Rounding out the flurry of interesting
Verizon Wireless launches today are the
BlackBerry Curve 8530 and
LG Chocolate Touch (pictured). The 8530 is pretty much just the Verizon edition of T-Mobile's 8520, but the LG Chocolate Touch bears closer examination. Basically it's just a war on the eyeballs of anyone who's ever seen the
BL40, with the front, back, materials and interface of the device all falling incredibly short of aesthetic pleasure. However, the $80 phone does have a relatively responsive and usable touchscreen interface for a "dumbphone," and we've used worse touchscreen keyboards on Windows Mobile. So it's not a complete tragedy, but we really feel sorry for someone who skips over the
DROID ERIS for this just handset just to save $20.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Zaggs @ Nov 5th 2009 4:16PM
Hey, maybe someone has a giftcard from LG. Did you ever think of that? (sarcasm)
JeezWhiz87 @ Nov 5th 2009 12:54PM
I would've much prefered the BL40. That thing is just hideous.
Numz @ Nov 5th 2009 12:59PM
You say that someone might be crazy for passing over the Eris when it only cost $20 more but they also have to think about the extra cost of a data plan as well. If they don't want a data plan than its really likely that someone is going to pass over any Droid device for this.
TheBasslineFiend @ Nov 5th 2009 1:14PM
Until that person realizes that VZW requires data on the blackberry that costs the same...
superfresh @ Nov 5th 2009 2:02PM
I'm tired of two things from engadget.
1. Using dumphone instead of featurephone or some similar term. Phones like the Chocolate Touch and enV Touch are not the opposite of a smartphone.
2. Not considering the cost of owning the phone beyond the price of the handset. People would skip over the Droid Eris to buy this phone because phones like these do not require a $30 data plan per phone. Your goddamn right I'd love to by a Droid and so would my wife, but beyond our shared minutes and text, we'd be paying $60 a month for data on two Droid phones or Droid Eris phones. We both own enV Touch phones and SHARE unlimited data on our familyt plan for about $15.
Alm99 @ Nov 5th 2009 2:42PM
Completely agree with you. Engadget really needs to think of the true cost of purchasing a handset. Not mentioning the additional cost of data over the entire contract is pitiful reporting.
Zaggs @ Nov 5th 2009 4:28PM
In Engadget's defense the site is called enGADGET and not enFISCALLYRESPONSIBLE. Their focus is on what something is and what it can do, not how much economical something is. Hence the Eris being able to do more than the chocolate makes a better buy. Besides you have to deduct a point from LG for giving us this crappy Hershey's bar instead of that sweet swiss bar they're selling in Europe.
CarbonBronze @ Nov 6th 2009 6:59AM
The point is that engadget mentioned for a mere $20 you can get a Droid Eris which is not true...also include the cost of the data plan. I'm sure LG is willing to make the BL40 available to the US but it's not up to them.
Doug @ Nov 8th 2009 12:00AM
I agree that engadget is doing readers a disservice by comparing phones based on price/feature alone while ignoring plans etc. If that was the case why don't we only cover the droid and just say all other phones are inferior and be done with it?
The Chocolate touch is a nice touchscreen option for people who don't want to spend &750-800 on a data plan over the course of their contract. I definitely have other ways I'd much rather spend close to a thousand dollars, and from the non data-plan phones this may be one of the better options.
Also, I was pretty bummed about not getting the BL40 as well, but from what I've heard its the opposite of the Chocolate touch - all the reviews I've read have loved the looks but absolutely hated the interface, touchscreen, and battery life.
I'm still hoping that Verizon will somehow pick up the LG Pop GD510 - its a basic touchscreen phone that runs very similar to the chocolate touch, but has a much better case/form factor. My other option is to pick up the choc touch and replace the back panel with the one made by Alltel, since it seems to significantly change the aesthetics:
http://www.lge.com/us/mobile-phones/LG-AX8575-Black.jsp
pheer6224 @ Nov 8th 2009 1:12AM
I agree with all the comments about how hard frugality is when shopping cell phones, but I must point out that after trying out all the hardware mentioned in this article, I would take a 5mb RAZR V3 over that LG crap.