LG Rumor Review

Introduction:

The LG Rumor is the first non-smartphone in Sprint’s lineup to offer a QWERTY keypad, and with direct access to Facebook, a built in AOL Instant Messaging client and a 1.3 megapixel camera it is clear that this device is aimed squarely at the teenage crowd. The Rumor features up to 4 GB of microSD for music, picture and video storage. High speed data is absent, so there is no support for Sprint TV and radio, and users cannot download music over the air. Included in the box you will find:

• Handset
• 950 mAh battery
• AC Adaptor
• Users Manual

Design:

The Rumor comes in two color schemes, black with a blue keypad and white with a silver one. In both variants the phone front and back is the main color, with the secondary color making up the keypad background as well as serving as a trim around the phone. The basic bar design feels good in your hand, and, when compared to other full QWERTY models it is pretty small.

Model	Dimension (Inches)	Dimension (mm)	Weight (oz)	Weight (Gramms)
LG Rumor	4.30" x 2.0" x 0.70"	109 x 51 x 18	4.10	117
LG enV	4.60" x 2.10" x 0.80"	118 x 53 x 20	4.60	130
Sidekick LX	5.10" x 2.40" x 0.90"	129.5 x 60 x 22	5.70	162
Kyocera Wild Card	3.90" x 2.0" x 0.80"	100 x 50 x 20	3.50	100

The Rumor has a single two inch, 176x220 pixel, 262k color display that features chrome trim around it. The display is crisp, although the dark design of the default menu makes it a bit harder to read in direct sunlight. On the right side of the display are two buttons that are unusable when the phone is closed. On the bottom half of the phone is a standard key pad, featuring right and left softkeys, a 5-way directional pad, dedicated speaker and back keys, the send/end buttons and a 12 key dial pad. Each key is individual and raised above the phone’s surface, making them very easy to use with great feedback. On the white version the exterior keys are silver, on the black version they are also black. Each key is backlit with blue LEDs.

PhoneArena's video review of the LG Rumor:




The front of the phone slides to the left to reveal a full QWERTY keypad underneath. The screen rotates orientation from portrait to landscape and the user is taken to the messaging menu. The keys to the right of the phone become the softkeys. The keys of the QWERTY keypad are also raised, making them just as easy to type on. There is no d-pad on the keypad, so the user must use the one on the front of the phone (now to the left of the display) to navigate left, right, up and down. This is a bit awkward, but once you get used to it does not detract from the user experience. The QWERTY keys are backlight white, and the alternate key functions glow orange in the dark. The slide mechanism is spring-loaded, very smooth, and feels like it can withstand years of use.

The left side of the phone has a volume rocker and dedicated camera key, and on the right the user will find a 2.5mm headphone jack and microSD slot. On the bottom is the charging port, which is the same as many other LG’s on the market (LX 160, Muziq, VX-8700, enV.) Turning the phone over the user will find the 1.3 megapixel camera in the center near the top, and to the right of the camera the Rumor’s single speaker. The battery takes up most of the back of the phone, and is a one-piece, molded design.