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Chocolate Problems
My Comments on the LG VX-8500 aka Chocolate from the Verizon
Wireless Customer Council Forum.
When I first received my Chocolate, Music Essentials Kit, and 256meg MicroSD
card, all a free gift from the Verizon Wireless Customer Council, I started a
thread in the VCC forums called "Chocolate anomalies.." Out of the box, I experienced BATTERY LIFE issues. Those comments are in
another thread... which are posted lower on this page... under 8500 battery issues
NOTE: Even though the I am NOT under a NDA by being in the VCC,
I have stripped out the Comments and replies from other VCC Forum Members.
It is because the VCC is INVITE ONLY, so these are only MY Comments from the
thread..
"Chocolate anomalies.."
| Mark_Venture |
08-16-2006 04:04 PM |
Chocolate anomalies..
well, playing with this thing all day... this is the FIRST cellphone, mp3
player.. or just portable electronic device that I'll actually need to LOOK AT
THE MANUAL to figure things out.. :o
The user interface isn't intuitive...
locking vs unlocking...
Maybe some of it is LG vs Moto... But I was walking from my desk to another
building on campus, I was listinging to MP3's with the headphones from the MEK...
The phone rang.. I pressed the button on the headset cord... it didn't answer
:confused: so I took the chocolate out of my pocket... tried to answer.. it
wouldnt :confused: I ended up sending my brother to vocie mail...
Trying to call him back from the contacts list... I ended up EDITING it
instead of calling!! and I could not CANCEL OUT or UNDO my changes via the key
pad, or menus :confused: I ended up closing the key pad...
when using it with the slider closed.. it keeps locking...and I have to use
the left side button to unlock... its really not meant for one handed
operation...
Can't easily switch ring styles or profiles... like you can on the moto...
(don't even need to flip it open)... its burried under the menus... and even
then it appears there are no editable profiles... it looks like "individula
editable alerts" that you'd have to change... only "quick" thing... open
slider... press/hold *Shift key... to turn on vibrate mode... and the manual
isn't too clear on if that means vibrate only
Hmm... I'll have to dive into the book, give it a FULL WEEK, and if I still
don't like it.. its going on the "spare phone" pile... incase something
happens to my E815...
Btw, if the signal strength meter (bars) are any ture indication... well, this
doesn't hold a candle to the Moto E815 or V710... 2 EV Bars where the E815
shows 4... Even 1x is topping out at 3.. where the Moto gives 4 & 5!
| Mark_Venture |
08-17-2006 11:43 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by...
[REMOVED]
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Yes... Things like the phone disabling the keypad, having to slide
open/closed to do some things, how to answer on an incoming call, the arrows
on the touch pad vs the OK have different sensitivity... all those are
"ergonomics of the phone"...
where to go to do things, accidentally editing a contact, etc.. that would be
UI related..
and partially end user issues :)
Now where does... start playing video with slider open... close slider and
video STOPS, and player exits... to play with slider CLOSED you must start
with slider closed, use the mic button to unlock, the menu to navigate to your
videos, and play... Is that a BUG? an ergonomic thing? and LG thing? or a
Verizon UI thing?
Ergonomic issue... When NOT using a bluetooth headset... Is there a shorter
way besides hitting Mic/voice command button on side twice, then press the
lower left touch sensitive "send" key within 3 seconds, without accidentally
hitting ANY of the touch sensitive keys??
Quote:
Originally Posted by...
[REMOVED]
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For me... On the Chocolate I go into Contacts -> Options... and see 1.New
Contact... or use the Main Menu -> Contacts... item # 1 is New Contact. and
that is similar to how my V710/E815 work.. Contacts -> Menu -> New...
| Mark_Venture |
08-17-2006 05:13 PM |
Here is another one...
Use the menu -> Get it Now -> Get Pix and Flix -> Record Flix...
and record a video.. then Save it... while saving it, you get the BOX on the
screen.. with the "OK" being beneith it.. as if you can hit OK to get out of
that screen.. BUT hitting OK, it starts RECORDING again!!
| Mark_Venture |
08-17-2006 08:19 PM |
Here's another one :confused:
In my contacts I have Dave's home and mobile numbers...
While using my bluetooth head set... (Either Moto HS-820 or Nokia BH-200),
press the button, get the voice prompt asking to say a command... so I say...
"Call Dave Home" the screen displays both Dave Home and Dave Mobile and the
phone voice asks, "did you say call dave home?" I say yes, and it calls Dave's
home number...
When I'm done talking to dave... I use the button on the headset to hang up...
and the phone goes back to the same scree with Dave Home and Dave Mobile...
and the phone asks "did you say Dave Home?"
| Mark_Venture |
08-17-2006 10:42 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by....
[REMOVED]
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:eek: You know... I was really hoping some one can chime in and say ...
"Mark, you just don't know what you are doing..." rather than.. "yup, its
broke for me too..." because I'm just finding these things after having the
phone only about what, 36 hrs?? and only really playing with it for a good 5
or 6 hrs...
Btw, sitting at my desk in my apartment today (didn't go into the office)...
the chocolate on the desk next to me... EV showed 2 bars, 1X showed 2bars...
and I MISSED TWO CALLS!! :confused: and with no missed call alert tone (like
my moto's)... I had no clue..
It wasn't until I picked up the phone to try something... that I noticed the
missed call icon on the screen...
I said I'd give it a week... well... 6 days and counting... or is it 5???
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 07:32 AM |
Here is another one....
Caller ID Picture is TOO SMALL to be usefull... The picture size/resolution
doesn't appear to matter.. no matter what rez I've used, the "box" the picture
displays in is always the same size... TOO SMALL to be useful... :(
I said I was going to got this one week... right now I'm thinking the end of 1
week can't come soon enough!!! :eek:
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 07:52 AM |
Caller ID info passed from the Chocolate to my Phone Labs
Dock-N-Talk (via bluetooth) is phone number only... unlike my Moto E815
which passes number, and date/time of call...
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 07:54 AM |
On the way to the bar last night, to meet the gang after work... the Chocolate
was dropping my calls!!
Same route I travel every day for work... my Moto's (t730, V710 and E815)
NEVER dropped the calls.. I could watch the signal meter on the chocolate go
from showing both 1X and EV, to just 1X, and even see NO BARS...
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 12:43 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by...
[REMOVED]
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Yes, prior to actually dialing... BUT it should NOT be showing me that
screen and askign what did I say... after the call was dialed.. and I hung
up!!
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 02:47 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by ...
[REMOVED]
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yeah, but when I say call dave mobile.. and it shows Dave and JEN as the
names on the screen.. get worried!!!
on the Moto.. it was one phone number per record.. so each had its own... when
I used bitpim to put them into the LG.. they got combined.. so now, when I
EDIT DAVE in the LG.. I see his multiple numbers...
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 03:24 PM |
Here is another one...
Kim is speed dial number 7...
Call and check your voice mail... hit the key to delete the message (7)... and
the phone pops Kim's name on teh screen... as if you are using speed dial #7
!?!?!?!
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 03:26 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by ...
l[REMOVED].
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In moto... i have
Speed dail 10 = Dave M. 333-333-3333 type=mobile primary...
speed dial 11 = Dave M. 444-444-4444 type =home
and the menu option was set to show primary numbers only...
in the LG... 1 entry for Dave M listing all his numbers...
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 03:33 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by ...
[REMOVED]
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I had intended on 1 solid week... and that is still my plan...
If after one week, I'm still not happy.. it goes on the shelf... and current
firmware is 3, right? if this goes on the shelf...I'll try it again with the
release of v4 firmware
| Mark_Venture |
08-18-2006 10:32 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by ...
[REMOVED]
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Yeah, mine is v2... i thought v3 was "current"... there is also a post
that V3 is available on line....;)
| Mark_Venture |
08-19-2006 05:20 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by ...
[REMOVED]
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scottgl's method was only for moto's... NOT LG's...
this was a bin for Lgdownload... but I think that is a little outside the
scope of discussion for VCC...;)
| Mark_Venture |
09-08-2006 07:36 AM |
Another found...
So, I'm talking to Dad... his name and picture shows on the phone's
display... the Phone beeps of an incoming call, I look at the phone, I
see Fred's name and picture id... I quick flip over.. tell Fred I'll
call him back... switch back to dad... and still see Fred's name and
picture along with the call timer... ???
Ok, so I initially said I'd keep using it for one week... we are now
just over two... and I'm still using it.. But look back at this thread
alone... in two weeks of use how many problems I've run into. For all
the hype I've always heard about how much testing verizon does before
they release a firmware... I'm wondering if this phone was just RUSHED
OUT TO MARKET because it "looks cool" or if they actually tested it...
| Mark_Venture |
09-08-2006 07:43 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark_Venture
Caller ID Picture is TOO SMALL to be usefull... The picture
size/resolution doesn't appear to matter.. no matter what rez
I've used, the "box" the picture displays in is always the same
size... TOO SMALL to be useful... :(
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On an incoming call, setting the contrast of the screen "just right"
you can see a box where the caller ID picture will be displayed. This
"box" appears to be a FIXED SIZE no matter what size picture you use. If
found that using a 176x160 picture fills this box completely. BUT to me,
its still to small to be useful.
And compare that to the chocolate commericals showing the Picture ID
taking up nearly the entire screen...
| Mark_Venture |
09-09-2006 09:34 PM |
Well, this afternoon, I switched back to my E815... Chocolate is now
back in the box...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8500 battery issues...
| Mark_Venture |
08-20-2006 04:59 PM |
btw, battery conditioning might be imporving things for me..
I took it off the charger Friday morning... I've talked about 2.5hrs... and
it just went dead...
| Mark_Venture |
08-23-2006 01:43 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark_Venture
btw, battery conditioning might be imporving things for me..
I took it off the charger Friday morning... I've talked about
2.5hrs... and it just went dead...
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Alright.. maybe not...
Took it off charger yesterday morning on the way to work... Did about 20 min
of work with bitpim (for wall papers....)... about 15 min talk time, left it
sit on my desk the rest of the afternoon... On the way home, I talked to my
friend Dave... 13min and heard the first low battery beep... Having just go
into the apartment, I quickly dug into my bag and pulled out the charger...
The 2nd low battery beep hit before I could plug the charger in the wall..
(Less than 1 min)... then the phone immediately shut off! i.e. under 2min of
hearing the first low battery beep, the phone shut itself down.
So less than 1hr talk, less than 30min BitPim/data transfer, and less than
about 7hrs standby... till battery completely dead!
NOTE: I have forced my phone to 1x because at my desk the EV signal fades
in/out...
TODAY... Took it off charger at about 7:45 am.. talked for about 20 min
before headdnig to the office... its been on my desk all day... currently
have 3 bars left on battery...
So either I got a bad battery.. OR this phone really drains it TOO QUICK!!
| Mark_Venture |
08-23-2006 03:39 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark_Venture
TODAY... Took it off charger at about 7:45 am.. talked for about 20
min before headdnig to the office... its been on my desk all day...
currently have 3 bars left on battery...
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3:30pm... 2bars... and its just been sitting here on my DESK!!
Someone mentioned the wall paper being on the TF could help run the battery
down... BUT I'm using the "guitar" picture that comes with the phone
This is nuts... I gonna try seeing if the verizon store has another battery
that I can swap mine for...
| Mark_Venture |
08-24-2006 09:21 PM |
Back from Verizon store.. they replaced my battery...
I was asked to leave it for an hour.. they charged the battery and "tested
it".. it failed... (not sure their test process).. so I got a new battery...
We'll see how this one works...
Funny thing... she was asking when I purchased it.. and did I have a copy of
my original receipt with it... She was trying to locate the purchase in the
system... she finally replaced the battery with out any issues.
| Mark_Venture |
08-25-2006 08:39 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark_Venture
I was asked to leave it for an hour.. they charged the battery and
"tested it".. it failed... (not sure their test process).. so I
got a new battery... We'll see how this one works....
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UGH!!! This one doen't last any longer :mad: Took it off the charger at
7:30am... talked about 15 minutes.. it sat on my desk, then in my golf
bag.. went dead at 6:30pm!!
Well, back to the MOTO... this chocolate isn't worth it... I pitty those
who PAID for it...
I'll try and go to verizon to have it replaced over the weekend, or
beginning of next week...
| Mark_Venture |
08-29-2006 11:46 AM |
After a few more charge cycles on this "new battery"... (yeah, it was
fresh out of the package hanging on the PEG HOOK)...
Still the SAME CRAPPY performance... even with the phone forced to 1x.
I can't go more than 9.5hrs before it dies... And I mean litteraly SHUTS
OFF!! mix of stand by and no more than 20-30min talk. :mad:
Btw, how long does your phone last between low battery beep and power
off?? I'm usually only hearing 1 "beep" then within 2 min OR LESS!! its
powering off.
Back to the store tonight... see if they'll replace this thing with a new
one... maybe I'll get luckier next time around?
| Mark_Venture |
08-31-2006 10:30 AM |
I was going to try and get this thing swapped... but didn't make it back
to the store yet...
Well, oh my... a "flash" of "good" battery life???
I talked for just over an hour in the span of a day and a half since
taking it off the charger.... and I still had 1 bar left??? I put it
back on the charger because I was going to be driving, and didn't want
the battery to go dead while I was away from AC... (no, I didn't buy a
car charger or any accessories for it... waiting to see if it becomes
primary phone or not...)
Wow.. what happened??
Since taking it off the charger yesterday at about 2pm.. I've talked on
it for about 20 min... did not put it back on the charger, and right now
it still has 3 bars left on the battery meter!!
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