LG Optimus Prepaid Android Phone (Virgin Mobile)
Product Details
- Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 1.9 x 0.9 inches ; 2.7 ounces
- Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
- ASIN: B004LJ8N78
- Item model number: Optimus V
List Price :
Price : $94.99
You Save : $105.00 (53%)
Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
Do more on Android with this 3G and Wi-Fi capable prepaid smartphone. Navigate on a 3.2" touchscreen with a virtual QWERTY keyboard and Swype text entry. Photos and web pages look fantastic on a bright, 3.2-inch QVGA display, and multitasking is a snap on the 600 MHz processor. Make calls, send messages, play music, and more hands-free using Google Voice Actions. Stream music 24/7 from past and present Virgin Mobile Festival artists with Virgin Mobile Live. Studio tracks, exclusive Festival performances, and more--it's all free.
Featuring a 3.2" QVGA touchscreen display.Multitask seamlessly with an Android 2.2 OS.
Google Android OS with Thousands of Applications
The LG Optimus runs on the Android 2.2 operating system (OS) from Google, and is a Google Experience Device. The Android 2.2 OS is designed specifically for touch screen devices, and makes navigation and operation intuitive and enjoyable. You'll have integrated access to all your favorite Google services and applications, including Google Search by Voice, Picasa, Google Talk, and more. You'll also have access to both personal and corporate email, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. Also included is Google Maps Navigation, which provides GPS-based turn-by-turn voice guidance to get you where you need to go. Useful tools such as an alarm clock, calculator, and stopwatch are all included.
The Android OS lets you multitask so you can listen to music, browse the web, receive email, and more--all at the same time. If someone calls you, you can take the call and then resume what you were doing without interruption.
Android Market
Want apps? You got ‘em. Not by the dozens, but by the thousands. Thousands of apps are available at Android Market--everything from time-mode games and critical business tools to entertainment apps and real-time news widgets. More are added every day.
Vital Statistics
The LG Optimus from Virgin Mobile weighs 4.7 ounces and measures 4.5 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches. It comes with a standard capacity lithium-ion battery that offers up to 6 hours of talking time and up to 7 days of standby time. It runs on Sprint's 3G 800/1900 CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A frequencies.
What's in the BoxLG Optimus handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 2 GB microSD memory card, quick start guide, user manual.
Virgin Mobile Prepaid Pricing
With Virgin Mobile, you can pay only for the calling time you use. You can choose a monthly Beyond Talk plan with unlimited data and messaging and just the right amount of talk minutes for your needs.
Beyond Talk Unlimited Plans
Virgin Mobile customers have access to the Sprint Nationwide Network, reaching more than 278 million people across the United States (see a map of Virgin Mobile's coverage area).
Key Features
- Fast 3G connectivity via Sprint's 3G network
- Powered by the Android 2.2 operating system with deep integration of Google services and access to thousands of apps to customize your phone via the Android Market
- Preloaded Voice Actions from Google allow you to send texts and e-mails, navigate to local restaurants, search the web, or play music--all simply by speaking
- Built-in GPS for real-time location on maps, driving directions, and more (additional charges may apply)
- Google Maps Navigation (Beta) provides free, pre-loaded turn-by-turn voice guidance. Powered by Google and requiring an Internet connection, it enables you to simply say "Navigate to [your destination]" to get on your way. See live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route, and get access to the most recent maps and business information from Google Maps without ever needing to update your device
- 3.2-inch touchscreen display (480 x 320 pixels, 16 million color depth)
- Onscreen keyboard
- Swype input system allows you to input text faster and easier by gliding your finger around the keyboard, moving from letter to letter in one continuous motion. The Swype technology then calculates what word you're intending to type
- 3.2-megapixel auto-focus camera/camcorder
- Digital media player compatible with MP3, WMA, and AAC music files plus MPEG4 video formats
- FM radio
- Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1) includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock
- Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go
- 2 GB microSD card with support for optional cards up to 32 GB
- Text (SMS) and picture/video (MMS) messaging
- Access to popular instant messaging services
- Access to personal and work e-mail (supports Microsoft Exchange corporate e-mail)
- HTML Web browser
- Organizer tools including calendar, voice memo, calculator, and alarm
- Airplane mode allows you to listen to music while the cellular connectivity is turned off
- USB connectivity with mass storage and charging capabilities
- 3.5mm headset/headphone jack
Swype Keyboard
An alternative to the Android virtual keyboard, the Swype virtual keyboard allows you to input text by swiping the finger with one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard. Based on testing, speed and accuracy are equal to or better than the traditional keyboard-tapping method. You can activate the Swype keyboard by pressing and holding in a text field, wait for popup to appear, click Input Method, and then select Swype.
In the image to the right, the word "quick" was generated from tracing the path shown above in a fraction of a second, by roughly aiming to pass through the letters of the word. A key advantage to Swype is that there is no need to be very accurate, enabling very rapid text entry.
Also Available for this Android Device
Amazon Appstore for AndroidGet a great paid app for free every day.
KindleBuy a book once and read it everywhere with our free Kindle Reading App for Android.
Amazon MP3Shop 15 million songs and stream your Cloud Drive music directly from your Android device.
IMDBFind local movie showtimes and TV listings, watch trailers, and search the world's largest source of entertainment information.
AudibleDownload audiobooks directly to your Android device, then listen wherever you go, get audiobook news, earn badges, and more.
Amazon MobileShop for millions of products, get product details, and read reviews--right from your mobile device.
LG Optimus Prepaid Android Phone (Virgin Mobile)
Technical Details
- Android 2.2 Operating System
- Fast 3G connectivity
- Onscreen keyboard with Swype input
- Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1)
- What's in the Box:LG Optimus handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 2 GB microSD memory card, quick start guide, user manual
Costumer Reviews
I had to abandon my ATT family plan in favor of letting my youngest daughter get on it and enjoy the free family minutes and unlimited texting, etc., which I don't use so much (already had 5 lines and they won't let me add another one). So, I was looking for the cheapest alternative to getting a 6th line, at least comparable to what I would have paid for the 6th line on ATT. I looked all over and all the individual plans where $40+ or so, without including texting. Then I came across the Virgin Mobile $25 unlimited data, text, web + 300 minutes and it seemed that it would fit the bill.
I got the phone on sale for $105 and it is just the best phone I have ever had, although I have not activated it yet (more on this later), at an awesome price. Why haven't I activated it yet? Well, it turns out, this android phone lets you install all kind of apps from the android market via wifi without activating the phone, you can pop*in an 8Gb, 16Gb or 32Gb SDHC card and use this as a pretty awesome (and cheap) ipod/iphone substitute. I have installed apps for watching TV shows, read news (USA Today, NYTime, Bloomberg, etc), Pandora radio (sound through the speaker is very full for such a tiny device), GPS navigation/maps, calculators, MS Office documents viewer, a few games, GasBuddy to find cheap gas locally (pretty handy these days), etc. All FREE from the Android market. But, BY FAR, the best applications I installed are Google Voice, which together with SIPDroid (after signing up for a free GoogleVoice account and a free PBXes.org account) allows me to link them together and configure the phone to use VOIP to make my calls through the internet instead of using the limited 300 minutes I would get if I signed up with Virgin Mobile for $25/month, I can also use it to do unlimited free texting through my Google voice number.
I wanted to do this to make sure I did not go over the 300 minutes and start racking up a huge bill with VM once I activated the phone, but as it turns out, this has worked out so well that I am still undecided as to weather I will need to activate the phone and sign up for the monthly service. Granted, I can only make/receive calls when I am within WIFI range, but, WIFI is so prevalent these days. Many of the establishments a person does business with have free internet access for their customers: Starbucks, Dennys, Mcdonalds, Barnes;nobles, Homedepots, Panera bread, Hooters, highway rest stops, libraries, Krogers, Quiznos, Schlotzsky, FedEx offices, Hotels... the list goes on and on. I also installed a WIFI Analyzer App which shows if there is a free/open WIFI within range and its signal strength. You can get a nice directory of wifi spots in your area here- [...] which of course does not list all the available ones.
What happens when I'm outside WIFI range? Well, of course I can not make calls, inbound calls go to my GoogleVoice voice mail and as soon as I get into WIFI range and connect, my inbound text messages get delivered and/or I get a notification of a missed call which I can check right away. Obviously not something I would want to use as a business phone, but for personal use when you do not need to be available 24X7 this works great! You also get a great excuse when you don't want to answer someone, later you can say... "Sorry, I was not in WIFI zone...", you can even put that in your answering message. This setup would be great for students who live on campus where they have free access to the campus WIFI network (many of them provide free open WIFI all over campus). All these for $0 a month plus the cost of the phone.
If you feel you need capability to make calls from anywhere in case of emergencies, or for 24X7 availability, then just activate the phone and pay the $25/month. You would get many other benefits which would make this device a very capable business phone. I've read that once activated, you can install an app to make the phone a WIFI hub for up to 4 or 5 devices (supposedly there is an app for that, :-) pun intended, in the android market). This would provide internet service to your WIFI based laptop anywhere. I will investigate this more if/when I activate the phone. I have to admit, it would be fun to be able to go on trips and have internet in the car for my kids ipod touches or laptops while we are on the road. The more they can entertain themselves, the less "are we there yet?, are we there yet?" questions we will get... :-)
Summarizing, if you activate the phone, you get unlimited texting, phone web browsing, tv watching, internet radio, etc. + unlimited internet based calls using the provided unlimited data service + internet for your computer/ipod touches anytime/anywhere. All these for $25/month? Sweeeet! I don't think any carrier can beat that, the closer unlimited everything plan is cricket for $55/month for an android or blackberry phone. ATT, Verizon, etc? $70 and up... Virgin Mobile uses the Sprint 3G network, so, it's coverage (at least here in Houston) is pretty good.
I hope you find this useful.
Enjoy!
Nov. 23th. 2011 - I finally activated the phone this summer which I spent away from the family working up North and they wanted 24X7 access... (great to be loved so much!). It is now even better. I have an app that shows how many minutes are left and when I'm getting close to using the 300 minutes, I can dial out using the internet and google voice through the data service from anywhere (where there is 3G signal). Came in handy to have Pandora on the phone when my car radio stopped working and it's great to be able to do everything I used to do only within WIFI range now everywhere. GPS worked great while I was traveling through the North East, except when cruising through the Adirondacks (no 3G service out in the sticks :-) ).
Virgin has raised the price of the plan to $35 a month for newcomers, (previous users are grandfathered in at the $25 rate) but even at $35, it still the best deal around as far as I know. Finally, Target has the phone on sale for $50 for the next two days...
After being a T-Mobile customer for 8 years I finally dumped them when I found the phone and plan I'd been waiting for: the Android 2.2, LG Optimus V with the Beyond Talk plan.
The Phone:
An Android 2.2 operating system powers the LG Optimus V (V stands for Virgin... the S is Sprint's phone, but both share the Sprint mobile network) and allows for zippy web surfing via the 3G network. Apps open quickly and transitions from one thing to another are smooth. The processor seems up to multitasking and I had no problem downloading apps and emailing at the same time.
The body of the phone is comfortable to hold with a slightly rubberized feel, and the screen is bright and clear. I did note the back cover of the phone is a tad flimsy, so be careful pulling it off and on to put in the battery. Bear in mind I'm used to a Nokia E71 phone, which has a metal back, so that may just be something that bothered me and won't phase anyone else about this phone. The four navigation keys on the front of the phone are sturdy and responsive.
The touchscreen doesn't seem to respond as easily as my iTouch does, but then again, it may be me and the way I was gingerly giving it an initial once over. I have texted and emailed using Swype (a cool technology included on this phone that basically allows you the ability to move your finger over a keyboard and have it intuitively guess at what you're trying to type without you lifting your finger) on this phone, and it works well. I'm pretty slow at it, but practice will undoubtedly help.
The camera is a 3.2mp without a flash. I'm not overly impressed with the quality of the photos I've taken, but I don't use my phone-cam as my primary camera anyway. You can also take video with this phone.
Charging this phone can be done by two methods: USB or travel adapter. The travel adapter (included in the package along with the USB to phone cord) attaches to the USB end of the cord that attaches to the base of the phone. You can charge your phone via either AC or USB - AC seemed to do it a tad faster, but be prepared to have a full recharge take 1 to 2hrs.
This takes us to the downside of this phone: the battery life. If you are downloading or surfing the web, this phone sucks down the juice. There is a free app called Juice Defender, which will prolong your battery life - I highly recommend it along with Hotspot Widget, which allows you to use Hotspots for Wi-fi. Talk time on the battery is estimated at 6hrs, with up to 3 days of standby time. This would only work if you never checked the web, emailed, texted or played with apps!
The phone weighs 4.69 ounces and is a tad thick, but not much more than an iPhone with a hard case on it. It ships with a 2GB micro SD card in it, but I recommend picking up at least an 8GB card or larger to replace it. Adding apps will quickly diminish the 2GB.
No flash player is yet available for this phone - or so I've heard, thus 'flash' doesn't play on it. You can view YouTube videos and there are several TV apps, so not really an issue for me yet and probably something that will be fixed with firmware in the future.
I suggest purchasing a case to protect it, as none is included in the phone package. LG Optimus S and T cases will work with this phone. Deals with a case, charger, screen protector, etc... like this: LG Optimus S LS670 Full Diamond Bling Black Zebra Skin Hard Case Snap on Cover Phone Protector Sleeve + Mirror LCD Screen Guard Film w/Cleaning Cloth + Free Biodegradable Screen wipe are available on Amazon.
The Beyond Talk Plans:
No deal out there comes close to this one. Yes, the phone is an initial chunk of change, but it's an Android phone that will offer excellent call quality on the Sprint network and data at 3G speeds - unlimited data, text and email - for $25 a month with 300 anytime minutes. GREAT deal! A bump up for $40 a month gives you 1200 anytime minutes a month and unlimited data, text and email, or for $60 a month you get unlimited everything. NO CONTRACT. You can pay via gift cards you purchase with cash, or have a debit or credit card on file with Virgin Mobile. You can choose to have them take the plan fee out each month, or you can tell them you'll do it yourself via the online payment section. Really, really easy and no taxes or hidden fees. If you go over your minutes it's an additional 10 cents a minute, and minutes don't rollover to the next month.
Virgin Mobile coverage maps are available on their website. Check it with your address to see coverage in your area prior to buying the phone. There's a way to check voice coverage and then click over to data coverage.
'Porting' Your Number (Keeping Your Old Number):
If you want to keep your same cellphone number (the one used by another carrier) you need to keep these things in mind.
1. You have to be in the same area code to do it.
2. You cannot cancel your previous service prior to calling Virgin Mobile to set up service.
3. You cannot activate your LG Optimus V on Virgin Mobile's website, you must call them to tell them you want the same number.
4. You need to have your old number, account number for the other provider, and a bit of time (up to 72hrs, although it took VM only 1hr to port my number...) to switch the old number to your new phone.
5. You must have your LG Optimus V charged to be able to receive a text letting you know the number has been switched and your old service has been cancelled.
6. Calling your old provider to make sure your service has been cancelled and to pay off any lingering debt with them is advised.
Call to 'activate' your Virgin Mobile service after the number has been ported to your new phone. They will ask you how you are paying for your service and have you do a test call.
If you don't have an old number, you can either call Virgin Mobile to activate the phone or do it on their website.
The LG Optimus V phone is my first android smartphone and so far, I'm very impressed. GPS, email, web, checking in on eBay and Amazon... all very exciting and something I thought I'd never be able to afford as I couldn't justify spending $70 a month for it with T-Mobile or ATT.
In a few months the purchase of this phone will pay for itself and with no contract I'm sure I'll feel good about having the option to change, even if I never do. If you don't want to be under contract, but want to enjoy the perks of new technology at a reasonable price per month - get this phone and the Beyond Talk plan. Heck, get them for the entire family! You won't regret the purchase.
UPDATE: March 13, 2011
Found several FREE apps in the 'Market' of note.
1. ShopSavy: uses scanner technology to scan items in the store and then give you the best price for that item online or locally. Works very well!
2. GasBuddy: gives you the current prices on fuel at different grades. Type in a zip code or name of a place to get the listings. You can also add a price as you see it to assist others using the app.
3. Speed Test : gives you the current speeds of your internet upload and download. Noted that my wifi is much, much faster than the 3G network, thus when home I switch my settings from mobile to wifi.
4. Amazon Kindle: read all content on your Kindle, also on your phone.
5. Radar Now: shows current weather maps as shown on your TV weather report (satellite maps) in real time, via GPS.
6. HP Photo Print: found my home network printers and printed photos taken on my phone after uploading to the printer via this app. Also can use Photoshop Express (also free) to tweak the photo prior to printing.
7. SilentBoot: once downloaded an on, this allows you to turn your phone on and off without any noise.
8. AVG free antivirus: still a good idea to run an antivirus whether it's on your PC or phone.
9. Google Sky: really fun app that shows you the night sky (stars, constellations) and moves with you according to GPS location... play with this one!
10. Quick Settings: very easy way to turn on and off wifi/gps/mobile... and a host of other things like uninstalling apps you no longer want.
11. Zedge: lots n' lots of wallpapers and ringtones for free.
12. Memory Booster lite: frees up unused memory to use by the processor.
13. JuiceDefender: runs in the background to save your battery from draining too quickly.
14. World Newspapers: just like the title implies, access to worldwide news via newspapers, but also magazines, webnews, social networking, etc... fun to browse and in many, many languages.
15. Tune In Radio: allows you to pick up radio stations and podcasts by state. The 3.5mm headset jack (standard - like on iPods and other MP3 players) is great and this app plus your music library on a SD card means you can choose to leave your music player at home as it's all on your phone!
Battery drops quickly with a lot of app use, but without it the phone holds a good charge for several days. I simply keep topping the battery up whenever I'm home and near the charger. The manual says not to let the battery be completely discharged.
Also on the subject of 'battery': The battery also is somewhat loose in my phone. Not sure if that's all Optimus V's or just mine. Sometimes my screen goes black and it's a loose battery. A small bit of tape fixed the problem and is unseen under the back cover of the phone.
The Voice Recognition software on this phone seems to be fabulous! Both voice dialing and voice input for texting (instead of typing) seem to work great for me. One suggestion for texting via voice: make your sentences short. This seems to give me the most accurate input.
Overall I love this... Read more›
LG Optimus Prepaid Android Phone (Virgin Mobile)
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