LG Dare Silver Phone (Verizon Wireless)

Amazon.com Product Description
The LG Dare for Verizon dares to be different with its bold looks and advanced capabilities--boasting a spacious three-inch touchscreen with handwriting recognition, a 3.2-megapixel camera with face detection and flash, and unique in-phone photo editing capabilities. It's compatible with the V Cast Music and V CAST Music with Rhapsody services, which enables you to purchase songs through your phone and download them via Verizon's fast EV-DO data network. Other features include stereo Bluetooth streaming, MicroSD memory expansion up to 8 GB, access to your mobile email, and up to 4.7 hours of talk time.

Enjoy easy touchscreen navigation, stereo Bluetooth streaming, high-quality photos and videos from the 3.2-megapixel lens, and access to your mobile email.

Verizon Service Options
With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, you'll enjoy fast access to the Internet and Verizon's multimedia services (additional charges applicable), with average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.) The V Cast Music service enables you to download songs instantly to your phone, or purchase music through your PC and transfer the files to your phone. If purchased from your phone, you'll receive two copies of the song: a Windows Media Audio Pro Plus format at 64Kbps stereo is sent to your phone, and a Windows Media Audio 9 format at 160Kbps stereo is sent to your account in the V CAST Music online store for downloading to your PC. V Cast Music offers nearly 2 million songs, with more being added all the time.

In addition to the V Cast Music service, this phone is also compatible with Verizon's V CAST Music with Rhapsody, which enables you to access this exclusive digital music service for RealNetworks and for MTV Networks. V CAST Music with Rhapsody delivers unlimited monthly access to music on up to three Rhapsody-compatible mobile phones and players and online on multiple PCs and Web browsers. In addition, customers who purchase music over-the-air are able to download the master copy of the songs or albums to their PCs free of digital rights management (DRM) software that restricts how and where music can be played.

The V Cast Video service enables you to stream or download video clips to your phone from a variety of news, entertainment, sports, and weather channels, including CNN, ABC News, E!, CBS Sports, The Weather Channel, and VH1.

Verizon's Mobile eMail gives you access to your Windows Live Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and AOL accounts so you can read, write, and reply. Access your address book, receive e-mail alerts and more, right on your Verizon Wireless phone.

With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access Verizon's VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps.

Phone Features
Measuring just 0.5 inches thin and weighing 3.76 ounces, the LG Dare feels lightly comfortable in your pocket. It features a large 3-inch touchscreen that recognizes your handwriting and provides tactile feedback when pressing onscreen buttons or typing on the onscreen QWERTY keyboard. The display has a 240 x 400-pixel resolution and support for 262K colors, and its home screen has several shortcut icons including your messaging inbox, phonebook, favorites menu. The phone provides just three buttons on the bottom of its face for send, end and clearing calls, and it has a stainless steel border along its sides and black soft touch surface on the back.

The phone has an internal 148 MB memory, which can be expanded via optional MicroSD memory cards up to 8 GB in size. It can store up to 1000 contact entries, with fields for five numbers per contact. It connects to your PC via USB, and it offers USB mass storage capabilities.

The 3.2-megapixel camera with Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens offers several resolution options, ranging from 2048 x 1536 pixels to QVGA 320 x 240 pixels--perfect for sending via MMS messaging. It offers advanced features including face detection, SmartPic Technology (which helps to compensate face color), four ISO settings, six preset scense, panorama and split shot capabilities, white balance settings, multi-shot, and multiple color effects. It also features a flash, self-timer, and multiple shutter sounds (including off). Once you've snapped your photo, you can edit it right in the Dare--zoom, rotate, crop, add frames, or add writing over the image. You can also capture video up to 640 x 480 pixels for storing onto a memory card, or QCIF 176 x 144-pixel resolution for sending via MMS. You can record videos up to 120 frames per second (fps) and then play them back on the Dare at a slow motion rate of 15 fps.

This phone provides the latest version of Bluetooth connectivity--version 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), which makes pairing with the included headset as well as other Bluetooth devices a snap. And with EDR, you'll get a faster connection than with the previous version 1.2, which makes transferring files and using the phone as a modem for your laptop hum along nicely. And with the embedded A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of Bluetooth stereo headphones or other compatible devices.

The lightweight LG Dare measures just 0.5 inches thin.

In addition to compatibility with formats offered by Verizon's V CAST Music and CAST Music with Rhapsody services, it's also compatible with unprotected MP3, WMA, and AAC/AAC+ formats. The digital audio player features a preset sound effect equalizer, ability to create and manage playlists on the phone, and backbround music mode that allows you to multitask (write email, check your calendar, surf the Web) while continuing to play music.

Other features include:

• Organizer tools: Calculator, EZTip calculator, calendar, alarm clock, stopwatch, world clock, notebook, notepad and drawing pad with handwriting recognition
• Speaker-independent voice commands
• One-touch speakerphone
• Mobile email: Yahoo! Mail, Windows Live Mail, AOL, AIM, Verizon.net
• Messaging: SMS, MMS
• Voice Recording: 1 minute or 1 hour (standby
• Favorites: add up to nine contacts with Picture ID
• Speed Dial: up to 996 entries
• HTML Web browsing with touch navigation and favorites
• Music ringer support (clips from hit songs)
• Hearing Aid Compatibility = M3/T3
• TTY compatible
• Bluetooth version 2.1 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BIP (for sending images to another device), BPP (basic printing profile for text, email), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), HID (support for mice or joysticks), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures), PBA (transfer contacts)

Vital Statistics
The LG Dare weighs 3.76 ounces and measures 4.1 x 2.2 x 0.5 inches. Its 1100 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 280 minutes (4.7 hours) of talk time, and up to 360 hours of standby time. It runs on the 800/1900 CDMA frequencies as well as the 1xEV-DO r0 data network.

I want a new phone - my Dare is not for me!
The LG Dare is sleeky, shiny, pretty...a good show-off piece. But when it comes to actual use, I am having an incredibly difficult time trying to get what I want from it.

I have had my phone for about 3 months now. I was very excited...but now I am thinking of going to Verizon this weekend and asking for a replacement, even just a freebie, so I have something that I am comfortable using.

Here's my problems:

I have small hands and short fingers. The phone is almost the size of my palm so I feel like I have a gorilla grip when I call people. My fingers don't even go all the way around it! It's incredibly uncomfortable and I usually end up holding it to my face with one finger rather then put my hand in that uncomfortable position.

The slot for the memory drive requires toothpicks/other tools to get the micro SD card in and out. With my old LG it popped right out when you poked it - with this phone, it feels like it's going in wrong and is a pain to get out.

The headphone jack has a small black plug in it - I haven't used it yet but once I do, I know that plug will go missing, because it's not connected.

I can't use the QWERTY keyboard - my fingers are too broad (I'm not a big person either).

Being a touch, I can't call anyone while driving unless I use voice command. I used to call people by feel (ie button 1, send) but now, since you have to see it with a touch phone, I just use voice command. Because it can't pronounce my last name (and my dad's) I have completely stopped pronouncing it right, because when I want to call my family, I have to use the phone's version of my name.

I still haven't figured out call waiting, especially when I'm in voicemail. I seem to never know what button to push and am constantly hanging up on people.

The very noise "VZ Navigator" likes to talk to me a lot - I don't know when or why I push the button, but at random awkward moments (like the checkout line at the grocery store) my phone will start telling me all the great features of the Navigator.

I can't get voice command to go to "The Bartender Song" It thinks I am saying "Love All Night Long." It does, however, have no problem going to, "Whatever you like." No such luck, however, with "Swagga." So it is a 50/50 shot if you want to do voice command for music (like when you're driving)

The shortcuts/favorite tab randomly drags stuff onto the main screen. I haven't figured out how to remove it - unless I reset the defaults, which eradicates the point of having a 'favorites' screen.

If you put a case/cover on this phone, it is very hard to charge the battery. I had a hard case but had to remove it to get the fat plug into the portal for charging. I switched to a silicone and I still have to push it out of the way.

I can't buy/download games like I used to. I used to have access to 100's of games and could buy them for a small fee - it would tell me if they required airtime or not. The games that are available ALL require airtime from what I can see.

The camera - when at the highest setting, at least - takes at least 2-3 seconds from the time you push the button until it takes the picture. Kids and puppies cannot be photographed with this phone, as they are too fast.

For some reason, there is a third option of texting - a handwriting screen. My finger cannot form letters in that small box that the computer can read (50/50 and it would take forever). There's no way I could write words. I'm not sure if you're supposed to use a stylus for this feature, but if you are, it surely would get lost as there is nowhere on the phone to store it.

Someone has suggested I write down all my problems and ask Verizon to help me get around them - and if I can't, maybe they will be able to replace it with a cheaper phone...I still have the screen protector on and it is in 'new' condition. Otherwise, I may consider selling it on Ebay and just buying a new phone...we will see.

Took me two weeks to figure out what I enjoy or don't enjoy...
about this phone. I kept wanting it to behave like a smartphone, but knew that I would have to compromise in other areas if I were to go to another device such as a Blackberry or the Samsung Omnia.

I loved this phone as soon as I got it. It was easy and intuitive to use. The BIGGEST drawback I was about to give it up for was the calendar syncing with Outlook. I was able to sync it with my Outlook contacts, but the Dare's calendar handles limited information.

With the Blackberry or Omnia, I would have to have a data plan of $30 or more to even have the device work as a phone. I like the fact that I can use the Dare as only a phone, and opted to go with the $15/month VCast subscription.

I need technology to keep me organized, but I'm not tech savvy - I found the Google Calendar. For me, it's even a better solution to my calendar than I originally had.

All in all, good solid phone with good sound quality. Battery life has been excellent. No complaints here.

The brilliant Dare!
I got the product shipped from Amazon.com almost a month back and transferred my T-mobile number onto Verizon account. This was a real smooth process.

The Good: LG Dare is an excellent phone packed with extraordinary features. Call quality is crisp and a good speaker phone adds on to it. The customizable main menu page is quite interesting. Moreover, the icons for frequently used programs can be easily dragged onto the desktop. The touchscreen is a little less sensitive than iPhone which prevents accidental taps. Music and new wallpapers can be easily transferred using microSD card without using BitPim (a software suggested on many websites for the same purpose). I could pair my phone with BlueAnt Z9 bluetooth headset and it worked perfectly. Battery life is much better than most phones when not paired with a bluetooth headset.

The Bad: While playing music, the album art doesn't show up fullscreen, although, the speaker is extraordinary crisp and loud with good treble quality. For frequent text message senders, lack of a place to attach the stylus (to be bought separately) is inconvenient. The drawing pad could have been much better. The browser is not as great as palm treo or blackberry phones and is really inconvenient to work on.

Love the phone!
Everything on the phone is awesome except the MP3 playlist option. You can't move your music onto the playlist, I guess you have to do it through your computer, but I still haven't figured out how to do that, there's no software for it. You also can't delete music that you don't want while the music player is playing. Other than that, the phone takes awesome pictures. The video quality isn't the greatest but it works. For the most part I love it, and the battery life is excellent! Plus i bought an external antenna to plug in the back of the phone b/c i live in the mountains. You have to drill a whole in the case though.

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