Customer Reviews

LG enV VX9900 Phone, Orange (Verizon Wireless, Phone Only, No Service)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The background paragraph: I work for a cell phone software company porting games to the many cell phones available on the market. What that can be boiled down to is that I have a lot of knowledge of handset quirks/bugs, stability, and look+feel, but not much knowledge for comparing handsets on how well they operate when placing actual phone calls, or trying to carry the phone around in your pocket, etc. It should also be noted that I mainly have experience with brew phones (Verizon, Alltel, US Cellular, Cricket, etc), and next to no experience with j2me phones (Sprint, Cingular, etc). The vx9900 is a brew device.

When it came time to upgrade my old LG vx8100, I choose the LG vx9900 Orange (enV Orange). Based on my own personal needs, I feel it is the best brew device on the market at the time of this writing. I did not give it a 5-star rating because the web browser on all current Verizon phones leaves something to be desired. This looks to be changing for the new models of phones being released later this year.

Below, any point which is a positive editorial is prefixed with a "(+)". Any point which is a negative editorial is prefixed with a "(-)". A neutral editorial is denoted with a "(.)".

SHAPE
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(+) The phone feels good in the hands. Not every phone does. Its edges are well curved.
(.) Nothing special about how well it is carried in a pocket. It's not as light as the various razr's, but it is the slimmest brew device that offers a qwerty keyboard.
(+) As a previous reviewer pointed out, the 9900 actually LOOKS like a camera when it is used for that purpose. See the "camera" section below for more details.
(-) When the device is opened, and if is placed on a desk to type on like a mini desk-top computer, it will wobble. This is because the back of the phone is not level, on account of the camera lens which protrudes 2mm. The wobble does make using the keyboard in this manner impractical, though not impossible. Luckily, it won't damage the lens due to the lens cover.
HOWEVER: Something which I have not read in other reviews which have written about this design flaw is that the wobble can be reduced to a practical level (but not eliminated entirely) if the phone is opened to a full 180 degrees. A little-known feature of the device is that it has two available angles when opened, about 135 degrees and 180 degrees. At 180 degrees, the wobble is reduced, but now the screen is flat with the table and so is not as convenient to look at, though not in a crippling way.
In field testing, I find that I'm rarely in a situation where I need to use the keyboard while sitting at a desk anyway. In those situations, there's usually an actual computer in front of me. Rather, I use the phone's keyboard when out on the town, in which case it is held in the hands. The thumbs do get sore when typing in this manner, however.

KEYBOARD
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(+) Along with its predecessor the vx9800, the vx9900 offers the best keyboard available on brew cell phones, hands down. Most notably because it has a dedicated row for the numeric keys. On all other qwerty brew devices, this is not the case... with the exception of the LG ax490, although its keyboard is impractical for other reasons (do a Google image search on the device to see what I mean). The keys give a quiet, mechanical "click" when pressed, which is nice feedback.
(.) A number of reviews have complained about the space bar not being positioned at the bottom center of the keyboard. Personally, I've had no trouble adapting to the space bar positions.
(.) A number of reviews also criticize the positioning of the volume keys. When the clamshell is opened to its 135 degree position, it's difficult to wedge your finger behind the screen to reach the volume key. However, when I need to access those keys I simply pop the screen down to its 180 degree position, easily play with the keys to my heart's content, then pop it back to 135 degrees.
(+) Unlike its predecessor the vx9800, the vx9900 hinges its clamshell in such a way that the screen folds behind the keyboard. This makes access to the two soft keys easier.
(+) The symbols written on the keys light up, making it easy for night time use. Handy since I mainly use the keyboard when out on the town.
(.) Some of the keys are shaded grey rather than black to make them stand out as keys to use as an alternate directional pad (there's already a dedicated directional pad on the keyboard.) As a game developer, I can fill you in that Verizon REQUIRES games to accept these keys as alternate directional input for the vx9900. So you know it is supported. However, I don't find them any easier to use than the dedicated directional pad. The only advantage I can think of is it may be more natural if you are left handed.
(+) The vx9900 Orange has a special button in the upper left corner labeled "enV". For the silver version of the vx9900, this button is instead labeled "email". Though I have not tried the button on my company's silver vx9900, I believe I've read that it only can bring up the email app, just like it's labeled. For the enV Orange, however, you can assign this button to any of a number of shortcuts. Unfortunately, you can not assign it to be ANY shortcut you'd like (what I'd really enjoy would be to have it launch the web browser to a specific URL of my choice.) Instead you can only assign it to one of 10 options granted to you (Email (which launches the web browser), Text Message, Video Message, Mobile IM, Wireless Sync, V CAST Videos, Picture Message, V CAST Music, Pacman, and Tetris). Holding the button down launches your assigned shortcut. Tapping the button brings up a list of all the mentioned shortcuts, for you to scroll to and then launch.
(+) There's a dedicated speaker-phone button right on the keyboard.

PHONE CALLS
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(+) I've yet to experience bad reception on my end.
(.) I do not know if I've had dropped calls due to my phone. There have been calls dropped, but the person I called blamed it on their phone.
(-) A complaint I've read about numerous times for the vx9900 is that it will sometimes launch a speed-dial when you are not using the phone. I've never used speed dialing on my previous phones, and after reading this complaint I've made a decision to not use it on this phone. Having not tried it, I can not comment on this. However this complaint has arisen enough times that it should be taken seriously if you are someone who enjoys speed-dial features. An alternate may be to use voice-command dialing instead.
As an aside, one of the reviews I read attributed this defect to the clamshell getting wedged in a carrying case or purse in such a way as to open its clamshell slightly, which would deactivate the key-guard for a few seconds, allowing accidental key presses during that time to launch their assigned speed-dial numbers. Out of curiosity I compared my enV Orange against my company's silver enV to see how far the clamshell needed to be opened in order for the key guard to be deactivated. My Orange needed to open by a smaller amount for this condition to be met.

CAMERA
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(+) The phone LOOKS like a camera when you use it as one. It is held horizontally, and you tap your finger on the top right corner to snap a shot.
(+) It has a lens cover.
(-) If auto-focus is activated, which you will want to use, then photos are not taken instantaneously. You have to wait for the click.
(+) 2.0 megapixels.
(+) Decent frame rate for videos. Better than my vx8100. There have been times when it looked choppy, but often it looks fluid. Examples are below.
(+) If you have a memory card, videos recorded to the card are not given a short time limit.
(-) When examined closely, the photos look grainy. I suspect, but have not confirmed, that the camera does not have the full range of millions of colors we are used to on computers. To see what I mean, take a look at the example photo linked to below. Look closely at the pink of the toy in that photo, or the red bow on the toy. The toy is supposed to be smooth plastic, but it looks a bit grainy.
If a photo is shrunk down (and they are rather large), this can eliminate the graininess.
(-) Videos look very grainy.

SAMPLE PHOTOS and VIDEOS:
I've put onto the web some photos/videos of a friend and I dismantling an Etch-a-Sketch to see what was inside. With the exception of the drawings, which were scanned in, the images were taken with my vx9900 Orange.
http://www.rashid-clark.com/etch-a-sketch/
Here's a direct link to a sample photo, taken at the phone's highest resolution setting of 1600x1200:
http://www.rashid-clark.com/etch-a-sketch/victim.jpg
Here's a direct link to a sample video, taken at the phone's highest resolution of 320x240. I speak very quietly by nature, so don't worry video volumes are normally ok. Also, the phone does not natively save videos to .wmv format, I had to convert them:
http://www.rashid-clark.com/etch-a-sketch/stylus.wmv

BATTERY LIFE:
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(+) So far I'm happy with this. I've been recharging maybe every 4-10 days, depending on how the phone is used that week. I'm not a heavy user. Do make sure to follow the carrier's suggestion of fully charging your phone before using it for the first time, and to fully (or near-fully) use up the battery before the first few recharges.

MISC:
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(+) The device comes with a GPS Navigation app, complete with a voice giving you directions. I have not had a chance to use this, as I do not have a car. Sounds cool. However, Verizon does charge you out the nose to use it. You can buy a monthly subscription, or pay to use it for a day. Also, the car phone-holders currently available for the vx9900 seem like they can only hold the phone in its closed state, though I have not tried them.
(+) Nice, stereo speakers when open.
(+) Accepts micro memory cards.
*NOTE*: There are reviews on this site stating that the vx9900 will not recognize any memory beyond 1 Gigabyte. This was true for old firmware versions, BUT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. If you get a phone (weather it's the enV or not), do make sure to update its firmware first thing, as it's free to do. I am using a 2 GB card, and the phone recognizes the 2GB available. It's possible go higher than 2GB (I forget what the current limit is, but I think it's 4 GB). HOWEVER, reviews I've read state that any card greater than 2GB will be so thick that tweezers are required to remove it from the phone. The 2 GB card I use slides out just fine. I have not personally tried larger cards.
(.) Many reviewers noted the front screen's small size as a mark against the enV. It is a very small screen. If a large front screen is a part of your needs, you may want to wait until the vx10000 is released (details below).
Personally, I prefer a functional, non-impressive front screen. The reason being that the front screen is exposed to the elements. I stuff my phone in my bag, and so if anything bad were to happen such as the phone getting scratched, then the nice large screen shall remain unharmed. When I feel like breaking out of stealth-mode and showing off the phone's dazzle, then I open it up. And when in show-off mode, it DOES impress - people ask me what phone it is when it is opened.
(+) Lots of blue tooth options. I have not played with any of them, and so can not comment.
(+) The IM client works swell, and having a keyboard really shines here. Verizon will charge each message sent and each message received as a txt message. Actually running the IM client doesn't cost you anything, however.
(.) I have not tried the vcast features, and so can not comment on them.
(+) Most people don't care for cell phone games, but speaking as someone who works in the cell phone game industry, I can say that games on this device look a lot better than they do on plenty of other devices. Verizon requires games to make use of a phone's full screen, so the wide screen of the vx9900 is a nice feature.
(+) From a programming stand point, the vx9900 is stable without a lot of quirks (this can not be said for a lot of devices). From a user's stand-point, this doesn't mean much, but can be reassuring to know.

VX9900 vs vx10000
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The vx10000 is the successor to the vx9900. At the time of this writing, it is not yet available in stores, but will be soon. If you are thinking of getting a vx9900, should you wait until the vx10000 is released?
Well, the vx10000 is not in my office yet, so I have not had a chance to play with it. And although I do have access to its technical information, I am under agreement to not share that with the public. However, if you perform internet searches you can get some details. Namely, it has a HUGE front screen. This screen is touch-sensitive. It also has what looks to be a much better web browser. A good browser interfaced with a touch-screen has a lot of potential of they implement it right. The internal screen is also larger. Further, the back of the phone is flat, eliminating the "wobble" problem described earlier in this review for the vx9900.
On the minus side, the vx10000 does not yet look to be orange. =D

I owned the original EnV for about seven months, before switching to this beautiful colored phone. The EnV is a very unique phone. When in phone mode, it has a very sleek, skinny design, that fits right in your pocket. Then you open the EnV and you have a full keyboard and a large screen to work with.

The camera is one of my favorite features of this phone. From the back, you wouldn't be able to tell if you have a phone or a camera. With the lens, it comes with a retractable lens cover. The beautiful pictures are full of 2.0 megapixels.

The EnV comes with plenty of gadgets. One big thing to note is the One Month free of the Verizon Navigator, the full fledged GPS straight out of your phone. The EnV makes texting a simple task with the QWERTY keyboard, and makes you feel like you have your own little palm pilot in your hands.

This is a great phone. After many years of having a flip phone, I decided to upgraded to a more full featured phone, and this one fits the bill.

The EnV from Verizon wireless offers a great mix of features and looks that is second to none. The phone looks like a typical "candy bar" style phone with a small (very small actually) though clear front screen, navigation, send and end button (end button acts as power button too) and number buttons. Good for making calling.

It is when the phone opens on the bias that the true genius of EnV appears. Inside is a full Qwerty keyboard, navigation, and shortcut buttons, and a gorgeous clear color screen.

Navigation is easy, with intuitive interface and easily personalized shortcut buttons to suit your own needs.

The phone has a 2.0 megapixel camera that takes great photos and videos. A nice touch is a lens cover that protects the lens from unwanted scratches and dust.

The phone has a SC card slot. A 1 Gig card will allow you to hold hundreds of songs if you purchase the Verizon Music pack that includes software, USB cable and headphone that double as corded headset.

It is a great phone. I didn't give it 5 stars because of lack of Macintosh support, and because of Verizon's insistence on turning off many of the great bluetooth features such as file exchange.

Overall this is a great phone. It has all the powerful features you come to expect from a phone, at a great price, and with great curb appeal.

This is one of the most AWESOME phones I have seen. I LOVE mine. I got a different phone (against my better judgement) and it was a piece of ----, so I traded it in for the orange EnV and I just don't think I will ever go back to anything else. It takes awesome pictures, videos, and everything. Tons of room, and one of the loudest ringers I have hear (which is nice for someone who has trouble hearing or works in busy and loud areas). Easy to work, and wonderful. A lil on the larger side for a phone, and I had a bit of a hard time finding a case, but I got a case through Verizon, and I am not completely content. I would not trade it for any other phone out there. Not even the I-Phone. Definately great for the texter in the family. And definately worth a try. You may never go back either. I loved my RazR, but I love this one much MUCH more.

I was use to having a flip phone- and wasnt to sure about getting this phone, but I am very glad I did. Its a great phone, epecially if you do a lot of texting. I like that you can text from the front or flip it open to text inside- where you can type very quick.
I'm not to fond of it only holding a certain amount of texts in the inbox- and you have to delete them, it doesnt do it manually. But that can be done realy quick by just hitting the delete inbox.
Everyone that I know that has this phone does have a little problem with the sound. Every now and then the phone wont ring - and the volume will be on loud. Or it wont make a noise when you recieve a text. All you have to do is turn it off then back on. It doesnt bother me enough to want to change phones by any means.
Definently a great phone.

So far its really nice! Only thing I've found that sux is that the chargers car/home have a silver shield that plug into the bottom of the phone and already had 1 car charger shield stick in the phone when I pulled it out. Seems like they could have made them a little more quality. That and You shouldn't be able to send blank text messages. Otherwise no complaints in the month or so Ive had it.

I changed from Sprint to Verizon after being a Sprint customer for over a decade. I gravitated toward an LG phone because of what I felt was it's good reputation. I am a middle aged, six foot tall guy with average sized hands for a man. This was not the first LG I tried, this was the second after trying the Voyager which I was not pleased with mainly because of the fickle touch screen. I turned in the Voyager and picked up this orange version of the EnV as opposed to the silver version only because the upper inside left key is a short cut to other menus as opposed to only an email key on the silver. Not sure how the green EnV is laid out.

My main complaint of this phone is that the buttons on the front are so close together that I had a very hard time choosing (for example) the bottom arrowed button and instead would get the ok button or the button below the down arrow. Same with all the keys on the face. This happened even when I tried to carefully do it. I am sure a woman with smaller hands would have no problem. I have no complaints about the buttons on the inside although they are a little closer together than those on the Voyager. I might as well throw in here that I also returned this EnV phone the very next day and after really reading through all these reviews on LGs on Amazon, settled on the Venus which I love. (I purchased the phones at Best Buy) Anyway, the ear speaker in the EnV performs more clearly than the Voyager but not as well as the Venus. Same goes for the speaker phone. Venus wins there too. Also, what bothered me about the EnV is the logic of actually using the phone and it's different functions. I much prefer the Venus because the button locations and choices it gives you makes more sense how it is designed and functions. The front screen on the EnV is so small that the print is hard to read too. The worst is how small the letters are on the front numbered buttons if you should happen to want to use them. They are tiny even for a young person's eyes! The Venus is easy to read, as is the Voyager. If a full keyboard QWERTY is not a necessity to you, then I would pass on this one and try a Venus. It's a bit more money at the time I am writing this, but well worth it in so many ways. I will be giving the Voyager three stars and the Venus five stars. Hope this helps.

I've had my enV for over a month now and I'm generally happy with it..EXCEPT...call quality not as good as the razr I had prior to the enV. Voices sound slightly muffled. This may be an issue with Verizon rather than with the phone. Not sure. The razr I replaced with the enV was through AT&T so maybe that's the reason. Different carrier. Also, it takes 4 or 5 key strokes to get the camera ready to take a picture. The razr took 1 or possibly 2 strokes. Not real handy when you want to quickly capture a fleeting moment. Camera is much, much better than that on the razr though owing to the higher megapixels. It also has a lot more settings and a flash much like a regular point and shoot digital camera.

This is a great phone. I was looking for a durible, fun, bright phone and this is perfect. I has great gadgets. I once droped out of a second story window and it still worked well. It is the best phone I've ever had.

I really love this phone to text with. The pics come out grea. I am disappointed in the storage though and the batery capacity. It only stores about 40 texts and I have to charge it every day.