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CNET editors' rating:
3.5
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 31 reviews
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Product summary
The
good: The LG Prada cell phone has a sophisticated and stylish design that is sure to turn heads. Its 3-inch display is stunning, and the touch screen interface is surprisingly usable. It also has a 2.0-megapixel camera, a music player, and a document viewer.
The
bad: The LG Prada does not have 3G support, which is unfortunate for such an expensive phone. While the touch screen interface isn't too difficult to use, it still requires a little bit of a learning curve. A few of the phone's external buttons are a little hard to press, and the microSD card slot is inconveniently located behind the battery.
The
bottom
line: While the LG Prada is a gorgeous phone with a stunning touch screen display, its simple feature set may not justify its hefty price tag. That said, if you want one of the most fashionable phones available, the LG Prada is definitely the phone to get.
Specifications: Band / mode: GSM 900/1800/1900 (Tri-Band) ; Combined with: With digital camera / digital player / FM radio See full specs
Price range: $349.99 - $360.85
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 05/16/2007
With sleek and sexy cell phones like the LG Chocolate and the LG Shine under its belt, LG has edged Motorola to become one of the most well-known manufacturers of design-centric phones. It's no wonder, then, that Prada--one of the world's premier fashion houses--has chosen to partner with LG to produce the very first Prada-branded cell phone. Ever since the LG first announced the Prada, there has been a hurricane of hype surrounding the phone. And the hype makes sense: not only is the phone slim and beautiful, it's also a touch screen phone similar to the much-ballyhooed and yet-to-be-released Apple iPhone. Yet, we would've liked 3G support, and the touch screen interface isn't for everyone. If you simply must have the latest in fashion phones, the LG Prada fits the bill, but don't expect to do a lot with it. Since it doesn't have a U.S. carrier, you'll have to purchase it unlocked at the jaw-dropping price of $849. To find ringtones and accessories for this phone, plus advice and tips on how to use it, check out our Cell phones ringtones, accessories, and help page.
Design
Simply put, the LG Prada is the epitome of elegance and style. It fits the very definition of a fashion phone, and is quite possibly one of the most attractive handsets we've ever seen. Decked out in a lightweight piano-black shell, the Prada has a minimalist design, with smooth rounded corners and a touch of silver adorning its sides. It looks like a miniature version of a fancy plasma TV or a piece of high-class contemporary art. The design focus extends even to its packaging; the phone comes in a trendy black box fit for jewelry, plus a hard leather case with an embossed Prada logo. We would advise that you keep it in the case most of the time, since the Prada's black finish attracts fingerprint smudges like a magnet. The phone is also marvelously compact at 2.13 inches wide by 3.89 inches tall by 0.47 inch deep and weighing in at a scant 3 ounces. Because it's so slim and lightweight, you will have no problem slipping it into a pants pocket or a small clutch purse for a night out on the town.
The main attraction of the LG Prada is probably its enormous 3-inch diagonal touch display. The brilliant screen supports 256,000 colors that really show off the rich and colorful detail of the Prada's gorgeous menu interface. You can adjust the brightness and backlight time, but not the font size. That sits just fine with us, however, as the default font is quite nice and large already. You also can choose from a variety of innovative themes that take advantage of the touch screen interface--one of our favorites has a moving fish on the home screen wallpaper that you can direct with your finger.
Speaking of the touch screen, you'll need to use it with your finger to navigate the phone, as the Prada does not come with a stylus. Also, since it's almost entirely touch screen with just a few keys, you'll need to get accustomed to dialing and texting without any tactile feedback. Surprisingly, this went a lot better than we thought. The screen's sensitivity was just right, and we had no problem dialing numbers with the virtual keypad. Texting messages was a little trickier, though, as the Prada does not provide a virtual QWERTY keyboard; rather, you have to text messages with a virtual alphanumeric keypad just like on a normal phone. If we concentrated hard enough, we managed to text normally, but it did require a bit of precision on our part and there were many times when our fingers slipped and we pressed the wrong key by mistake. Again, it wasn't too difficult, but it does require a bit of a learning curve. And of course, you won't be able to dial by feel.
Below the display are the Send, Clear, and End/Power keys, which are a little hard to press because they're a little too skinny for our tastes. The left spine of the LG Prada is home to a charger/headset jack, a volume rocker, and a sound profile key, while the keyguard lock and the MP3/camera key are on the right spine. There's also a camera lens on the back, complete with a self-portrait mirror and flash. The LG Prada has a MicroSD card slot, but it is inconveniently located behind the battery of the phone.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 31 reviews
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Where to buy
LG KE850 Prada (Unlocked):
$349.99 - $360.85
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
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$349.99 | Yes |
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$360.85 | Preorder |
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$349.99 | Yes |
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