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Review LG-B1300

LG B1300, live pictures

Standard kit:

Phone
User's guide
Charger

The model is constructed on GVC platform (now Lite-On Technology), earlier on the same platform has been constructed LG B1200. The previous device has caused a lot of censures on quality, both the software, and the technical realization. In the new model the developers have tried to take into account all the lacks and to avoid them. The indirect acknowledgement of the correction of errors became the fact, that Alcatel has presented Alcatel 320 on the same platform. The differences of phones among themselves are insignificant, differs the design, and in case with LG B1300 the number of installed games and the presence of wap-browser. Even the sizes and the weight of the devices coincide. Let's look at the characteristics of the device from LG.

The model is produced in several colors (dark blue, red, silver), now are available only the devices of silver color. The case has rounded forms, the phone lays pleasantly in the hand. The control keys are big and abreast with the case, but it's inconvenient to press them. The numerical keyboard is average by comfort, its backlight is of bright dark blue color. The designations on keys are put in two languages, due to it they are not always clearly readable, but as a whole in the majority of conditions there are no claims to them.

The graphic display has also dark blue backlight, the screen can display up to 3 text lines and one service line (the resolution 112х64 pixels). The screen font is big enough, it is not necessary to peer into the screen. On the one hand it is convenient, on the other hand at reading SMS-messages it is necessary to rely on the automatic scrolling or to look through the message independently. You can enable screen saver with the image of UFO in standby mode, it’s unique in the phone.

At the bottom end face locates the interface connector, the portable handsfree is connected to this connector (the handsfree is included in the standard kit). Above there is an aperture for a strap, it isn't included in the standard kit. The sizes of the phone make 146х45х20 mm, they are quite comfortable, as well as its weight of 85 grammes.

In the device is installed lithium-ionic accumulator in capacity of 650 mAh. According to the manufacturer it is capable to provide up to 2 hours in talk mode and up to 200 hours in standby mode. In conditions of Moscow BeeLine network the device worked about 3 days at 25 minutes of talking and about 20 minutes of other functions using. The time of the full charge is a bit less than 1.5 hours.

We'll quote the review of Alcatel 320, because the devices are practically identical. Press a vertical scroll key and you will see animated icons of the main menu. Each menu is consists of the list of functions, which you can choose. Shortcut number navigation is available; it makes the menu navigation much easier even taking into account that the menu of the phone is not long. You can assign each alphanumerical key to a phone number (to dial it quickly) or a command. The choice is up to you. One of the shortcomings is that number of menu items sometimes exceeds 9, so, it is not possible to use this fast navigation. For example, one can select a type of the ringing tone of the phone, more than 10 of them are available. Hence, one can quickly set one of 10, to set others you should list all previous items. Probably manufacturers intended to do full shortcut number navigation, because there are numbers near all ringing tones. The same problem repeats in the main menu. It’ s incredible but LG B1200 had the similar error. You can’t call any template of SMS with a help of this navigation; you can do it only manually.

Phonebook. Phone numbers from both memories (phone and SIM-card) are displayed in the total list. When you add a new contact, you can select where your phone numbers will be saved: either in SIM-card memory or in the phone memory, but they can’t display separately. It is a shortcoming for many users, as very often they double their phone numbers in SIM-card in case of dire need. Up to 100 phone numbers can be stored in the phone memory. Only one phone number can be added to one name. You indicate only a name and a phone number while adding a new entry. In edit mode it is also possible to assign one of the 5 caller groups. It is not very convenient, as you should do an extra operation and waste your time. A selected ringing tone and a picture (one can’t change it, only switch it off) are added to each caller group. There is a search by name and a possibility to copy all phone numbers in the phone memory and back. It is necessary to remember that modern SIM-cards enable to record up to 200 phone numbers, so, we recommend using this type of memory, as phone memory doesn’t have any preferences here except the only one. It allows to record up to 20 characters in a field, while the filed length in SIM-card is 14 characters. Think, is it so important for you.

Messages. SIM-card memory is used to store SMS messages. There are up to 5 groups of templates (10 messages in each). They differ, depending on the menu language. One can’t record new templates. Russian text input is not available, but the phone supports Russian menu and has a possibility to read Russian SMS messages. The handset doesn’t support EMS and T9. The user can create messages up to 160 characters long.

Profiles. All profiles are changeable. For example, you can set a special ringing tone in each profile. Totally, up to 15 8-tones polyphonic ringing tones are available in the phone.

Settings. One can adjust a display contrast, volume of the loudspeaker, auto keypad guide, welcome text message. So, all settings are very ascetic. There are also two alarm clocks here. It is necessary to input a text to set each of them. It is not understandable why we should do it, as alarm clock is not an organizer.

Calls. One can view duration of the last call and all calls. A total list of calls is also hidden here. It includes 20 records with date and time indication for each one. Calls, which have the same phone number, are not summarized, they are displayed as different records. For example, if you dial one number during ten minutes, most likely you’ll see only one number in this list. It is also a shortcoming of this phone.

Extra. A calculator is very scarce. A calendar has both monthly and daily view. To add a record, press a phonebook key. Totally up to 4 type of records are available: reminder, birthday, call and meeting. You can’t view the whole list of reminders, only by days. A usual signal tone or a sent SMS-message can be used as a reminder.

One can view world time in different cities of the world.

There is an opportunity to compose up to 4 melodies.

WAP. A browser of version 1.2.1, anything especial.

There are five games in the phone: Miner, Punch, Knight, Blood War, Eagle Hunter. The first game is old PC games, which is well-known, in the second one it is necessary to have time to press the numerical key corresponding to an aperture, so that the looking out mouse has not had time to escape, as a whole the game is not so interesting. In game Knight you have to break the big balls into smaller, the ball fall from above, the main thing is to have time to run up to them. The fourth game is shooter with a heap of opponents behind the fence, does not impress. In the last game it is necessary to choose, whom you will catch with the help of the bird, a chicken or to touch dogs running below, there are some more curious functions, they will be left off screen.

Impresssions

Despite of the extreme similarity LG B1300 and Alcatel 320 has a lot of differences besides the appearance. For the benefit of the device from LG speaks a lot of games, presence of wap-browser, the greater number of the installed melodies (25 against 15). At the same time the realization of 8-tone polyphony is not so pleasant, as in phone from Alcatel.

To advantages it is possible to relate the blue screen backlight, it's bright, attention-getting. There are no any claims on communication quality, in this class it is the typical representative. The ringtone loudness is average, the device in the is not audible street. But at the same time the volume of the speaker during talking is excessive, it is necessary to reduce the sound. The phone has handsfree function, it's possible to enable it during talking through the menu. The vibration alert is felt only when you carry the device close to body, it is average by force.

As a whole the device has turned out quite good for this segment, the problem consists that now its cost does not correspond to its functionality and segment. At cost of 70 dollars the device will be claimed, while the current price of 95 dollars is high enough. At choice of phone between LG and Alcatel, it is necessary to take up both variants as by and large it is the same model which by the way is made at one factory. From serious advantages of the device from LG it is necessary to note the presence of wap-browser, but it is necessary for small number of users, especially in this segment. In a word it is necessary to stop the choice on that device which looks more attractively externally, at their comparable price, certainly. In its segment LG B1300 can compete with offers from other manufacturers extremely due to the price, therefore it is necessary to expect the fast price falling for this model.

P.S. The first supplies of LG B1300 have caused a wave of returns of devices to sellers because of firmware errors, the phones worked incorrectly. So, the percent of return at the greatest, official distributor of LG has exceeded 50 percent. The error is concerned with the firmware, it's enough to return the device to the service centre, where the firmware will be updated. The problem devices are those, which have 1.01LI firmware version or below. It is necessary to pay attention exactly to the alphabetic index, the second letter changes. In our case the device had 1.01LM version, i.e. letters go on increasing. To find out the firmware version you should type *8375# in standby mode.

Examples of the ringing tones (mр3, 363 Kb)

Eldar Murtazin ([email protected])
Translated by Andreas Von Horn ([email protected])

Published — 25 June 2003

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