LG Dare Review in Real Time

fantastic review... i came across the phone and was wondering if its worth getting. you definitely shed some light on it for me.

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Originally Posted by lakerking

Hey guys,

I haven't done any firmware upgrades since I got the phone.

Have they fixed any of these:

- Cookies for e-mail not working after a while (having to re-enter username and password every couple of days)

- Not all camera settings save (auto flash, etc.)

I just stumbled across your post ... This email issue has been driving me NUTS for the last week. For over 5 months, I seldom had this problem -- until the beginning of MAY 2009. Now, for whatever reason, I am being prompted for my Login/pw credentials every time I go to the Verizon URL form their main Browser menu. It points to the Yahoo Mobile email site: Y! Login -- there is NO "remember me" option on that site, like there is for the GMAIL site and others.

I went to the Verizon store and complained about this - they upgraded my DARE to version 06 ... same problem existed. So they (duh) replaced my DARE - same problem. I've been on the phone with verizon tech support. I've been on the phone with AT&T (for Yahoo SBC support) ... nada - nobody will fess up to this issue. And of course it's impossible to get to talk with YAHOO... we're stuck in the middle of this mess with all these vendors.

Personally, I can no longer recommend the DARE to anyone if you plan to buy the VCAST PAK for acceing you web based email -- it is very tedious to have to re-enter your login info every time you visit the site ..!!

Are we the only ones that have this problem?? Are there any other AT&T Yahoo / SBCGLOBAL customers out here that also are seeing this? Does anyone know where on the DARE these "cookies" - or whatever mechanisim - SAVES this login information?????? (e.g., /brew directory some place?)

great review

Have the dare myself and had option of getting extended life batt....I have had zero need for the extended so i sold it back off without ever even opening the packaging. I have the ghost screen protector and a gel silicone case...no scratches. Phone works great and I highly recommend to anyone I come across. I have had other LG phones in the past...a flip and the Env2 and I liked both but i wanted a full touchscreen...so I picked up a Dare and havent ever looked at another phone since (and I am a phone whore....always needing something)

Very much impressed with my Dare

and no issues with my email...logs right in for me. All of my email accounts log right in in fact

cool phone

i want this phone o.o

Originally Posted by korrupt1

... and no issues with my email...logs right in for me. All of my email accounts log right in in fact

What mail system are you using? YAHOO web-based mail? or did you buy the monthly Mobile Email package?

My issue is with the WEB-BASED email using YAHOO.

Questions about mobile use/contemplating giving it a try

There is a wealth of info in this thread; thanks to all who posted.
I got my phone in March and have finally resolved some quirky issues. For now all seems to be well. I do not have a data or text plan as I haven't been using these features but I am curious about the internet and am toying with the idea of giving it a try for a month or two--as I am usually working form home and on the computer, there really isn't a need, however, during the summer with vacation, I am thinking that it might be fun if not useful.

Before I plop down my $15/for the month and the gazillion extra in taxes I'd like a little feedback of what to expect.

I assume there is a browser--what are available for a phone? I use Firefox on the computer, is there a version for the web?

Will I be able to use a version of aol?

How does Twitter work? is there an app I must buy?

What apps are available and how does the process work?

As you can see I am a mobile newbie, but I am excited to give this a try.

Thanks kindly for any info and advice.

Originally Posted by DareI

Questions about mobile use/contemplating giving it a try

I assume there is a browser--what are available for a phone? I use Firefox on the computer, is there a version for the web?

Will I be able to use a version of aol?

How does Twitter work? is there an app I must buy?

What apps are available and how does the process work?

As you can see I am a mobile newbie, but I am excited to give this a try.

Thanks kindly for any info and advice.

The browser on the DARE is verizon's version of a web browser - it is NOT Firefox or IE etc.

AOL? you should be able to launch the Internet serrvice and key in the AOL web address you want -- however, not all web sites work on the DARE. If AOL is important to you, you should just got to a VZN store and try it ....

I don't use TWITTER. But Facebook has a "mobile" version of their web site. You don't have to download an APP (like iPhone). You just point the browser to the mobile web site - e.g., m.facebook.com .... or ... m.yahoo.com ... etc.. many sites offer this new "m" version of their site - which basically removes a lot of excess images to speed things up on the phone.

There are not many useful APPS for the DARE. They base their design over the BREW technology. So many JAVA-things just don't work. If you want full web-browsing experience - like on your computer or the iPhone - then you should consider the OMNI or STORM (yuck)... But those are "SMART PHONES" and as such you will get dinged an additonal $29.95 per month whether you use the service or not. You can browse the available APPS on the VZN site.

Good luck.

You better find a working dare and play with it... the browser has "allot" to be desired for speed.

Yep, the camera is pretty astounding. I've looked at recent pics from the Storm and they seem to have fixed thier "red shift" issue and they look pretty good too.

Pictures only look as good as the screen they are presented on. The AMOLED screens are pretty remarkable!
I had a friend that took a pic of his daughter and he bluetoothed it to me so we had the exact same pic..... his AMOLED display "on his samsung impression. put mine to share "sorry to say".. mine looked washed out and weak compared to his crystal clear bold bright display. The difference of looking into a window with no glass verses dirty glass.

If your plan has expired and your looking for the best multimedia phone on the market.. better consider the upcoming Omnia 2.
As awesome as the Dare, nothing stays cutting edge forever and the Omnia 2 is soon to arrive with the AMOLED screen and 3.7" display with at least a 5.0mp camera "the Omnia HD has an 8.1MP".. a cousin thats not available in the states.

Sorry to be a Dare wet blanket but I can upgrade anytime now, and I'm holding out for this soon to be released phone. It may not beat the iphone with application titles to choose from, but it slams the iphone in sheer hardware power.

The Omnia HD has a bigger mp camera and can do faster frames, and more colors but doesn't have as high a resolution display.
As long as my pictures look impeccable, I really don't need bigger than 5.0mp anyway, other than it would be nice to have higher video capture rates. The Omnia HD operates on a symbian platform and is not available in the states anyway.

Not trying to highjack this thread, but just saying the Dare's days are limited as there is a new sheriff in town!

Interesting review there Windstrings.

But 1 point worth noting is that like the STORM, the OMNIA requires a "smart phone" plan - which runs $29.95 / month ! The DARE is not a "smart phone" and thereby is a little easier on the wallet, IMHO. Granted, it is not capable of browsing certain web pages like the 'smartphones' can. And pictures may not be as sharp. But personally, I didn't buy the DARE to take pictures - I have 2 great digital cameras for that job, and no phone-camera will ever come close to my cameras.

So I guess if money were no object for me, yea, I would go the smartphone route, but monthly charges ARE an issue for me -- so the DARE is a decent and powerful enough phone with cool features without being slammed with additional reequired fees that a smartphone brings.

Originally Posted by Cody21

And pictures may not be as sharp. But personally, I didn't buy the DARE to take pictures - I have 2 great digital cameras for that job, and no phone-camera will ever come close to my cameras.

Good points. Although the camera on the Dare puts to shame handheld cameras of several years ago, there will always be a gap between what both can do.
Although the Dare is excellent when lighting conditions are good, it struggles when light is limited on shutter speed abilities, depth of field and obvious zoom abilities with stabilization features. Physics say you can only do so much with limited light and the lens on a phone is very tiny. I"m actually amazed they do as good as they do!

I too have a camera I can zoom up to 10X and it comes out crystal clear every shot.

However, Cameras are more for when you are taking pictures "on purpose" or are expecting the moment.
Most true kodak moments are those times when you are caught unprepared.. at the dinner table, out at a restaurant, at work, or play.. times when life just happens and your not ready for it.
My phone I always have with me.. My camera.. I don't.

With that being said. I don't know what plan will be "demanded" for that phone.
Some phones seem to get away with not being forced to take the whole email package while others you have to go the full gamete.

Regardless, I do treasure good browsing abilities.. especially with a screen big enough to actually see something "3.7 inches" and see it very well with fine detail.
What I mean is... many people don't value browsing with their phone because its so sluggish and hard to read its a hassle and not pleasurable to do so.
But as screens become sharper, that function will be more usable on a phone.

I don't mind paying for my toys. I do pay 15.00 extra now just to be able to access the weather when I want but I don't use it for browsing beyond that because I feel like I'm on an old 14.4K modem back in the early 80's.
Call me spoiled, but there you have it.

As processors get faster in these phones, they will more and more become usable as computers as well as phones.

Everyone decides where to draw the line of course. But I too think Verizon should allow the packages to be optional as far as whether to use your phone as a smartphone with email etc verse a simple phone with a great camera!

They still defer to the business mentality of assuming you will need those functions when in fact many don't want them.. and especially don't want to pay for what they will not use!

When Verizon realizes they can make more money by offering plans that cost less, they will do it because people will pay for phones and join a network that has phones with such amazing features if they don't have to pay for functions they will not use.

Isn't that like buying a laptop and forcing the customer to buy an internet package just because the computer will do it?

All good points. I stand by my argument though about investing in a Camera phone though. I doubt that I've actually taken more than 10 pictures with my DARE in the last 7 months. But of course other people snap away and the quality issue as you pointed out are important.

The "required" plans for smartphones irk me. Especially at $29.95/mo. -- granted, that includes the unlimited data pkg., but nothing else as I recall. (You would still have to subscribe to a Texting, Email, and Navigation plan.) So I too have the $15/mo. package for unlimited data -- and primarily have that to check my web-based Yahoo email account from time to time while on the road. (I refuse to pay the $5/mo. for their Mobile email package!) I also won't pay the $10/mo for their NAV pkg. I mean, if navaigation was that important to me, I would just buy a Navigation Device from COSTCO with a larger screen - it would pay for itself in 13 months. Frankly, I thinki VZN should offer that for much less per month, but like any business, they're in this for the money.

So, my monthly pkg. costs me $60 + $15 + taxes per month and allows me to browse most of the web sites I need -- all for about $80. (I use Texting occasionally so just pay the .20/message.) And I never go over my alloted minutes (600).

Yes, Cody, they do have dreams of making a device thats all things to all people and taking away the market from internet providers etc, but the hardware provided "iehones" just don't compare to the robust power of a laptop yet.
I "hate" waiting for a simple web page to load that has graphics.. if you browse away from the page and want to come back... behold!.. it has to completely load all over again as it doesn't appear to have a cache to draw from.

I wouldn't mind them competing with internet providers "if" they provided comparable speed. But it seems the giant is so big, its hard for it to grow all at once as some parts grow while others don't... hence "growing pains".

An example... my Dare can take a picture upwards of 800kb in size, yet the network only allows a max of 500kb transfer?
They are wanting to charge like the big dogs but service only has a little bark!

Anyway, its what the market will bear. Many folks don't have a laptop, but do have a phone and thats the main market.
Just like many don't have a camera, but do have a phone....again, thats the marketable clients.

Then some folks have both "like myself" but convenience dictates them unusable.

I can't take my laptop with me every either for the same reason, so the more a phone will fill that need, the more likely I am to pay for that service.

As far as the Dare, the browser could be worse of course, but I do see it as the main weakness.

I see people with iphones and the like dance through web pages that I don't even bother to try.
I'm tempted to discontinue my 15.00 fee and just download a weather app and pay for mb usage as that would be much cheaper. I have vcast right now, but thats a waste as everything available seems to be biased and you can't access the mainstream.