LG Beacon, a Messaging Phone for MetroPCS

Powering its messaging phone’s line, MetroPCS together with LG released its messaging-centered phone namely LG Beacon. Some of its features include slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 2.8 inches touchscreen, 1.3 megapixels camera, GPS, Bluetooth and many more. Let’s have a look at review below to get deeper understanding.

LG Beacon

LG Beacon comes with a full touchscreen design plus a side-slider QWERTY keyboard. It is very compact measuring 103 x 53 x 17 mm but quite heavy weighing 124 grams. The display on the front side features 2.8 inches resistive touchscreen packing on 240 x 400 pixels resolution. Below the screen, there are three physical keys for Send, Back and End functions. The Back key also functions as a Voice recorder key – hold the key for a while and the phone will start recording voice memo. Around the phone’s side, there are volume rocker keys, microUSB port, 3.5mm headset jack, lock key, microSD card slot and camera shutter. Slide LG Beacon to the right to reveal its full landscape QWERTY keyboard. It is arranged in four rows with number keys on first row. The backside is resided by camera lens and speakerphone.

LG Beacon comes as a messaging phone as well as basic phone. It is not a smartphone after all, so do not expect great features and performance. In term of connectivity, Beacon operates under MetroPCS’s CDMA network. Since MetroPCS lacks of 3G EV-DO data network, Beacon only manages to get 2G CDMA 1xRTT data network. Due to its slow data network, surfing internet via Myriad Web browser are likely to be frustrating experience. Other connectivity includes Bluetooth, micoUSB connection and GPS navigation system with A-GPS support. In messaging features, LG Beacon complete features with a simple way to use. Those include text messaging (SMS), multimedia messaging (MMS), Instant Messaging (IM) and email. Text messaging is shown in threaded view, made it more like conversational format. Instant Messaging (IM) manages to hold up AIM, Windows Live and Yahoo messaging services. For text input, Beacon provides virtual on screen keyboard on portrait mode that comes with alphabetical keypad and full physical QWERTY keyboard on landscape mode. It also comes with SNS integration to stay in touch with your friends.

For camera, LG Beacon is equipped by 1.3 megapixels camera without autofocus and flash. Images qualities come in average qualities. Some of camera settings include brightness settings, white balance settings, color effects, night mode, noise reduction, resolutions and self-timer. Sadly, the camera does not have any video recording capability. To store data, Beacon provides 90 MB internal memory and additional external memory via microSD card up to 16 GB. In multimedia features, LG Beacon only offers music player. The music player comes in basic features yet effective.

Other features coming with LG Beacon are 1000 entries of Phonebook, Organizer, Voice memo, Games and Speakerphone. Finally yet importantly, LG Beacon is supported by standard battery Li-Ion 1000 mAh. The battery is rated up to 6 hours of talk time or up to 20 days of standby time.