October 03, 2008, 3:52 PM — It seems that all the talk today is about Apple and its iPhone 3G. Sure, it offers 3G connectivity and an App Store, but it has its limitations too. The phone doesn't offer MMS for those that want to send pictures to others through a cell phone and it's locked down to just one carrier: AT&T.
I sat down with three iPhone alternatives - RIM's Blackberry Curve, LG's enV2, and T-Mobile's Sidekick. Each phone offers its own useful feature set and can compete on the same basic level as Apple's iPhone. Each device offers an email component, as well as a Web browser and can perform many of the tasks currently performed on the iPhone 3G, albeit without a touch-screen.
How I tested
Testing each device came with its own set of difficulties because of their varied designs. Because each device is so different, they were evaluated based on their merit and the perceived value to the user. They were also compared to each other based on call quality, Web connectivity, and added features.
- Screen: (internal) 2.4-inch backlit display (external) 1.45-inch
- Dimensions: 4 x 2.13 x 0.65 (L x W x D)
- Service Providers: Verizon Wireless
- Camera: 2MP
- Battery Life: 21 days standby, 5 hours talk
LG enV2
Carrier tested: Verizon Wireless
Price: $179.99 with two-year contract
The LG enV2 is a unique device in this review because it's not a smartphone as we've come to understand them. Instead of the familiar QWERTY keyboard dominating the design, the front of the enV2 sports a numerical keypad and a small display. Once you flip that panel up, it reveals a full-sized keyboard and a much larger screen, which helps you navigate the device.
It should be noted that the enV2 is not an iPhone competitor in the same sense that the BlackBerry is. This device isn't necessarily designed for organization or productivity, but it still offers the functionality, which makes it unique in the testing.
Overall, the enV2's interface is easily navigable and its Qwerty keyboard makes it extremely easy to type out long text messages or emails. At first glance, the device won't look like a smartphone because it offers the same basic Verizon Wireless splash screen commonly found on normal cell phones, but a little digging will reveal a full-featured device that will let you access and use your preferred email service like Yahoo Mail or AOL Mail and surf the web over Verizon's high-speed EVDO.
But that's also where the issues quickly come about. The enV2's ability to make browsing the Web efficient and enjoyable is severely diminished by its small screen and poor browser. The enV2 is not a touch-screen device, so there's no way to easily magnify the page to make it easier to read and more often than not, you'll find yourself squinting to see what's worth reading. Worse, the browser effectively kills the layout of the Webpage. And for a device that's trying to fit into the business-friendly market, that's simply unacceptable.
That said, call quality is superb with the enV2 and after placing calls both locally and abroad to both landlines and cell phones, the enV2 easily competes on the same level with the superior sound quality offered in the BlackBerry Curve.
The bottom line: If design were the only factor worth considering, the enV2 would easily eclipse other devices. But design isn't the only consideration and the device fails to fully offer a solution worth considering if Web browsing is a must. And for $179.99 with a two-year contract, I doubt too many people would be willing to pay that much to have it.
- Screen: 2.5-inch backlit display
- Dimensions: 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6
- Service Providers: AT&T
- Camera: 2MP
- Battery Life: 17 days standby, 4 hour talk
RIM BlackBerry Curve
Carrier tested: AT&T
Price: $199.99 with two-year contract
