LG Voyager Rated 4.5 out of 5 by Wireless and Mobile News
The LG Voyager has been called the ‘perhaps iPhone killer,” and takes the best features of other LG phones for a huge “wow” factor. It has the touchscreen operations of the iPhone with the added value of a huge QWERTY keyboard (considered a deal breaker for texting) and a second screen. The LG Voyager offers great video quality and a TV antenna.
Practical & Haptical Input
A reviewer likened the LG Voyager to the Prada phone because of its haptical touch sensations when functions are operated by the touchscreen. The keyboard is bigger than the enV and is easy to use.
The best features of the LG Voyager include: GPS, a replaceable battery, V CAST live TV, video recording, adjustable preview capable camera functions, Bluetooh for dial-up networking/printing/stereo headphones, voice dialing, and a comfort grip. It unfortunately does not have Wi-Fi capabilities.
The LG Voyager sells for $299 with a two year contract. There has been much debate whether the iPhone or the Verizon is a better phone. We will be writing a Review of Reviews of iPhone vs. LG Voyager shortly.
Sacha Cohen at PCMag
rated the LG Voyager 4 out of 5, although he liked many of the features
such as haptical touch, keyboard typing, Bluetooth and crisp sounding
music. He didn’t like the inability to sync contacts or music
playlists, the camera quality and found the phone reception adequate.
He ends the review with “if you chose your network first and it’s Verizon, this is the closest you’ll get to a true mobile revolution for now.”
Kent German at CNET rated the LG Voyager 8.3 out of 10. CNET gave it CNET Editors Choice. He liked the cutting-edge design, keyboard and dynamic touchscreen. Other good factors were fast EV-DO, web browsing, bluetooth, GPS and great call quality. He disliked the quality of the photos, lack of Wi-Fi, clunkiness of touchscreen and jumping of the video. He calls the LG Voyager ” the best LG messaging and multimedia phone by far.” In the video he calls it “a really high-powered phone with a great design.”
Mike Wendland of NBC-TV admired the touch screen, and noted that the phone does a lot of things iPhone doesn’t such as the neat touch icons have vibration(haptical) touch, you can download music anywhere over the air, it works with the fast 3G EV-D0 network which will be a big part of its success. It has video and GPS turn by turn directions making it “really cool.” Wait there’s more—-a full QWERTY keyboard! He says it may be “perhaps, the iPhone killer.”
On November 15, we received a review unit of the LG Voyager. We took
it over to be tested at our special-technophile coffee house and wrote
up the results at New Review Verizon LG Voyager Coffee House Test Review.
Comparati has published an excellent comparison of the iPhone vs. LG Voyager with voting features noting all the stuff that the iPhone does not have which includes: removable battery, GPS, faster G3 network,
2nd internal screen, full QWERTY keyboard,
multimedia messaging, upgradeable sd memory,
mobile Tv, auto focus camera, camcorder,
insurable, vibe touch, bluetooth printing,
stereo bluetooth, bluetooth for dialup,
bluetooth wireless sync, dual stereo speakers,
text to speech, reinforced outer touch screen,
voice dialing, comfort grip,
voice recorder/conversation recorder,
video/animated wallpaper,
one touch speaker phone,
dual display setting for self portraits,
camera flash, 2.5 digital zoom,
Third party support, and Calendar Data input,
screen 240 x 400 and finally one comparison, points out a major selling factor for some, the LG Voyager “will get chicks.”
LG Voyager Specifications
Design
- Large 2.81” External Touch Screen
- VibeTouch™ Technology for Tactile Feedback
- QWERTY Keyboard with Large, Widely?Spaced Keys
Music
- Music Player for MP3, WMA, AAC, & AAC+
- Dual Speakers for Stereo Sound
- microSD™ Memory Port with up to 8GB Support
Bluetooth®
- Profiles: headset, hands?free, dial?up
networking, advanced audio distribution (stereo), phone book access,
object push for vCard and vCalendar, file transfer, human interface,
basic imaging for sending/printing non?protected images to a compatible device & basic print.
Camera/Video
- 2.0 Megapixel Autofocus Camera & Camcorder
- Camera Resolutions: 1600 x 1200 (default), 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 Pixels
- Video Resolutions: 320 x 240, 176 x 144 (default) Pixels
Services
- HTML Web Browsing with Touch Navigation
- V CAST Mobile TV*, Music and Video
- Text, Picture, Video Messaging & Mobile IM.
- Get It Now® Capable
- Mobile Email
- VZ Navigatorsm & Chaperone Parent
General
- One?Touch Speakerphone (via internal keyboard)
- USB Mass Storage ? transfer files between PC and phone - microSD™ card required
- Calculator, Calendar, Alarm Clock, Stop Watch, World Clock, Notepad, EZ tip Calculator
- Retractable TV Antenna for Enhanced TV Reception.
- Up to 1000 contacts with 5 entries per contact
Technical Specifications
- Frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA
- Data Transmission: High?Speed EVDO
- Dimensions: 4.64” (H) x 2.12” (W) x 0.71” (D)
- Weight: 4.69 oz.
- Internal LCD: 262K Color TFT, 400 x 240 Pixels, 2.81”
- External LCD: 262K Color TFT, 400 x 240 Pixels, 2.81”
- Usage Time: Up to 240 Minutes OR
- Standby Time: Up to 480 Hours
- Hearing Aid Compatibility=M3
- SAR: Head ?0.765, Body ?0.893
- Handset Insurance Available
Features
- 2.0 Megapixel Camera with Autofocus Camera & Camcorder
- microSD™ Memory Port, up to 8GB
- Dual Speakers for Stereo Sound
- Bluetooth® Capable*
- V CAST Mobile TV
- V CAST Music
- V CAST Video
- TTY Compatible
- Hearing Aid Compatibility = M3
For details on Hearing Aid Compatibility, see About Us — Accessibility. - Meets FCC SAR limit. Manufacturer’s highest FCC reported SAR 0.710 at ear, 1.030 on body. Actual SAR may vary.
*The LG Voyager supports the Headset, Hands?free, Dial?Up Networking
Advanced Audio Distribution (stereo). Object Push for vCard &
vCalendar, File transfer, Basic Imaging for sending/printing
non?protected images to a compatible device and basic printing. It does
not support all Bluetooth object transfer (OBEX) profiles.
Accessories
- Standard Li?Polymer Battery (950 mAh)
- Travel Charger
- USB Cable
- V CAST Music Manager CD
- User Guide
- Quick Reference Guide
- Quick Start Guide
Capabilities
- Nationwide Premium plan Capable
- V CAST - TV, Music and Video - download songs wirelessly and more
- VZ Navigatorsm with turn-by-turn directions
- Chaperonesm Parent
- Mobile Email
- Mobile IM
Funny thing about this LG is this: it costs $299.99 with no memory chip. That 8 gb chip costs $129.99 so this phone actually costs more than the same sized iPhone. Why would anyone want to go with second best at more $$$.
Odd...Bt
The micro SD price does appear to be an issue, we've got a call out to Verizon to find out what the deal is. Buy.com has a 2G micro SD for $25.00.
Verizon called us back and told us that the internal memory on the LG Voyager will hold about 25-30 songs. She is sending a review copy of the phone soon.
Check back for our take on the phone. We will actually test it for phone service!
I have been keeping up with the Voyager for a few months over a lot of sites. Why is it the comments always go to how it is second best?
In my mind the Voyager is a better phone then the iPhone. Removable memory, user replaceable battery, and a full hardware keyboard. The iPhone has none of those. Last I looked at the name its not a iPhone its a Voyager, so stop trying to compare them, please.
Since the iPhone was introduced, almost every single review we have read, compares the features of the iPhone with any new phone even phone even if it is not in same category.
Apple sold a lot of phones and got a ton of publicity which raised the bar for phone features.
If you look at Wireless and Mobile News reviews, we always say to try out any phone for yourself. In fact, most carriers offer 30 day guarantees allowing you to return a phone if you don't like it. Verizon will let you try out the Voyager for 30 days also.
Not everyone needs and iPhone, some of us need a keyboard, that's we rated the LG Voyager 4.5, it's a great phone with lots of features that some users want.
Buying a phone nowadays is like finding a relationship, you want to find one that's the right personality and that will meet your needs.
I have had the enV for about a year (I got it last Christmas) and this Christmas I'm going to buy the Voyager. The Touchsreen on the front would be a major upgrade from the enV because the enV kinda has small outside buttons. The Touchscreen lets you have T9 Word on the outside too! And having a larger QWERTY keyboard on the inside would be better too, the buttons on the enV are kinda small on the inside too. From what i've been reading, i'm going to give this phone a 10 out of 10.
I just bought the Voyager and i love it. Now i understand its " No Iphone " But, it really stacks up. I really wanted to get an iphone but to break my contract it would have cost me an arm and a leg. So already being a verizon customer...it was an easy choice..VOYAGER!! I have to say " Its A BAD A** PHONE "!!
I do wish it had a bigger screen and wifi but what can ya do? People should not compare it to the Iphone.....because it stands on its own. Remember, its a verizon phone..so it has great service. The iphone is stuck with AT&T's edge network ( kind of a let down ) One of my good friends has an iphone and he is always having trouble with dropped calls and no service. Now i have the voyager and standing right next to him with " NO DROPPED CALLS - CLEAR AS A BELL SERVICE " If you have verizon " BUY THE VOYAGER " you will be happy..trust me!! One last thing....
Iphone : great in a major city ( OK service ) and if there is WIFI near by.
Voyager : Great all over the U.S. - slower web that an iphone ( with WIFI )
If ya travel AT ALL....( with in the US ) the voyager is a great on the road phone. Im in a band and when we are on the road....iphone guy ( the drummer ) is having a hard time surfing the web......Voyager guy ( bass player - me ) Is having a blast sending e-mails, watching videos on youtube, checking my myspace AND watching Vcast videos/ mobil TV ( if you can pick it up- its new, give it a year and it will be available in more place. )
Owner of a VOYAGER
And Very Happy!!
4.9/5
No video playback unless you filmed the video yourself or downloaded it from VCAST. Headphone jack a non-standard size. No preloaded games. Sometimes you have to open the phone so that you can type ("My Account" when asked to put in your billing zip code there is no touch screen key pad). Music Manager is painfully slow. I think the phone is OK, but my friends iPhone is lighter, can be charged on any iPod charger, and plays back some downloaded video content (even if it wasn't purchased on iTunes).
Does the phone have to be with Verizon?
Yes, for Verizon customers only.
Only problem with Voyager is you have to switch your plan if you have a family plan to a national plan if you wish the Voyager.
Voyager is clunky to hold in comparison to the env which I have, however env, is way too small of a screen and I will not keep this phone. The voyager's keyboard is larger( I have tested the venus and voyager both)
Only problem I see, is that the Voyager and Venus both having a touch screen will smudge and get scratched in time unless covered or protected.Both touch screens reacted well to the touch, the Venus having a pretty cool sound, the Voyager reacting quicker to the touch. The Venus one must remember that unless you have a number in your contacts, each time you need to call someone, you will have to slide the phone up whereas with the Voyager you can just type it in. Both are pretty innovative cutting edge phones which I have sure people will love whichever they get...enjoy the holidays.