LG VX8360 Audi

The first clue that the VX8360 is built for music-lovers are the phone's exterior music keys. The next few clues are inside the phone, where users will find the ability to download and find new songs with VCAST Music with Rhapsody, a song downloading service. Or users can put music they already have on the phone by syncing with their computer's music library.

A microSD memory card would be a wise purchase for users opting for this second choice, as the phone only has 44 MB of memory storage.

Music can be heard with the phone opened or closed through dual speakers or by plugging in with a headset or speakers.

For a phone that advertises itself as a dual phone/music player, the audio on the VX8360 is disappointingly quiet. Even the highest volume setting is hard to hear over booming traffic or even a noisy air conditioner. Even though dual speakers help spread out the sound and create a better music listening experience, it's not a bad idea to upgrade with some sold-separately items, such as portable stereo speakers, a stereo headset or Bluetooth brand headset, stereo headset or stereo speakers, all of which are compatible with the VX8360.

Other audio features include speakerphone and voice command capabilities, plus the ability to record up to an hour of sound while the phone is on standby or up to five minutes during a phone call -- a great feature for everyone from journalists to part-time citizen spies.

The phone also comes with 23 built-in ringtones and various applications for downloading new ringtones, including actual audio of hit songs via music ringer support.

All in all, the VX8360 has an impressive set of audio options -- it's just too bad they aren't louder.

LG VX8360 Screen

The VX8360's internal screen is average -- average sized at two inches long and average quality with 262K-colors and 240 x 320 px resolution.

The phone's external screen is the real gem, measuring 1.17 inches long. That doesn't exactly sound huge, but it's bigger than most external screens on clamshells, making it easier than ever to check the time and the phone's battery strength and bars without opening the phone for a better look.

The size may be an upgrade, but the quality of the screen image is about the same as most comparable models, though, with 65K colors and 96 x 96 px resolution.

The external screen size adds appeal to the VX8360, but the resolution on both the inside and outside screens are nothing new. Image quality is good, but not top-of-the-line on both screens, and each smudge easily.

While someone used to smartphone screens averaging three-inches in length might not see the appeal of this phone, customers who have suffered eyestrain trying to read teensy external screens will appreciate the reprieve with this model.

LG VX8360 Basic Features

While certain phones keep users connected to the work place with plenty of contact, calendar and email features and others go heavy on the entertainment side, the VX8360 takes a healthy dose from each side's medicine bottle.

A media center has VCAST applications to download music and videos, plus the ability to put a whole PC's music library on the phone and handle entertainment while emailing, text messaging or instant messaging.

LG VX8360 AngleThe handset holds up to 1,000 contacts (seven of those are built-in) and stores five numbers, two email addresses and a photo ID for each contact.

Users can talk up to 316 minutes -- more than five hours -- without a single charge of the phone's battery or leave it on standby for up to 641 hours, which is better than average.

Like a growing number of cell phones, the VX8360 includes a built-in navigation program. Using the Internet via Mobile Web 2.0, VZ Navigator guides users to the nearest ATM, new hot spot, restaurant or gas station with the best prices in town. It also offers movie times and directions to any address or one of 14 million points of interest in the United States using color maps and spoken turn-by-turn directions.

The VX8360 also includes a program called Chaperone that helps parents locate their children by beaming real-time updates from the child's LBS-enabled phone to the parent's cell or computer. An extra ChildZone option that sends a text message when the child leaves or enters a specific location is also available in an extended plan.

The VX8360 includes common features such as an alarm clock, stopwatch, calculator, tip calculator, calendar, note pad and world clock.

It packs quite a few features for such a small phone. Internet-based features keep users rocking and writing, and the basics every phone has are all here. But smartphone patrons will miss certain features they've come to expect, such as the ability to open and edit Word documents, play free games or explore a plethora of unique applications.

LG VX8360 Camera

A 1.3-megapixel camera/camcorder is on the lower end of cell phone camera quality (for a reference point, 3.0-megapixel is on the other end of the spectrum). Still, the VX8360's standard 1280 x 960 px resolution leads to clear, focused pictures.

Users can also opt for 640 x 480 px and 320 x 240 px resolution in order to save room on the phone's memory, although the camera won't zoom while using these lower resolutions. The camera will zoom up to two times with the standard resolution setting.

Photographers can rotate or crop pictures, take a self-portrait with the phone open or closed, set a self-timer for three, five or ten seconds, and switch the shutter sound to a voice that says, "Say cheese!" or "Ready, 1, 2, 3."

The VX8360's camcorder has just one resolution setting -- 176 x 144 px. Users can record a 30 second video to send to friends or save an hour of video on the phone or a memory card. Video formats that can play on the phone include WMV, MP4, 3Gp and 3G2.

Both the camera and camcorder offer a variety of color effects -- sepia, aqua, negative and black and white -- and white balance effects that adjust for lighting and weather conditions. Both also can enter a night mode after dark. Videos and recordings can be sent to contacts, saved on the phone or set as wallpaper on the phone.

The VX8360's camera isn't top-of-the-line, but the phone offers a lot of fun features to adjust and edit images. Pictures and video look good on the phone, but wouldn't translate the best into larger images. This camera isn't the best fit for someone looking to get the most out of their videos and pictures, but it will do nicely for amateur, everyday use.

LG VX8360 Introduction

The LG VX8360 is a bit like its predecessor, the VX8350, with a facelift. The camera quality -- 1.3-megapixel -- on both phones is the same. Each phone has access to email, instant messaging, and enhanced, multimedia and short text messaging services. Their gray and silver coating and rectangular shape are about the same too. Users of the VX8360's previous models may not see much difference in this phone at all on first blush. If they look closely, though, they will see a few improvements.

The VX8360, for one, looks better. Its main screen has better image quality, going from 256K-colors and 170 x 220 px resolution on the VX8350 to 262K colors and 240 x 320 px resolution on the VX8360.

Its sheen black face and matte gray and silver finish with discreet external music keys and a well-sized external screen give the VX8360 a more modern and professional finish than similar models that came before it.

The phone lasts longer without a charge, too -- about 90 minutes longer while in use and more than 400 hours longer on standby.

The old VX8350 only uses Mobile Web 2.0, which constricts where users can gain access to the Web to service areas in the United States. The new VX8360 connects to the Internet through any nearby Wi-Fi network, which makes it easier -- and cheaper -- to access the Internet all over the world.

It has a bold set of Internet features for a lightweight clamshell and maintains a reputation as a noteworthy music downloading and playing device. But a lack of memory storage and a corresponding need to buy a memory card in order to take the phone's entertainment features to their full potential could steer some shoppers to a different phone.

LG VX8360 Design

Weighing in at 3.35 ounces and measuring just 3.65 inches long, 1.91 inches across and 0.78 inches thick, the sleek and lightweight VX8360 is drop-in-the-pocket-friendly and fits discreetly in the palm of the hand. The clamshell design has rounded edges, no external antenna, and flips open and closed more smoothly than some of the VX8360's predecessors.

The matte black and gray face and dark gray back cover keep the phone incognito, while a silver lining on the phone's sides gives it a little flash.

A battery is tucked into the back of the phone, while the face of the phone features a 1.17-inch screen with camera lens above the screen and music forward, reverse, play and pause keys below. One glaringly absent feature is a button to lock or unlock the music keys, which means they can get bumped on accident and beep.

The right side of the phone includes a key that activates the VX8360's 1.3-megapixel camera and a microSD memory card port. A headset jack, volume control keys and one-touch voice command button reside on the left side of the phone. A USB port is located on the bottom of the phone.

Flipped open, the phone reveals a silver interior with a two-inch, black-framed screen and silver multi-tap keypad with raised speaker, send, end, clear and navigation keys.

Slick and compact, the VX8360 has a simple yet stylish design, but wouldn't be the ideal buy for someone seeking a more colorful or flashy phone.

Out of the box, the LG VX8360 comes with a standard Li-Polymer battery, wall charger, user guide and quick reference manual.