The LG EnV2 was LG's first attempt at completely redesigning the look of the LG EnV. The previous Verizon LG messaging phones (the LG VX9800 and the LG EnV VX9900 respectively) were rather thick and chunky, while the EnV2 was slim, sleek, and much more compact. However, its feature set was a letdown, as it had almost the same features as the EnV VX9900. Not any longer with the LG EnV3. Though it looks almost identical to the LG EnV2, the EnV3 has a number of feature upgrades over its predecessor, like a 3.0-megapixel ... Expand full review
The LG EnV2 was LG's first attempt at completely redesigning the look of the LG EnV. The previous Verizon LG messaging phones (the LG VX9800 and the LG EnV VX9900 respectively) were rather thick and chunky, while the EnV2 was slim, sleek, and much more compact. However, its feature set was a letdown, as it had almost the same features as the EnV VX9900. Not any longer with the LG EnV3. Though it looks almost identical to the LG EnV2, the EnV3 has a number of feature upgrades over its predecessor, like a 3.0-megapixel camera and a full HTML browser. This, combined with an improved keyboard layout, makes the EnV3 a great messaging phone for Verizon customers. The LG EnV3 will cost just as much as the LG EnV2: $129.99 with a two-year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate.
Design The LG EnV3 looks almost the same as the LG EnV2. It has a skinny and wide rectangular shape, a small external display, and a flat number keypad, all of which makes it look a little like a calculator. Measuring 4.11 inches long by 2.13 inches wide by 0.65 inch thick, the EnV3 is just a tiny bit taller than the EnV2, and it weighs in at 3.77 ounces, which is a little lighter than the EnV2's 4.23 ounces. The EnV3 feels comfortable in the hand, in both open and closed positions.
As we said, the external display is a very small 1.56-inch screen, with support for 65,000 colors and 160x96 pixels. It is bigger than the EnV2's 1.45 inch external display, though. Even though the screen is so small, we really liked how it looked--it looks colorful and vibrant, and it shows off the animated icons quite well. You won't get a full-grid menu interface in such a small screen, but the EnV3 does have a scrolling menu, where you can scroll through the more basic phone functions as well as the music player. For the more advanced applications such as the Web browser, e-mail, instant messaging, V Cast video, and VZ Navigator, you'll have to open up the phone for them to work--which is fine by us anyway, since you wouldn't want to see them on the tiny external display.
