I think I should start with the statement that the LG GW300 is not anything like that nice Google Nexus One or Motorola Droid smartphones that everyone are buzzing about. GW300 is a pretty simple (comparatively) QWERTY mobile handset without any fancy 3G, online applications repository and GPS capabilities. Mobile phone on a budget, that’s it.
Speaking of connectivity, it has EDGE and it’s tolerable when you are browsing mobile optimized pages. I like the idea that I can use this phone as a modem in some situations but I really don’t want to.
Built-in browser has a very nice interface and works pretty good for small pages, but when you point it somewhere where the pages are a very little bit more complicated it returns “insufficient memory” error.
Fortunately, the Java apps are running pretty fast and Opera Mini works just well.
Buit-in e-mail client is ok, and works good with gmail account. The only drawback is it’s morbid obsession to encode anything in base64.
Twitter and other similar web apps are running good in either Opera Mini or built-in browser. 2.4″ LCD is ok to read some RSS feeds in Google Reader on the go. The fonts are smooth, good looking and easy to read.
What about the main feature on LG GW300 – its QWERTY keyboard – it is great, comfortable and very helpful. No matter what do you want to use it for: txting, managing a phonebook, writing down a shopping list or random thoughts – everything is much more emm… natural with it.
The battery of LG GW300 could be better, but everything comes with a price – bigger battery would make LG GW300 significantly heavier. Anyway, you can buy a bunch of USB-MicroUSB cables and put one in the every computer u use during a day, at home, at the office, etc. so you can charge the battery anytime and anywhere.
What I like more in LG GW300:
- Wonderful QWERTY keyboard.
- Pretty nice display and overall quite ok interface.
- 3.5mm headphones jack.
- A lot of useful fields in phonebook records.
- Useful memo and secure memo apps.
- Size and weight. It’s comfortable.
- Descent built quality.
What I do not like about LG GW300:
- Built-in camera is a joke (but it’s understandable).
- You barely can customize anything.
- Base64 encoding in e-mail.
- You cannot view ToDo from a calendar. Neither can’t you setup reminders for ToDo items.
- The mediaplayer database rebuilds after any changes and it takes a lot of time. It’s easier to access your music through file system.
- Battery life is the same as of more feature rich smartphones.