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Technical Details
- Fully QWERTY Keyboard
- Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
- 1.3 Megapixel Camera & Video Recorder
- Voicemail, Call Waiting, and Caller ID
- Text Messaging
Product Details
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Product Description
LG LG500G Tracfone with Double Minutes for Life
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
278 of 285 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I hate cell phones. In my opinion, long distance communication is best done via a land line (Limited Mobility? Oh, the humanity!) or a computer through e-mail, IM, or social networking sites. So if you're like me, you want a cell phone that you won't be using that often (business, emergencies, maybe even time-to-time socially), that you won't cry over if it is broken or stolen, and, most of all, MUST BE CHEAP. This product is very reasonably priced (7/2011: 22 + ns on Amazon, slightly more at a retail store), the value of the minutes is among the best for a prepaid cell phone, and the cell phone itself is pretty sweet. Buy it, carry it around with you or leave it in your car, toss it around, buy one for your ten year old to teach them about conservation, whatever.
Especially with Tracfone, double minutes are a necessity. Don't get a Tracfone without it. In fact, there's a version of this phone with triple minutes. It's something like 90 bucks extra but depending on how much you use your phone, you may want to look into it. Best value I figure is the 200 minutes purchase. After double minutes and a promo code (promo code book included with purchase, by the way), you'll get approximately 450 minutes. After taxes and everything, I calculated that each unit costs around 9 cents. Better than what Net10 offers. Higher minute packages may have better value, but if you have to make those kinds of purchases on a regular basis, you might as well look into a phone with a contract. Functionally, this item works pretty much in the same way you'd typically expect a prepaid phone to work: the number of units per minute (1:1) for a call is rounded up, whether you were talking for two seconds or 59.999 seconds; texts are .3 units, probably the best value you can find in a prepaid; the browser is lame and should be used only in emergencies, and is .5 units to start and .5 units for every minute in the browser.
As for the phone itself, I like it. A lot. But first, the three things which bother me the most about this phone MUST have the most elaboration, to let you know what you're getting into.
1. Text Previews: This is nothing new. Tracfone seems to utilize a tactic in which you cannot see from whom you are receiving a text. Is it from a colleague? Is it from a new number? Is it spam? You can't tell. All they provide you before you open it is the first few characters of the text which was sent. Can't blame them, really. Their texts are so cheap, they have to make certain that you at least open every single one you get.
2. The Browser Button: This is the most common problem I've found in all of the reviews I've read. Not only is the browser button a big soft key which you also use as the "Back" key, but it's also placed right next to the "Pwr/End" key. Key lock MUST BE ACTIVATED ON THIS PHONE, or you'll wind up punching this button while slipping the phone into your pocket and wasting a LOT of units. Horrible. You'll be pressing this button a couple of times when you do not want to. Bam. Half a unit expended. If you hit the "End" key quick enough, you might avoid it. Invariably, though, you will be wasting money thanks to this little baby. This, too, is suspected to be a ploy to cheat you out of your hard-purchased units. Frankly, I think it was just a stupid human factors mistake made on someone's part. It's really the worst aspect of this phone and it could have all been avoided if only the phone had...
3. Personalizability: I can change the background and ringtones, okay, fine. I CANNOT change what the soft key buttons do. If I could change the Browser Button to, say, a Camera Button, this would be the God of all Prepaid Phones. Unfortunately, we're stuck with a shortcut to a horrible, useless browser and guessing where the shortcut key to the half-decent camera is (tip: it's "Left" on the Navigation Key).
That's all the bad stuff, though! Let's talk about the good stuff. Remember, this is a prepaid phone. I'm matching it up to other prepaid phones I've seen before.
- Light
- Great-looking
- Great battery life
- SD card slot
- Good camera
- Excellent keypad (see below)
- Volume is on-par
- Full of other useful functions (such as games, mp3 player, and calendar - with event planning!)
The keys are small, yet are very easy to master (and they have a wonderful response), even if you have big fingers. I do not know the threshold between comfort and frustration; all I know is that if small keys have been an insane problem for you in the past, you may want to find a demo of this phone to check it out first.
This phone is worth it. You can laugh at the poor souls who have sold themselves into $600+ a year contracts while you thriftily expend $15 - $20 a month for a phone with nearly the exact same features. The difference could help you pay for a netbook, which more than makes up for any deficiencies you may find in the cell phone (and which is also a great selling point when you're negotiating with your aforementioned ten year old).
Just get it. The only time you'll regret it is when you hit that stupid Browser Button.
Edit: 8/4/2011
The phone charges with a micro USB cable. (There -is- a difference between micro USB and mini USB.) These cables are cheap from Amazon. You can have one shipped to you for about two bucks. I'd recommend getting a couple and a USB car charger, which, depending on the quality, should set you back around five to ten bucks. Being able to charge the phone from a computer is a great feature, but you may also be wondering what kind of data you can transfer between the phone and the computer. The answer is nothing -- if you don't have a micro SDHC card (4gb SanDisk w/ adapter is seven bucks). With the card installed, connecting the phone to the computer should both charge the phone and allow you to change the contents of the SDHC card. No special software should be required. The reason I'm bringing this up now is that lately I've been having issues with this feature. It started to work, but connecting the phone with the card installed to my computer now brings up a hardware failure notice. This is a minor issue, but an inconvenience nonetheless. I have to open up the back of the cell phone, take out the battery, remove the card, place the card into the adapter, and connect the card to my computer that way. That's the only issue I've had with this phone so far. I'd still have bought this phone if I knew it had this issue, however. I will update if I find a resolution to this issue.
Some other information. I mentioned getting a car charger, but you may never need it. I'm on day five without charging my phone, and it's still got half battery life. And yes, I have been using it. This totally makes up for the connectivity issue, and then some. Also, as far as adding things to the phone, buying the SDHC card has been a good idea. There's plenty of tiny extras for the phone you can find online. Ringtones do not need to be in a special format, mp3 will work. If you do a search for games for this phone, they're everywhere. I download mine from Mobile Heart. (You can play Civilization! I love this game.)
So, about a month in, I've found one setback and a couple of really big pluses. Rating still stands at five stars.
Edit: 8/27/2011
Still working great. The phone averages about four days on the battery without charge. (Compare this with maybe two days for a smart phone.) Also, I obtained a Bluetooth device (Rocketfish Rf-Mrbtad Micro Bluetooth Adapter, $11). File transfers are a lot easier, and it's nice not to have to worry about cords and stuff. A little bit slower, but it makes up for the problems with USB cable connectivity. Still the best prepaid phone I've ever owned. I think this will be the last edit until I stop using the phone. Rating still stands at five stars.
Especially with Tracfone, double minutes are a necessity. Don't get a Tracfone without it. In fact, there's a version of this phone with triple minutes. It's something like 90 bucks extra but depending on how much you use your phone, you may want to look into it. Best value I figure is the 200 minutes purchase. After double minutes and a promo code (promo code book included with purchase, by the way), you'll get approximately 450 minutes. After taxes and everything, I calculated that each unit costs around 9 cents. Better than what Net10 offers. Higher minute packages may have better value, but if you have to make those kinds of purchases on a regular basis, you might as well look into a phone with a contract. Functionally, this item works pretty much in the same way you'd typically expect a prepaid phone to work: the number of units per minute (1:1) for a call is rounded up, whether you were talking for two seconds or 59.999 seconds; texts are .3 units, probably the best value you can find in a prepaid; the browser is lame and should be used only in emergencies, and is .5 units to start and .5 units for every minute in the browser.
As for the phone itself, I like it. A lot. But first, the three things which bother me the most about this phone MUST have the most elaboration, to let you know what you're getting into.
1. Text Previews: This is nothing new. Tracfone seems to utilize a tactic in which you cannot see from whom you are receiving a text. Is it from a colleague? Is it from a new number? Is it spam? You can't tell. All they provide you before you open it is the first few characters of the text which was sent. Can't blame them, really. Their texts are so cheap, they have to make certain that you at least open every single one you get.
2. The Browser Button: This is the most common problem I've found in all of the reviews I've read. Not only is the browser button a big soft key which you also use as the "Back" key, but it's also placed right next to the "Pwr/End" key. Key lock MUST BE ACTIVATED ON THIS PHONE, or you'll wind up punching this button while slipping the phone into your pocket and wasting a LOT of units. Horrible. You'll be pressing this button a couple of times when you do not want to. Bam. Half a unit expended. If you hit the "End" key quick enough, you might avoid it. Invariably, though, you will be wasting money thanks to this little baby. This, too, is suspected to be a ploy to cheat you out of your hard-purchased units. Frankly, I think it was just a stupid human factors mistake made on someone's part. It's really the worst aspect of this phone and it could have all been avoided if only the phone had...
3. Personalizability: I can change the background and ringtones, okay, fine. I CANNOT change what the soft key buttons do. If I could change the Browser Button to, say, a Camera Button, this would be the God of all Prepaid Phones. Unfortunately, we're stuck with a shortcut to a horrible, useless browser and guessing where the shortcut key to the half-decent camera is (tip: it's "Left" on the Navigation Key).
That's all the bad stuff, though! Let's talk about the good stuff. Remember, this is a prepaid phone. I'm matching it up to other prepaid phones I've seen before.
- Light
- Great-looking
- Great battery life
- SD card slot
- Good camera
- Excellent keypad (see below)
- Volume is on-par
- Full of other useful functions (such as games, mp3 player, and calendar - with event planning!)
The keys are small, yet are very easy to master (and they have a wonderful response), even if you have big fingers. I do not know the threshold between comfort and frustration; all I know is that if small keys have been an insane problem for you in the past, you may want to find a demo of this phone to check it out first.
This phone is worth it. You can laugh at the poor souls who have sold themselves into $600+ a year contracts while you thriftily expend $15 - $20 a month for a phone with nearly the exact same features. The difference could help you pay for a netbook, which more than makes up for any deficiencies you may find in the cell phone (and which is also a great selling point when you're negotiating with your aforementioned ten year old).
Just get it. The only time you'll regret it is when you hit that stupid Browser Button.
Edit: 8/4/2011
The phone charges with a micro USB cable. (There -is- a difference between micro USB and mini USB.) These cables are cheap from Amazon. You can have one shipped to you for about two bucks. I'd recommend getting a couple and a USB car charger, which, depending on the quality, should set you back around five to ten bucks. Being able to charge the phone from a computer is a great feature, but you may also be wondering what kind of data you can transfer between the phone and the computer. The answer is nothing -- if you don't have a micro SDHC card (4gb SanDisk w/ adapter is seven bucks). With the card installed, connecting the phone to the computer should both charge the phone and allow you to change the contents of the SDHC card. No special software should be required. The reason I'm bringing this up now is that lately I've been having issues with this feature. It started to work, but connecting the phone with the card installed to my computer now brings up a hardware failure notice. This is a minor issue, but an inconvenience nonetheless. I have to open up the back of the cell phone, take out the battery, remove the card, place the card into the adapter, and connect the card to my computer that way. That's the only issue I've had with this phone so far. I'd still have bought this phone if I knew it had this issue, however. I will update if I find a resolution to this issue.
Some other information. I mentioned getting a car charger, but you may never need it. I'm on day five without charging my phone, and it's still got half battery life. And yes, I have been using it. This totally makes up for the connectivity issue, and then some. Also, as far as adding things to the phone, buying the SDHC card has been a good idea. There's plenty of tiny extras for the phone you can find online. Ringtones do not need to be in a special format, mp3 will work. If you do a search for games for this phone, they're everywhere. I download mine from Mobile Heart. (You can play Civilization! I love this game.)
So, about a month in, I've found one setback and a couple of really big pluses. Rating still stands at five stars.
Edit: 8/27/2011
Still working great. The phone averages about four days on the battery without charge. (Compare this with maybe two days for a smart phone.) Also, I obtained a Bluetooth device (Rocketfish Rf-Mrbtad Micro Bluetooth Adapter, $11). File transfers are a lot easier, and it's nice not to have to worry about cords and stuff. A little bit slower, but it makes up for the problems with USB cable connectivity. Still the best prepaid phone I've ever owned. I think this will be the last edit until I stop using the phone. Rating still stands at five stars.
91 of 94 people found the following review helpful
I've had this phone for about 6 weeks, and like it. I replaced an ATT contract and a Motorola Razor with this Tracfone. For my purposes (texting and phone calls) it's just fine, and the full QWERTY keyboard is certainly much better for texting than what I had with the Razor. The instruction manual which comes with the phone is minimal, but Tracfone has a very informative interactive tutorial for the phone at their website. The one feature which I miss that my Razor had and this phone doesn't is voice-activated dialing. My significant other travels overseas quite a bit, and I use this phone to text and chat with him on his ATT phone while he's abroad. The charges for these international calls are no more than they would be for any call made here in the states. The sound quality for these overseas calls is great (except for the random clicking on the calls to/from China..maybe someone is eavesdropping??)
I've been tracking my usage, and recently bought one year, 1500 minutes (doubled to 3000 minutes, with a 100 minute bonus)from Tracfone. I estimate that with my usage, this phone will run me about $15/mo. Certainly a bargain when compared to the ATT contract which I had previously.
I also bought and use a SDHC micro chip (4GB, the maximum capacity for the phone) for playing tunes. It works just fine on this phone.
Update 7/30/2011
I'm still very happy with this phone. Just a few points:
1. Tutorial link: <...>
2. Recently traveled to an area without GSM service (backwoods of Oregon). Somehow the phone got locked into a "No Service" mode, even when I went back into areas with service. The problem was solved by turning the phone off and then back on. Something to be aware of.
I've been tracking my usage, and recently bought one year, 1500 minutes (doubled to 3000 minutes, with a 100 minute bonus)from Tracfone. I estimate that with my usage, this phone will run me about $15/mo. Certainly a bargain when compared to the ATT contract which I had previously.
I also bought and use a SDHC micro chip (4GB, the maximum capacity for the phone) for playing tunes. It works just fine on this phone.
Update 7/30/2011
I'm still very happy with this phone. Just a few points:
1. Tutorial link: <...>
2. Recently traveled to an area without GSM service (backwoods of Oregon). Somehow the phone got locked into a "No Service" mode, even when I went back into areas with service. The problem was solved by turning the phone off and then back on. Something to be aware of.
72 of 75 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I read online reviews and looked at one in the store before I bought this phone. It is actually the first Tracfone I have bought that I was excited about! I have had a Tracfone for years, and it is now my "back-up" cell phone. I really didn't feel that I needed a smartphone with this but I wanted to be able to text more easily and have the possibility of web access not that I use it much. The phone was no surprise then after researching it, and I didn't expect a smartphone or even semi. That's not what this phone is.
But I like the more modern look and also that it is not branded Tracfone on the outside (I usually turn off the automatic screen display of minutes anyway). It was easy to install the battery and get it charging. Then I was pleasantly surprised that customer service had my number and service transferred so easily. This was the best experience I have had with them on the phone! My reception seems good, and testing works fine. I have not put a microSD card in yet, but I will update if I have any problems with that. The keyboard is small but is is nicely responsive for me and my smallish hands. Accessing the menu to change wallpaper, settings, and enter contacts was simple and for me intuitive. The keypad lock and unlock is different than what I am used to, but after a couple of times I like the way it works--you press a specific key to lock than you have to press first unlock than immediately press yes to unlock. This seems like it will prevent accidental unlocking.
So far, I have not found anything that I don't like about this phone. Just be make sure you know what it is, not a smartphone nor a touchscreen, and that the keypad is small. As with other Tracfones, the so-called user manual is scanty on details so you may need to look up additional information. It takes my standard 3.5 headphones although the jack is sort of at an angle. For the price, it is a great phone and I'm very glad I updated my Tracfone to this model.
But I like the more modern look and also that it is not branded Tracfone on the outside (I usually turn off the automatic screen display of minutes anyway). It was easy to install the battery and get it charging. Then I was pleasantly surprised that customer service had my number and service transferred so easily. This was the best experience I have had with them on the phone! My reception seems good, and testing works fine. I have not put a microSD card in yet, but I will update if I have any problems with that. The keyboard is small but is is nicely responsive for me and my smallish hands. Accessing the menu to change wallpaper, settings, and enter contacts was simple and for me intuitive. The keypad lock and unlock is different than what I am used to, but after a couple of times I like the way it works--you press a specific key to lock than you have to press first unlock than immediately press yes to unlock. This seems like it will prevent accidental unlocking.
So far, I have not found anything that I don't like about this phone. Just be make sure you know what it is, not a smartphone nor a touchscreen, and that the keypad is small. As with other Tracfones, the so-called user manual is scanty on details so you may need to look up additional information. It takes my standard 3.5 headphones although the jack is sort of at an angle. For the price, it is a great phone and I'm very glad I updated my Tracfone to this model.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
GREAT PHONE!
Decided to give up my Verizon LG phone that I pay about $60/mo for and I use it about once a week, if that. Read more
Published 6 days ago by J.M.
Wonderful Phone
I received this as a gift, and it has been awesome! There are 2 minor flaws:
1. The browser button is also the back button, so if you press back too many times, it will... Read more
1. The browser button is also the back button, so if you press back too many times, it will... Read more
Published 10 days ago by 4 my Girl
What an improvement over the first Tracfone I had!
After a decade of using cell phones with monthly charges, limitations, and spotty reception, I decided to forgo mobile voice communication. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Larry L. Hoffman
Excellent - though outdated - phone!
By the time of this review, this phone is largely outdated.
Yet I prefer it above the more modern android-touchscreen phones because:
- Seriously improved battery life... Read more
Yet I prefer it above the more modern android-touchscreen phones because:
- Seriously improved battery life... Read more
Published 12 days ago by H B
Retiring it After Seven Months
I've had all the problems folks here talk about. My hands are almost too large for the keyboard. (I wear a men's regular sized glove, can't fit into women's gloves. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Susan
Great features for the price
I got this as an upgrade for my youngest's previous Tracfone - he is too young to need unlimited texting and such but it gives peace of mind that he can call in a pinch when he's... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Greg S
Basic Tracfone with Enhanced Features
I had a phone similar to this with Net10. It varies in a lot of ways. The SD card slot is below the battery which can be a pain because you have to take the battery out to get to... Read more
Published 20 days ago by bgjackson1295
Love this phone!
I love this phone...the QWERTY keyboard is great and the phone is easy to use and has some good features.
Published 23 days ago by musickteacher
Great purchase
This phone is an amzing little phone for such a great price. My husband has a hearing loss and has a hard time with many phones. He can hear the other person on this phone well. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Product Reviewer
This phone is nothing but trouble
I purchased this phone for my husband to use while he travels for work. I've had it for a week and it's only worked for a few days. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Jill B.
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