LG KS500 Review

By Dushan Delic

MyMobile Verdict

First Impressions

The KS500 is the latest slider from LG, and while it’s not the slimmest device around, it packs in quite a few new features for a mid-range device. There’s a 3-megapixel camera, GPS receiver with Google Maps application, as well as dual-band UMTS/HSDPA data support. It’s worth mentioning that the built-in GPS works with Google Maps and requires an internet connection – as there’s no Wi-Fi connectivity, this uses mobile data, which costs you each time you use it.

The TFT screen displays 256k colours at QVGA resolution (240 x 320 pixels). We found it adequate under most conditions, except in strong sunlight when the display becomes quite difficult to read. The KS500 comes with 100MB on-board, memory which is barely adequate for its memory-hungry applications (such as the 3MP camera, MP3 player and so on). However, the microSD slot allows for memory cards to be purchased separately, up to 8GB. The placement of the slot at the top of the device means memory cards can be hot-swapped without having to turn the phone off.

Navigation

The KS500 is the first handset to feature what LG calls the ThumbPad. It’s an optical touch pad that makes navigation much smoother, whether through the phone’s menus or the web. Calls can be answered and ended with the simple flick of the slide, and you don’t have to worry about locking the screen since closing the slide automatically locks it. This can prevent unwanted dialling and unnecessary costs. The settings can be modified to suit each user’s personal preferences, from the shortcut keys that open applications with one click, to font style and size of the numbers. For added convenience the dedicated camera key on the right of the KS500 starts the camera and acts as a shutter key when taking pictures. Volume keys on the left side make it easy and natural to use while in the middle of the call.   

Calling & Messaging

The LG KS500 is a tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900) and dual-band HSDPA (900/2100) phone. It supports UMTS with video calling, which was very easy to use with the secondary camera above the screen. The quality of calls was good for both parties, and the built in speaker phone sounded loud and clear. The KS500 features Bluetooth with A2DP profile, so it can be connected to both mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets for wireless talking. The 950 mAh lithium-ion battery is quoted to last up to four hours of talk time and up to 12.5 days on standby, so unless you’re a heavy user it will more than adequately get you through the day without needing to be charged. The address book supports up to 1,000 entries with multiple fields, including the Photocall option for easy identification of your callers.

Messaging options include SMS, MMS (PXT and Video PXT), as well as an email client (IMAP/POP3/SMTP).  

Camera

The main camera sports a 3MP lens with a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. Images were slightly overexposed, but the quality is adequate for quick snapshots and most everyday purposes. There’s no autofocus or flash, so taking pictures in low light conditions can be difficult. Image settings include colour effects, white balance, timer, shoot mode and image quality/ size, among others. The KS500 has the ability to record videos as well, limited only by the amount of available memory space, at a maximum resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.  

Applications

The MP3 player can be used out of the box with the included stereo headset, and has support for playlist management, as would be found on stand-alone music players. The KS500 supports memory cards up to 8GB, which would be a good investment since the included 100MB of internal memory wouldn’t hold many songs. The music player also links directly to Vodafone’s Music Store. The KS500 comes with several demo games, and many more downloadable from the Vodafone Live! site. As for staying organised, the KS500 comes with an alarm clock, calendar, tasks, memos, voice recorder, calculator and a converter, to name a few.  

Summary

The LG KS500 is a mid-range slider with a good stock of features. You can find your way around with the GPS receiver, or be entertained with the music player and games. The 3MP camera snaps good quality images, and the video recorder captures MMS-friendly slips. In-built connectivity hooks you up to other devices through Bluetooth or USB, and you can connect to the internet with the fast HSDPA data. There’s a little bit of everything in an easy-to-use package.  

MyMobile Verdict