LG Arena KM900

LG Arena KM900

This is a review of my new LG Arena KM900 mobile phone, with firmware version KM900AT_V10i.

I live in Denmark, but bought the phone in Germany, since there were quite a price reduction - around 100€.

It replaced my old trustie, an rather old phone, Nokia 6230i (yes, very oldie), so it was about time for an update in the mobile field.

I choose this phone because of the many features, and because, there is no keys on the front. I also chosed it because of the 5M pixel camera, even though i’ve read some other customers didn’t think it was very  good.

First impression, was, that it was nice, simple an easy for the eye. I would have prefered, if there where no logo on front of it, but I guess that its it’s a company branding thingy…

Instead of saying alot about what the phone does, which you can read in many other reviews, i will tell what it doesn’t do, or atleast what i would expect that it did, but as it turns out, does not do!

WiFi

- It does not not change automatic between WiFi and 3G.  One have to change this manual for both Java programs, exchange synchronization, streaming, and the build in browser, EVERY TIME!!

- It does not allow the streaming option to work with the WiFi, meaning, you can’t stream Youtube, from WiFi! (As of Firmware KM900AT_V10m, you still cant stream Youtube, but now atleast, there is an option to select WiFi, even though it doesn’t work)

- You can’t use the phone as a router from WiFi to 3G - Would be awsome if it was possible, connecting to you phone through wireless, and then go on internet with you laptop. But you should be able to use the phone as a modem through bluetooth.

Browser

- Not very fast a.k.a. very slow!

- Small links is a pest!! Not very easy to catch, you have to zoom a lot.

- A lot Javascript based links, doesn work before whole page is loaded. (i.e. on www.dba.dk)

- Adobe Flash does not work in browser, I’ll gues that neither does Microsoft Silverligth!

- If phone is on horizontal angle, and the address bar is clicked, one has to turn it vertical, and then back horizontal to have qwerty keyboard, and the when you click OK, it turns back to vertical automatic, and then you have to click goto button to load webpage. Hereafter you can then then turn the phone back horizontal - Alot turning the phone….. hmmmm.

Google tools

- I use Google Apps, for my domain (a special google service), and this is not supported, so it is only the freeware gmail, and not the Google Apps, even though Google apps is supposed to support Exchange ActiveSync..

- Likewise, there is NO google calender, email OR contact syncronization. I personaly would have prefered if this would work over Exchange ActiveSync protocol, but of course is a matter of personal preferences. Actually, there is an option, which can be engaged regarding synchronization of contacts, calendar and mail over Exchange ActiveSync. But as of now, i have not been able to make it work with Google Apps. Turns out, there also is an setting inside of Google Apps, that has to be enabled, in order to allow synchronization. It synchronizes, but does not synchronize mobil phone numbers. Instead they are removed from the phone…

- The two finger pinch zoom in/out does’nt work in google maps, or any other Java midp application.

- Not possible to update Google Maps. because this somewhat integrated into the Arena, and therefore it is not alloweable to overwrite aktual installation - Thus not able to update google maps.

Java

- Can’t run games or programs (including java programs) when in MyMusic (the media player). The first thing i did, was download an java mipd application that could calculate traveling speed and distance, on behalf of the GPS. But you cant use this at the same time as you are listening to music. This sucks, if you would like to both hear music AND know you speed and running distance, when running, or using the bike.

Calendar

- No intuitive way to enter year of birth for birthdays. Found the, somewhat hidden place, where one can add the birthday for contacts, and then get it automatic added to calendar… Nice :-)

- When making a new schedule, it starts by suggesting 01.00 o’clock as start and end time for each schedule, so if most of the schedules happens between 08.00-20.00, then you have to scroll alot in the time. Another very well hidden option, in calendar settings. Here one can change the default from 01.00 to ex. 12.00.

- Does not automatic suggest an endtime of schedules depending on start time. Always suggest 01.00 o’clock halft an hour later than initial setting (look above) for end of schedules. Would have been nice with an dynamic time offset.

Interface / Navigation

-It takes around 10-60 seconds before it locks the screen. This is somewhat annoying, especially because, one can’t unlock it just by pressing the screen, but one needs to press either the power button (which also works as lock/unlock) or vol+- followed by a long press and hold on the screen.

- There isn’t a fancy way to “go back” (like to fingers moving left or something iPhonish). You have to press a dedicated top-right area on the screen. No movement controlling this.

- Calculator, doesn’t turn, when the phone turns. Only works vertically.

- Can only have 9 shortcuts on the shortcut screen (1st. cube screen.)

- Snooze and stop alarm options is VERY close to each other. very easy to press one instead of the other, when being waked up… (Found out that all physical buttons on phone can be used for snooze)

- No option, for making alarm start with low volume, then increasing, making a soft wakeup.

- When in snooze mode, there is no easy way to disable alarm. One has to make 3-4 clicks on screen to stop the alarm.

- Only favorites, can be access at the cube screens, no automatic navigation between folders etc. i.e. no tree view of file structure

- You can’t make a folder, album, Artist or Playlist and “favorite”

- Only way to use the flash diode light as a flashlight is by entering cameramode and hold down the camerabutton in focus mode, or enter video recording mode and turn on videolight.

- When zoom out the cube, the cube has pictures of other people, that i don’t even know!! Thus it seemes like it isn’t real dynamic content on the cubes.

- Can’t use touch screen for the flash lite games i installed, meaning no interaction, meaning not possible to use them

- Can’t do anything else, but stop player, when playing music directly from the cube’s shortcut to favorites of media. Meaning, if the number is selected from 4th cube interface, you can only control the player. To do anything else (sms, email, whatever) you have to stop the music, so no multitasking in this state.

- Profile / Contact pictures has to be located in image root folder, which is kind of un userfriendly, when trying to have structure in the pictures. These pictures, should be in a dedicated folder.

Musikplayer

- Can’t fast forward/rewind in musik players (Added since firmware KM900AT_V10m)

- Music player doesn’t have any memory, meaning that everytime, the music stops, you cant resume from where it had reach, neither in one number, and neither in playlist. This is kind of frustrating, if you are playing a playlist, and then exits the player to take a picture (can’t play media and take picture or java apps at the same time), then going back into the player, you have to start from scratch.

- Poor playlist control.

- Can’t narrow down the number, so if i.e. 16Gb of music, means very many files, but if you only can select either by artist, album, favorites, or all, then it’s very poor navigation. You can’t first select artist, and then narrow down further by album. You can only select either album or artist which is frustration if you have alot of music.

- Can’t add album arts for an album. Songs only.

- Sometimes, it goes in backlock. I haven’t yet identified when and why, but it seemes like if its the wrong files, or maybe its depending on moving music files to the phone. But the issue is, that it cant read the files on the phonem and hangs forever when trying to read available files. This really sucks, and is a tiresome bug, when it happens!!

Hardware

- Earplugs are transporting external sound whenever the cord touches anything. It’s very noicy, and not very nice, when walking or running.

- Screen not very sunlight friendly.

- Camera flash, not very good in dark rooms.

- Should be capable of using 32GB microSD, but at this time, no such size available in stores….

- Might have TV out capabilities, but there follows no accessories allowing you to connect the phone to a tv. Guess, this is something one has to buy seperate, when it gets available.

- Properitary USB interface, meaning, you can’t connect the phone with any standard usb2usb cable.

- Can’t get stand-alone GPS to work inside. Has read elsewere that others have great problems with this to.

Games

- M-Toy, No real enjoyment. A tabletennis bat, with which one can shoot the ball up in they air, just to do it again, and again and again. A Wheel of fortune game, where you can get the wheel to rotate - havent found of if it does anything else, but i don’t think so. A dice game, wher you can through some dice’s, and move a piece over some heart - a VERY teen/puberty mentality game - No fun!! Games SUCKS a.k.a Wii super light!

Syncronise

- Can’t sync with iSync on mac, neither through USB or Bluetooth - Might be me who can’t get it to work (I am only a professionel IT-Engineer), but i’ve read other places, that it doesn’t support iSync, even though there is an iSync plugin on the CD, and when it connects by USB. Made iSync work through BlueTooth. Needed to (de)-activate the secret iSync option inside the the bluetooth settings. Doesn’t sync profile pictures i Addressbook.

- PC Sync, has a bug, in that it cannot save email in the form firstname.middlename.lastname@whatever.tld

- faulty import in PC syncroniser, when importing vCards from Google, if danish letters.

- Drops middle names (everything after space) in names, and doesn’t import some numbers when this happens

- Does not import all phone numbers from exported google vCards.

Read other places on web:

- Poor FM sender quality - Needs to be withing something like 30cm without windshields between (I haven’t verified this)

- Grainy picture quality, with very sharp edges (I haven’t verified this)

- Bad picture in dark / Poor flash (I have this too)

- Poor screen in direct sunlight (I have this too)

- Troubles with GPS (I have this to with stand-alone GPS, when inside. No problems with A-GPS)

- Restarts unmotivated. (I haven’t got this)

Conclusion:

Even though the phone is lacking alot regarding expected functionality, it stills beat the iPhone, regarding what i have to use it for. The only big problem is that the mediaplayer sucks in management of folders, playlist etc And that there is no extra widgets.

But all-in-all it’s a pretty nice phone, and i’m happy with it!