LG Dare Review

Key features:

· 3 inch touch screen with tactile feedback

· 3.2 megapixel camera/camcorder

· V Cast music

· sync music from computer

· 3.5mm headphone jack (YESSS!)

· microSD port (up to 8GB)

· Bluetooth capabilities

· text/picture/video messaging

· mobile IM

· voice mail

· full HTML browsing with touch navigation

· media (download) center (games, ringtones, apps)

· AND MUCH MORE

Touch Screen

I have owned the Dare for about two months now and have had no problems with the touch screen. This was my first touch screen phone and was extremely easy to get used to. I’ll say, I’ve used iPhones and iPod Touches, and the apple touch screen is superior to pretty much any other device. However, LG definitely means business with the Dare. At first start-up the phone needs to be calibrated, but this is a one-time thing (that can be redone if you feel the need). After the initial calibration the touch screen works like a charm. There have been a few times when I have pressed and nothing has happened, but after locking and unlocking the phone it works fine. The scrolling isn’t as much of a natural “flick” as with the iPhone, but it works with some practice. I have found that although it takes some used to, the virtual QWERTY keyboard works fairly good too. Overall, the touch function, which is obviously the most prominent and important feature, is wonderful to work with.

Camera

Another remarkable feature of the LG Dare is the 3.2 megapixel camera. My, what LG does with 3.2 megapixels! I have used phones with 5.0 megapixel cameras and I am not exaggerating when I say that the Dare totally murders them. The Dare takes beautiful pictures and fairly good quality video. While no phone’s camera is as good as a stand-alone digital camera (yet), the LG Dare has in my opinion, one of the best cell phone cameras.

Music

I have never been one to use the music player on my cell phone. I have always been attached to my iPod. My iPod is however, in its final days. It’s pretty old, and I was considering getting a new one, but they do cost a lot. When I purchased the LG Dare I knew it had a music player but thought it would be crap. In short, I was wrong. While it in no way comes close to the iPod Touch or even iPod for that matter, it is a great little player itself. It has a similar view to that of Coverflow. Although it is pretty clearly a copy, it is a nice feature. One downside though is that this Coverflow-like view can only be accessed when a song is playing (or paused) and not just when browsing through your library. To make up for the lack of originality and functionality with the music player, you can easily have music playing in the background when doing simple tasks such as texting or editing contacts. But of course there are flaws with that too; when you use the camera or an app such as Mobile IM the music pauses. No product is made without flaws, but I do wish they would’ve fixed those problems.

Overview

Overall, I would say the LG Dare is a great phone. If you have Verizon and want a phone that compares to the iPhone, while it’s not a clone, the Dare is a great substitute. With a full touch screen, an amazing camera/camcorder, full HTML web browsing, a music player and even downloadable apps, LG has done it. I would definitely recommend checking out the LG Dare at your local Verizon Wireless dealer!

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Xbox 360 Wireless Headset - Review

     I recently picked up the Wireless Headset for the Xbox 360 due to my two wired headsets being broken, at first I was a little cautious about getting it after reading a few review dotted around Amazon and places of such. However I decided just to go for it, the wireless headset obviously provides you with the ‘wireless’ feature, which I’m sure a lot of you love – so now feel I’ve used it enough to provide a respectable, honest review on it. The unit itself is rather compact, it has the ear piece and the microphone, which is just a few inches long - rather than the long flexible wired version, the ear piece has 3 buttons located on the side; The up and down volume keys and the on/off and mute button.

      Upon first opening the Wireless Headset it’s going to need a good charge. It comes with a recharge cable, which connects, to the Xbox 360 via USB; the charging port is located at one end of the Headset. The headset comes with 2 earpiece fixtures a small and medium. I used the small as the medium is rather generous, when first adjusting the headset to your comfort zone it is a little awkward, in a sense that it feels like it will fall off, at first I felt I had put it on the wrong way, the headset it made to fit your right ear, it feels strange when on your left. The microphone comes a little down your face, well away from your mouth - you may think that this will make your audio very poor, but doesn’t. When fully charged the Headset will last a good couple of days. The audio that comes through the earpiece is very impressive, its clear and the volume controls make it more than easy to get the headset to a comfortable audio quality. One thing that I do find a little difficult and getting used to is the mute, on the wired headset it is very simple to mute and un-mute the headset by a flick of a switch located on the controller, however on the Wireless headset the mute button is on the center of the ear piece this is really annoying if your in a intense active game you will find muting the mic most annoying.

     When using the headset for a long period of time - in which I mean ‘without’ a break, you feel weird feeling in your ear, kind of like mild ear ache, not sure what that is all about but it is not enough to make you stop using it - just a slight feeling. When syncing the headset to your controller you have to press the sync button on the headset and the Xbox 360 - not the controller that was the mistake I made, when you do that it will sync to the first free controller.

     Overall this headset is really good if you like your equipment wireless - it tidies up your gaming experience, its also good if you’re the type of gamer that likes to talk without muting. The price is a little expensive for what you get but seems okay, as I’ve bought two wired headsets that add up to one wireless. If your doubting on whether to get one just go for it, it’s a good little gadget.

Read Corresponding Review: here