Review: LG Rumor2 QWERTY messaging phone for Sprint

LG Rumor2

LG Rumor2

LG Rumor2

LG Rumor2

The LG Rumor2 brings a few notable enhancements to the original Rumor, namely a new higher-resolution display and redesigned slide-out QWERTY keyboard. We put the Rumor2 through its paces to see how well it follows in the footsteps of the original.

Physical Aspects

The LG Rumor2 retains the candybar form factor with a slide-out QWERTY^(INFO) keyboard, which offers a convenient choice of text input methods. The front of the phone is decked out in glossy black plastic, while the outer edge and backplate is a neon blue color that I quite like. There are two user-changeable backplates included with the phone, both blue, but with different designs on them for masculine or feminine users.

Although the entire phone is cased in plastic, LG has done a great job with the build quality of the Rumor2. There are no unnecessary squeaks or creaks when using the phone, and it has some heft, weighing in at 119g (4.2oz). The sliding mechanism is quite solid, with a firm click in either direction that left me confident it wouldn't open accidentally in my pocket. In the open position, the top half of the phone wobbles a bit, though not annoyingly so. The slide is also spring-assisted, so that it snaps open or closed with a bit of force. The handset's rear panel is removable, and hides the 950mAh battery.

On the front of the phone, you'll find the 2-inch display, which has been updated to QVGA (320x240 pixel) resolution. Along the right edge of the display, you'll find two silver softkeys, though these are only used when the QWERTY keyboard is slid out. Below the display is the navigational cluster and the standard numeric keypad. The d-pad is surrounded by three buttons along either side. On the left, you have the left softkey, voice command button, and 'talk' button; on the right, the right softkey, the 'back' button, and the 'end' button. The voice command and back buttons are convex, popping out a bit from the front of the phone, as is the blue ring that makes up the d-pad. The softkeys and talk/end buttons are flat, with small protrusions to separate them. After a bit of use, I found these buttons to be quite easy to press, each with a pleasant tactile click.

The standard numeric keypad is below the navigational cluster and is also made up of individual 'bubble' buttons, which makes for a fantastic texting experience. Along the right edge of the phone is the 2.5mm audio port and the microSD^(INFO) card slot, both protected by small doors to keep debris out. Along the left edge of the phone is the volume rocker and the dedicated camera button. The microUSB port on the bottom of the phone is used to charge the phone, as well. The 1.3 megapixel camera is located on the back of the phone, right beside the loudspeaker.

Once the QWERTY keyboard is slid open, the display automatically rotates and the softkeys along its right edge are activated. The keyboard on the Rumor2 has been updated from its predecessor, with a new row of dedicated number keys along the top. The keyboard's buttons are all separate from one another and are slightly convex, which makes for a great typing setup. All of the character keys are colored in a bright neon blue, while the rest of the keys are a dark grey. There is a handy dedicated button to insert smiley faces in messages, and a set of arrow keys to help navigate the menus without having to reach up to the d-pad.