LG cu500: Lots of questions

I just got this phone for Christmas after a long period of researching similar phones. Even though this one doesn't seem to be offered by AT&T any longer it still seems to be the best one IMHO.

Anywho. I got the phone and about a week later a Bluetooth dongle and MicroSD card. The phone is locked to the AT&T/Cingular network and has their firmware. I'm going to try to unlock it but I want to get a hold of another carrier's SIM card before I start calling AT&T and asking for the unlock code.

I'm a little more hesitant about re-flashing to the original LG firmware. I'm not sure if the gains would outweigh any potential losses. I've read that some of the AT&T/Cingular firmware is designed to maximize connectivity with their towers or something like that. Any input on that?

I've read other threads on here as well as other support forums in regards to some sort of syncing software/suite but I have yet to find it. One thread gives a link to this site but the download link doesn't appear to be valid any longer so I'm not sure where to get it now. Any idea where I can get this sync software?

I'd like to be able to update things like my address book without having to input everything through the phone as it can be extremely tedious. I'd much rather have something like a Palm PDA program where you do everything on the PC and then just sync the information.

The same goes for things like Memos, Tasks, calendar events, etc. It's just much easier to enter a lot of this sort of information through a PC than through the phone keypad.


In the meantime I've been acclimating myself with the whole Bluetooth thing. This is my first Bluetooth device so I'm not sure if I'm doing everything correctly. I have been able to transfer files to the phone from my PC and vice versa so I figure I'm doing something right.

Question 1: I was expecting the phone to show up on my PC as a mass storage device when connecting via Bluetooth. I read that's how it shows on a PC when you connect via USB cable so I assume it would be the same with Bluetooth. Am I wrong in this assumption? Seems Bluetooth is only good for transferring data one file at a time though.

Question 2: Should I get a USB cable if I plan on transferring a large amount of files (specifically mp3's)to the SD card? I don't have an SD card slot on my PC so this seems to be the most logical way to go about it.

In regards to the phone itself... there are a couple annoyances I noticed immediately that I'm not sure can be changed or not:

1: Is there a way to have an incoming caller's number display on the external screen? I mainly am wondering this because I'd like to set the answer option to "open" but if I don't know who's calling I don't want to answer it.

2: Is there a way to get rid of the screen animation during a call?

3: Is there a way to get rid of the prompts every time you want to do something?

4: Can shortcut keys be programmed in where you hold down a number and it'll initiate a certain function as opposed to a speed-dial number?

That's everything off the top of my head but I'm sure I'll come up with more as soon as I post this...

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer answers to these questions.

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› See More: LG cu500: Lots of questions

To answer just about all your questions. Don't use bluetooth at all for the things you are doing.

Buy a data cable and get bitpim and all your troubles are over.

I thought all LG phones showed the number on the outside when a call came in? If it don't, there should be a setting that will allow this to happen.

The animation question I can't really answer as I have never held your type of phone before....sorry.

Same for the prompt question.....don't know.

Shortcut key are just that....easy methods to get to certain program's. Some phones have the capability to assign functions to numbers such as the LG VX9800 and the LG VX10000...but they have a function key you must hit first then the number. So to answer your question....no....not unless you have a function key, you can't assign numbers to do certain functions.

Originally Posted by bossdragon

To answer just about all your questions. Don't use bluetooth at all for the things you are doing.
Buy a data cable and get bitpim and all your troubles are over.

What would you use the Bluetooth thing for then? Just wondering...

The only thing I use bluetooth for is my wireless stereo headphones to listen to music while at work or doing things. Then my bluetooth headset for hands free operations while driving and talking at the same time, or like now, while working on the computer so both hands are free and yet I can still take calls.

I guess when I get around to getting the wireless headphones I'll have a more practical use for the Bluetooth dongle I bought for my laptop. I did, however think that the Bluetooth connection to the phone would be the same as the USB, just wireless, but apparently I was way off on that one... so I might end up getting the USB cable after all.

It's still kinda cool though...

Just called LG trying to find out how I can get the PC sync software. The guy told me they don't make any for this phone and that I should go to DataPilot and purchase this software. Considering all I want to do is sync with the address book, calendar, memos, and tasks I can't see how this helps as their software only supports the address book and a bunch of ringtone crap.

I asked him about the PC stn software that was available for download for the tu500 and he said it's a different phone and it wouldn't work with the cu500. That seems to be a contradiction to what I've read online here unless everyone on there is Australian and owns the tu500... which is probably BS.

Anyone know how I can get a copy of the software made for the tu500?

I posted into this forum as well hoping to get a response to the question about the PC sync software as well as e-mailing nearly everyone who posted into the other discussion hoping someone will have a copy of the software.

If I manage to get a hold of it I'll put it up on my web server and drop a link on here to share it. I'm holding my breath... so if you don't hear from me in a few days you can safely assume I've died due to a lack of oxygen to the brain.

I was sent a link to go HERE where you select the tu500 from the drop-down. When you get to that phone there are two zip files that you can download. I'm in the process of downloading the one that isn't in with the car kit. Hope it's the right one.

more to come...

well....was it the right software that you were looking for?

I'm pretty sure that bitpim will do all that you listed.


wirelessly posted from my Voyager

Originally Posted by bossdragon

well....was it the right software that you were looking for?
I'm pretty sure that bitpim will do all that you listed.
wirelessly posted from my Voyager

I haven't gotten it to sync with my phone yet but it does indeed have everything I wanted. I'm going to get a USb data cable to make life a little easier. The Blueteeths are cool but if I can avoid any hassle and frustration by simply buying a cable I'm down with that.

more to come...

Still trying to find a step-by-step instruction on how to make this sync manager thing work through my Bluetooth connection. And when I say step-by-step I mean break it down to the Barney level... because I've read forums outside of here that make it seem simple enough throwing around terms like "assign a com port number and you're all set" which has yet to be as cut and dry as that.

PLEASE!!!!

Got the USB data cable... and still no luck syncing. I was able to move/organize a lot of stuff on the microSD card but nothing else.



I'm also wondering how you can delete crap like the demo games, the default wallpapers, etc. The stupid phone doesn't even give you the option. I'm assuming it's one of the many AT&T/Cingular crippling features they throw into the phone.