LG Viewty Smart GC900 Reviews

has been nothing but non stop hassle for me

I'v had this phone for 7 months now and it has been nothing but non stop hassle for me. After about a month of having it, any time someone phoned me the screen didnt light up - leaving me with no way of answering. This results in having to phone everyone back therefore always going over my bill.

It was sent away for repair 2 times and both times have failed.

That aside... every more than never, it switches itself off and crashes for about ten minutes and at times does not charge properly. I'll charge it for a few hours till the battery's full, then a few hours later the battery appears to be dead! Useless contraction I would not recommend to anyone.

The screen is always going off when you most need it

I never usually complain about things, but this is such a frustrating mobile phone that I would never ever recommend it to anyone.

Why?? Well, like most people here. The screen is always going off when you most need it. When your calling a number which has a menu system, trying to bring up the dial screen is no easy task, especially if on the move, then once you have done it, trying to select the number is just as bad.

I often get a message like "Error 15 or something: number of applications exceeded", but I have only made normal usage of the phone - I have to shut the phone down and re-start to even make a call, and in an emergency once when trying to call the Police it was no joke.

It may look very modern and jazzy, but no use if it doesn't work and do it's job. The internet browser is very slow and on each page you have to zoom to read anything.

With all this and other wild defects (including faulty software), even online (I have to date been unable to download the Manual for example from the LG site, only loads halfway then stops on every occasion)

Quite frankly, a useless piece of backward modern art technology - totally inefficient, money-wasting (on calls), time-wasting in complaining and visits to the shop, and definitely not a business phone.

In summary, sad to say it, but my humble recommendation is: Don't buy the GC900, go for a better more reliable phone.

outstanding battery life, up to a week I've got out of it so far

The camera is great the touchscreen responds relatively quickly and is a good all round phone with outstanding battery life, up to a week I've got out of it so far.

One problem when someone rings the screen blacks out and wont light up but this problem has been fixed by some LG updates which only took a few mins to install, if your having trouble with the battery when you first got the phone you must charge it for at least 12 hrs to ensure you get full life out of it

I am well pleased I moved from Samsung to LG

Have had the phone for just 3 days now and its mostly brilliant. Touchscreen isnt always the most responsive but hey thats probably me, the web pages load up fast and are easy to navigate. Love the cube interface.

Its so easy to use especially to ring people just add them to your favourites and then its a simple case of pressing a couple of things. The text takes a bit of getting used to but is still pretty easy to use.

Its not too bad in the sunlight. Now I just need to transfer my itunes onto it and im away. All in all I am well pleased I moved from Samsung to LG. The camera is pretty good and really easy to use.

indoor photos are too dark, even when using the flash

The camera is so bad it is unusable for me. Almost every photo taken blurs and indoor photos are too dark, even when using the flash. I have played around with all the settings and nothing improves the quality of photos. I've had to revert back to my old 3.2mp Sony Ericsson for taking pics as it is much better.

internet browser is incredibly slow and unresponsive

Very slow, texting is a complete nightmare, build quality is terrible (the cover for the charger port snapped off in two days). The internet browser is incredibly slow and unresponsive. Nearly all websites take years to load, in fact it is not worth even trying to use the internet on the mobile phone at all as its so frustrating.

LG support were next to useless when I asked them for support. If you make a call in the dark you cannot use the keys on the screan as the sensor thinks you still have the phone to your ear. So you try and call somebody like LG for example and it says press 1 to be disappointed with your phone and you cannot press it because the screen will not light up.

can get a bit annoying because you have to zoom into every web page

Excellent phone, sleek design, had the old Viewty this is alot slimmer. Packed full of features. Easy to use, the only downside to the phone is its missing a zenon flash and browsing the web can get a bit annoying because you have to zoom into every web page each time.

looks more impressive than it actually is

Text messages froze on my phone, couldnt remove them or open them. That phone went back within two weeks. Second phone overheated to the extent that my ear was painfully hot, hat one went back within four days, third time lucky?

Having problems with java enabling but we shall see, lovely looking phone, but looks more impressive than it actually is. Appears to have loads of features, although when you work through them they are not very adaptable. Touch screen also takes some getting used to as it is not that sensitive. Perhaps I should have bought an iPhone.

The 8.0 megapixel camera is outstanding

I love this phone, its ideal for people who enjoy playing around with all the different gadgets that is on it. The 8.0 megapixel camera is outstanding. I've found it easy to use now that I'm used to the touch screen technology. Its easy for texting and emailing, I also like the contacts screen you can just add your favorites.

intermittent but persistently annoying

I have had this phone less than a week and I am starting to absolutely hate it. The touch screen takes a bit of getting used to which I'm sure I'd be fine with but sometimes the phone stops working for no reason. This morning I couldn't switch it on.

Now, although I eventually got it working, it doesn't actually ring when there's a phone call or a text. One has to wonder what the point of having a phone is if one can't actually rely on receiving calls or texts. Oh, and the battery life is really, really bad.

Sorry I sound frustrated but I have just forked out a lot of money and I feel really cross. The problems with it are intermittent but persistently annoying.

The 8MP camera in particular stands out

The Viewty Smart is a nifty little phone available at a good price. The design is, in my opinion, sleek and stylish while the phone is certainly not the smallest out there it is compact and light enough to comfortably fit in the palm and in the pocket.

The capacitive touchscreen is responsive and maintains reasonable visibility even in bright sunlight and you should experience very little issue with it.

It has all the features you expect of top spec phones these days with 3G, camera, video capabilities, wifi, mp3 player, maps and more. Currently the phone lacks the added apps that you would get with similar phones however this is probably going to be resolved over time. The 8MP camera in particular stands out with LG's association with quality lens producers and it is packed with various features to give you quality pictures to your phone.

The phone is not without issues, it's low internal memory at just 1.5GB is a glaring problem, however with the capacity to introduce up to 32GB via micro SD this is resolvable. It can also be a little fiddly on the internet browsers at times and the lack of applications is an obvious downside. On the whole this is a quality phone available at affordable prices.

cover this and the screen goes blank for a few seconds

There is a sensor next to the camera on the screen side, god knows why but cover this and the screen goes blank for a few seconds. My girlfriend hated this phone until we discovered this, just try to teach yourself not to cover the sensor or wait a few seconds, hope this helps

good looking phone though it takes a bit to get used to

This is a good looking phone though it takes a bit to get used to answering it. Slide the finger left, not right as in the manual, but not easy when moving.
I am on my second phone as the first one developed an intermittant fault where I could not make or receive calls yet had full signal strength. Hopefully this new one will last more than 2 weeks. Does not bode well but love it all the same - thank goodness for the warranty.

Alot better than the first Viewty, I did however have a problem with the screen going blank when I made and received calls, it turns out there is a sensor to the left of the camera thats on the screen side in the top right of the screen. I had bought a plastic protective screen cover that did not have a cut out for the sensor hence causing the screen to go blank!!

can also play iTunes on the phone as well which is a bonus

Lightweight slim design with nice touch features, reminds me of an iPhone as it has similar applications and 'fun stuff', can also play iTunes on the phone as well which is a bonus. Great Camera for a phone.

The only problem I have is the same as others on here, I can't answer any calls! the screen flashes up with the caller for around 5 secs but then disappears so you can't answer the call even though it continues to ring! Will be taking it back to get a replacement as I still do like the phone.

I have a blank screen issue with my handset

Great phone but cannot answer calls due to blank screen and the same making calls, this GC900 is on its way back. That apart, it looks good, feels good.
So its the Arena for me, basically the same as the Viety Smart just poorer camera.

was well impressed, but screen wont activate

Purchased for my husband last Saturday and was well impressed with features etc. However, every time the phone rings he cannot answer it as the screen will not activate. Poor design for this feature.

Very Smart indeed

Very Smart indeed. Neat and stylish model, easy on the eye, good size, weight, look, feels and works well. Switching from one program to another is pretty fast. A few apps would be better. When using apps even for a small time the battery soon goes. Battery life not amazing. My screen got scratched.

a natural progression from the original Viewty

Got this phone about a week ago, really good phone, which is easier to use and a natural progression from the original Viewty. Has more features and a great camera. Even though I have quite big fingers the touch screen is great although could be a little more responsive at times, but still very good. So far all apps that worked on the original Viewty have worked on the Viewty smart.

On the down side the browser that comes with the phone is very poor, but Opera can be easily installed and is far better. Got a problem today where I can not answer calls as the screen doesn't activate.

So overall a class phone that is easy to use and lots of features including the camera. Although waiting to decide how reliable the phone is considering my initial issue.

great handset to use, interface fantastic, battery life could be better

On paper this phone is stunning and even at first glance and touch it responds and feels great. When you start to use the camera however, (and lets not forget this is supposed to be a camera phone!) it all goes wrong in my opinion... poor battery life has not made it through a decent evening of photos and video and the indoor shots without a xenon flash are just shockingly bad.

That aside its otherwise a great handset to use and the menus and UI are fantastic. Would recommend but not as a camera phone... in which case you might as well get the LG Arena which feels like a more solid handset and still has a 5mp camera anyway.