Why You Can Trust CNET LG U310 review: LG U310
The U310 is an odd collection of features and omissions that had us scratching our heads. For 3G newbies, however, it offers a non-intimidating and low-priced introduction to the 3 network's offerings.
Design
With its slim flip design, rotating camera and external multimedia keys, the U310's looks hark back to those of the U890, which we reviewed in August last year. Measuring 94mm by 49mm by 18.3mm and adding 89 grams to your palm, it's lighter and more compact than its predecessor, but shares some of its frustrating quirks.
LG U310
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
For example, as with the U890, it is damn near impossible to take a decent photo using the rotating 1.3-megapixel camera. Self-portraits are easily achieved, but spin that sucker around to face the outside world, and things become exceedingly difficult due to the angle of the lens and its recessed position in the clamshell's hinge. If you want a phone that does double duty as a digicam, this is not the model for you.
On the outside of the clamshell is a 96 x 96 pixel display above three multimedia keys which control music playback and navigation. Of course, these keys would be of greater use if there was actually enough memory to store music, but we'll come to that niggle shortly. The left side of the U310 has a port for charging and connecting the included stereo headset, as well as dedicated volume control keys and a camera shortcut button. On the right is a microSD slot for your expansion desires.
Opening the phone -- an operation that nail-biters will find more difficult than their long-fingernailed compatriots -- reveals a flush keypad topped with an array of shortcut and navigation buttons. The number keys are well-proportioned, and will not cause grief for the large-thumbed.
While the U310 feels hardy overall, the hinge is a little loose, and the top section of the clamshell moves slightly when the open phone is wiggled.
As with all other glossy-surfaced phones we have reviewed of late, the U310's outer shell is a smudge-fest after about four seconds of being handled. As our review model was black, fingerprints were especially noticeable, but the white version of the phone shouldn't show so many smears.
Features
The U310's release coincided with the launch of Big Brother for 2007, and 3's relationship with the show means advertising for the phone has centred on the ability to watch live streams from the house 24 hours a day. If the notion of absorbing the inane conversations of housemates on a 176 x 220 pixel display fails to entice, there are a few other features to pique your interest.
There's your standard 3G (not HSDPA) line-up, such as video calling and access to 3's online services and mobile TV. In fact, the U310 makes a gentle, reasonably priced introduction to the world of 3G for those who have coveted its offerings but not yet experienced it firsthand.
The multimedia keys and music player suggest a focus on tunes, but the paltry 11MB of internal memory and lack of supplied microSD card shut that idea down pretty swiftly. A high-capacity memory card is an essential purchase if you want to store more than a tune or two, so factor in the extra cost if you're all about the music. Oh, and tally up the cost of a USB cable, too: you won't find one in the box, and the proprietary port means you can't swipe a generic cord from another gadget. So why provide a CD featuring USB drivers and sync software for the phone? Oh LG, you tease us so.
Continuing with the "things you won't find" theme, there is no FM radio and no flash on the camera. On the plus side, you will find A2DP-compliant Bluetooth -- meaning you can use wireless stereo headphones to hear those three songs that will fit on the phone -- as well as a speakerphone and some nifty travel-friendly features (a world clock, unit converter and flight mode).
Performance
We had little cause for complaint regarding the U310's performance -- video streaming from the Big Brother house, which we watched strictly in the interests of research, came through loud and clear, and the ability to display video content horizontally meant we weren't squinting to see what was happening.
Calling and texting were painless affairs, with the large keys allowing us to speed through messages without having to backtrack. The speakerphone sounded clear and volume ascended to lofty levels without the side effect of distortion.
Receiving files via Bluetooth was similarly fuss-free, but there was no progress bar to provide the status of the transfer. This is fine for small files, but may leave you wondering what's going on during a large file download.
All up, the U310 offers an odd collection of features and omissions that often don't make sense. Dedicated music keys when there's not enough space to store songs? USB drivers but no USB cable? It's all a bit strange. Still, if you haven't yet dipped a toe into the world of 3G, this phone would provide a non-intimidating introduction.