes
- Call Timer Yes
- Conference Call Capability Yes
- Voice Recorder Yes
- Caller ID Yes
- Speakerphone Yes
- Wireless Interface Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
- Additional Features TTY compatible, Built-in FM transmitter
Communicator Features
- User Memory 1 GB
Phone Memory
- Phone Book Capacity 1000 names & numbers
Messaging & Data Services
- Short Messaging Service (SMS) Yes
- Internet Browser Yes
- Included Services VCAST, VZ Navigator
- EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) Yes
- Messaging / Data Features Text messages
Multimedia Features
- Playback Digital Video Formats 3gp, H.264, MPEG-4, H.263 video and AMR audio
- Downloadable Content Videos, Music
Digital Camera
- Camera highlights With a resolution of 2 megapixels, this camera phone will give you better pictures than other phones.
- Sensor Resolution 2 megapixels
- Still Image Resolutions 1600 x 1200
- Self Timer Delay Yes
- Video Recorder Resolutions 176 x 144 (QCIF), 320 x 240 (QVGA)
Organizer
- Alarm Clock Yes
- Calendar Yes
- Reminder Yes
- Calculator Basic
Display
- Type LCD display
- Technology TFT
- Display Resolution 320 x 240 pixels
- Diagonal Size 2.2 in
- Color Support Color
- Color Depth 18-bit (262000 Colors)
Display (2nd)
- Type LCD display - Color
- Display Resolution 176 x 220 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Supported Digital Audio Standards AAC, MP3, WMA
Memory
- Internal Shared Memory Yes
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Micro-USB
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Battery, AC travel charger, Headset adapter, Bluetooth headset, Portable stereo speakers, Vehicle power charger, Carrying case, microSD memory card
Power
- Type Power adapter
Battery
- Technology - Lithium ion
- Capacity 800 mAh
- Talk Time Up to 270 min
- Standby Time Up to 350 h
Accessories
- LG HBM-755 (32850751)29.00
- LG HBM-560 (32688178)31.36
- LG HBM-750 (32688021)14.99 - 47.99
- Samsung WEP450 - headset (33669197)21.90 - 25.43
- Sony Ericsson HBH-IS800 Wireless Stereo Headphone (33528991)109.99
- A-Data Speedy Series flash memory card - 2 GB - microSD (33795596)8.99
- ATP SD Trio Professional PLUS card adapter - flash: microSD - Hi-Speed USB (32128464)17.00
- Centon 2GBRSD3-1 - flash memory card - 2 GB - microSD (33503634)11.84 - 15.99
- Centon flash memory card - 4 GB - microSD (33362243)16.74 - 70.99
Manufacturer info
- LG Electronics U.S.A.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse LG Electronics U.S.A. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://us.lge.com/
- Address:
1000 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
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