Review of LG's modular VX9600 Versa for Verizon Wireless

LG VX9600 Versa

LG VX9600 Versa

LG VX9600 Versa

LG VX9600 Versa

The LG VX9600 Versa is LG's answer to its successful Dare feature phone for Verizon Wireless. The Versa builds upon the Dare's successes by adding the ability to attach extra hardware modules that provide new functionality, like the included QWERTY keyboard module and the optional game pad module.

Physical Aspects

Living up to its name, the LG VX9600 Versa sports a very versatile physical design. In its basic configuration, the phone is a simple full touchscreen slab of a device. A black face surrounds the 3-inch 480 x 240 pixel display, a brown'ish colored back is where one finds the 2 megapixel camera, and chrome edging finishes off the look. The flush mounted call keys on the front surround the only normal looking button on the device, the back/clear key.

The left edge of the phone is home to a traditional, though thin, volume control. The micro-USB port cover and the camera's shutter button are equally narrow, but work well enough. The headset port, at 2.5mm in diameter, is also narrow - about 1mm too narrow to be useful with stereo headphones without a 3.5mm jack adapter, which is not included. The microSD card slot and cover is located on the right edge, and the super-special rear cover release is found on the left edge.

That release is so special because it enables use of the included QWERTY keyboard back attachment, which brings to the Versa a whole new level of functionality when it comes to messaging and text input. The keyboard's layout could be a bit better, but its overall balance and feel made it very usable.

That keyboard attachment does add quite a bit to the VX9600's size, though. With the standard back, it weighs 108.7g (3.8oz) and is 106mm x 52.5mm x 14mm (4.2in x 2.1in x .6in) in size. Adding the QWERTY keyboard boosts those numbers to 156.9g (5.5oz) and 106mm x 60mm x 22mm (4.2in x 2.4in x .9in). It's still pocketable with the keyboard, but certainly is no longer thin or particularly compact.