These compact flip phones boast 3G capabilities and media players at a pocketbook-friendly price. Which phone proves that you get what you pay for?
Review summary of the LG CU400:
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Full LG CU400 Review:
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Round 1: Design
While neither handset is especially flashy or eye-catching, they each sport an understated, attractive shell. Both the Samsung SPH-M500 and the LG CU400 are relatively lightweight at 3.1 and 3.3 ounces respectively. However, the 0.9-inch-thick LG is a hair bulkier than the M500, which measures about 0.7 inches at the waistline. Clinching the deal is the M500's internal antenna, a clear advantage compared to the exposed nub on the CU400.
Winner: Samsung SPH-M500
Round 2: Multimedia
You might think that the LG CU400 has the edge in this round with its 3.5G networking, which is faster than the EV-DO network that Samsung's M500 supports. However, we were rather disappointed in the CU400's performance during our tests. LG's flip phone does not have an integrated audio player, although you do get the MobiRadio streaming music app. Video on the CU400 didn't fare much better with slim pickings from Cingular Video and longer-than-normal buffer times. On the other hand, the Samsung SPH-M500 does a better job at entertaining. The handset has access to Sprint's Power Vision services, including Sprint TV, the Sprint Music store and Sirus radio, but the Sprint Movie store is conspicuously absent. Moreover, the M500 serves up stereo Bluetooth, microSD memory expansion and a higher resolution camera at 1.3-megapixels compared to the CU400's VGA camera.
Winner: Samsung SPH-M500
Round 3: Calling
Calling was a much more even round for the pair of clamshells, since both phones had solid call quality and signal strength. The M500 has a robust phonebook with several entry fields for numbers and information, whereas the CU400 was a bit lacking in fields. However, the M500's while-you-type searching suffered from a time delay, while the LG's worked without a hitch. This category really came down to calling features and, unfortunately the CU400 came up short, missing any type of voice commands. Samsung dishes out a bevy of calling features, including speaker-independent voice-dialing, a speakerphone and three-way calling.
Winner: Samsung SPH-M500
Round 4: Messaging
The LG CU400 redeems itself when it comes to messaging. The handset’s keyboard is large and comfortable, with buttons that feature a slight curve to them, making them easy to distinguish from each other. More importantly, we appreciated the convenience of dedicated buttons for SMS and instant messaging. While the M500's keypad isn't uncomfortable or small, the buttons' glossy finish makes them a tad slippery. The CU400 can also fit a whopping 162 characters on screen at once, exceeding our preference of 160 characters. The M500 topped out at just 109 characters for a standard SMS message. The final nail in the M500’s messaging coffin is its tough-to-read interface, with its unhappy marriage of a light gray font and a white background.
Winner: LG CU400
And the winner is:
While both clamshells do a fine job making calls and are attractive to look at, the LG CU500 was overshadowed by Samsung’s SPH-M500 when it came to multimedia capabilities. The M500 boasted more features and choices in its in its audio and video apps, such as stereo Bluetooth, microSD memory expansion and access to the Sprint Power Vision lineup. Despite the CU400’s messaging superiority, the M500 serves up more calling features, including speaker-independent voice dialing (a big plus in our book).
Champion: Samsung SPH-M500
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Samsung SPH-M500
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Score: 50% When: November 2006 Worth: $Free Carrier: Sprint
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The flip phone looks like the long-lost twin of the Samsung SGH-T619, but it trumps its brother with its 3G capabilities and microSD memory expansion. Jennifer Hooker puts the M500 through its paces.
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LG CU400
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Score: 44% When: November 2006 - $230 Carrier: AT&T
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LG's followup to the first US 3.5G phone, the CU500, improves the design of the original. Do its multimedia features keep up, or does it belong in the bargain basement?
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