While the Verizon Coupe is a simple phone for people who don't need fancy features (see previous post), the Verizon Wireless / LG Voyager Multimedia Smartphone is the opposite: a phone for people who revel in messaging, music, and multimedia.
The Voyager (technically the LG VX10000) can be used in two ways: keep it closed as a flat phone with a colorful vertical touch screen, or open it to reveal a horizontal screen with a full keyboard. And it has a 2 megapixel autofocus camera and a microSD memory expansion port.
The outer display provides colorful icons for full access with to the main menu, shortcut menu, phone calling with touch-screen keypad, and music and video playback. When you tap the screen, the "VibeTouch" technology provides tactile feedback by vibrating briefly.
The inner display in landscape orientation is better for interactive activities like text messaging (with the keyboard) and Web browsing over Verizon's high-speed EV-DO wireless broadband service.
The inner display is not a touch screen -- you use cursor keys on the keyboard to navigate. Both screens are 2.81 inch color LCDs, 400 x 240 resolution.
The Voyager as a media player ...
As a media player, the Voyager supports the full suite of Verizon services: V CAST Music downloads, V CAST Video clips streaming on demand, and V CAST TV for live broadcast TV (where available), with a thin retractable antenna for enhanced TV reception. (The display flips to landscape orientation to play music and videos.)
You also can download your own clips from a PC -- the Voyager supports MP3, WMA, unprotected AAC, and AAC+ formats, with dual speakers for stereo sound. You even can use the phone to transfer files as general removable USB drive.
To shoot your own stuff, the Voyager has a 2.0 megapixel autofocus camera that shoots photos at up to 1600 x 1200 resolution, and video up to 320 x 240.
The built-in Web browser offers icon menus for browsing familiar sites (News, Sports, Weather, Entertainment), or you can enter your own URLs and browse though the Verizon Optimized Web Service. However, it's best to browse mobile-ready sites -- the display can show only a horizontal slice of the site, and the text is rather tiny. You can navigate by touch on the outer display, including tapping to select and sliding to scroll, or with the cursor keys when the phone is open.
Of course, the Voyager also supports the latest Verizon services, including Text, Picture, and Video Messaging, Mobile IM, Get It Now downloadable applications, Mobile Email, VZ Navigator (GPS), and Chaperone Parent. And it has a Contact manger (up to 1000 entries) and desktop tools.
All this in a not-so-big package -- 4.64 x 2.12 x 0.71", 4.69 oz. -- slightly longer, but not as wide or as thick as a Palm Treo. The Voyager is available from Verizon online for around $299 with a two-year contract.
See more details on cell phones and services in my Mobile Communications Gallery
Find the Verizon Wireless / LG Voyager on Amazon.com