LG KE850-Prada

There are really four types of phone buyers out there. You have those who need to have the latest and greatest of everything – tech junkies if you will. Then there are the types who don't really care about features but want the phone to look extraordinarily beautiful. Finally we have the corporate types who need a phone that can monitor their daily lives and the average man or woman who just wants a device that they can use to keep in touch with their family. If you haven't guessed it by now, the LG KE850-Prada is a phone that falls into the "I want my phone to look like a fashion accessory" group.

Although with a name like Prada, the LG KE850-Prada is far more than just an attractive face with no underlying power. Far from it in fact, as this phone has so many goodies that it will even rival some of the devices out there that tech junkies pine for. It has Bluetooth functionality, a video and music player, expandable memory via a microSD card, a 2 Megapixel camera for photos and video, and an FM radio. Top it all off with a gigantic 3 inch touch screen that measures in at 240 by 400 pixels, and you've got a device that is as powerful as it is attractive.

Despite the massive screen size, the phone is deceptively small, as the screen takes up the majority of the faceplate and because it is a touch screen, there are very few traditional buttons on the phone itself. The LG KE850-Prada is approximately four inches by two inches by half an inch in size and weighs about eighty-five grams. This is a tiny device that you will be able to store anywhere and carry with you without it being overly noticeable.

Unfortunately, as is usually the problem with such small devices, the LG KE850-Prada's battery life is rather poor. Although the 300-hour stand by time is very impressive compared to other fashion phones, the LG KE850-Prada is only able to squeeze a pitiful three hours of talk time on a full charge. Great for calling your friends to tell them where to meet you, but don't plan on using the LG KE850-Prada for long business calls and telephone based meetings anytime soon.

The other problem with the LG KE850-Prada is, like its direct competitor, the Apple iPhone, this phone does not take advantage of any high speed 3G capabilities for data transfer. Not a big deal if you are buying this device for its high status, but for this price, the LG KE850-Prada should really include a laundry list of high tech features to stay competitive. On the positive side, though, the LG KE850-Prada is a quad band GSM phone, so it can be used practically anywhere in the world.

Pros

• Quad band GSM for global roaming
• Impressive design
• Large touch screen
• Long standby battery life

Cons

• Short talk time on battery
• No 3G features
• Digital camera resolution and zoom are poor
• No WiFi
• Expensive

Overall

Although the LG KE850-Prada is a phone that can also appease the tech junkies out there, it is certainly aimed squarely at the high fashion marketplace. If you are looking for a device that is as beautiful as it is functional, this is a great phone – but try and get it on sale if you can.