I got to spend some time with the new LG Versa from Verizon. You might have see the new Versa/Transformers joint marketing and product placement campaign.
As you can see Versa stands for versatile. This phone has all the basics: a still and video camera, GPS, web browsing, with a sleek touch based navigation, but it can become more. The Versa can transform using a series of interchangeable backs.
For $99 with a two year contract, The Versa comes with a basic battery cover back (making it similar in size and function to the Samsung Behold) and a QWERTY keyboard back, that gives a complete thumb keyboard for emailing and texting, that also wraps around the phone acting as a protective case.
In addition to that. For $29.99 you can get the Versa Game Controller that includes several games and proves slide out game controls for playing. More games can be downloaded from Verizon directly from the phone.
The phone works great. Calls are clear, the touch pad is responsive and provides a vibration feedback to confirm interaction. It has an MP3 player and a 2.0 megapixel camera with decent quality in good light (the same goes for Video capture).
The interchangeable backs work as the should. I found it aggravating that the QWERTY keyboard/case opened to the right instead of the left as a book would. Maybe it’s being right handed or maybe it’s reading books from left to right, either way, it didn’t feel right.
The screen also left much to be desired. While it looked great in my office, when in direct sunlight the screen looked black, completely washed out by the sun. While outside, I was unable to see who was calling at all and only make phone calls with the QWERTY keyboard back attached.
The Versa also has EV-DO Data connection giving it broadband speeds when browsing the web, but it lacks WiFi limiting browsing to when you are on the Verizon 3G network and while its web browser is moderately better than most mobile phones, it pales in comparison to smart phones like the Storm, iPhone and G1. It makes it hard to think of the Versa as a computer as touted in the commercial.
Overall I found the Versa to be a great phone, but found it to have a bit of a personality disorder. As a basic phone, I like it. The Versa is small, simple, easy to use, and works, but the switching of backs make it feel busy. The Versa consolidates function while not consolidating accessories. This phone is clearly for some people. Personally, I found the interchangeable backs to weigh me down, having extra pieces to keep track of and haul around, but I imagine some might desire the customization and specification of design.
Tags: cell, iphone, mobile, phone, transform, transformers, verizon, versa
Categories: Cell Tech, Tech.
