With today's cell phone talk primarily geared around smartphones, strong performers in the standard "phone" category are often overlooked. Enter the LG LX370, a fantastic device, both inside and out. From the overall design, to the screen, to Sprint's One Click user interface, the phone is a great package worthy of a look by anyone disillusioned by the rise of the smartphone.
The first thing that caught my eye upon unboxing it was the screen. Sporting 240 x 320 pixels, the 2-inch display offers 262,000 colors to make for a crisp image. Not to be forgotten, the faux metal exterior of the LX370 is gorgeous as well. With design cues similar to the LG Shine, the LX370 is slightly taller and narrower than its counterpart. On the left side of the device, you'll find the volume rocker and microUSB charging port; and on the right side, the headphone jack, microSD card slot, speaker button, and camera key. The downside here is that the LX370's headphone jack is 2.5mm, so you'll have to purchase an adapter if you want to listen to music via headphones or in the car.
Though both the display and design are two of my favorite areas of the LX370, I have to give credit to Sprint - their One Click user interface is fantastic. When one talks of carrier-implemented user interfaces, I think of Verizon's stock UI. Though it's relatively decent now, it wasn't that long ago that it was beyond bland, and offered little to no customization options. From the very beginning, Sprint did a fantastic job of launching a highly customizable, easy to use, useful interface that both entry-level and advanced users should appreciate.
Among some of the customization options, the ability to change shortcuts on the "carousel" (the name for the menu bar at the bottom of the screen) and threaded text messaging lead me to believe that Sprint hit it out of the park. The only potential downside may come in the actual text size - though you can change the font size for messages, the browser, and the notepad, the actual menu font cannot be altered. The default font is very small, so those with eye troubles may have a hard time viewing the screen.
Does the device hold up in other areas? How about reception and battery life - two of the most important aspects of a phone? Stay tuned for my full review!
