Given the fanfare surrounding the release of the
LG VX8500 "Chocolate" on Verizon a couple months back, buyers and reviewers alike were pretty shocked to find that the supposed high-function slider lacked a frickin' speakerphone, of all things (
us included). Fortunately, it's been rumored for some time that a firmware update would eventually add the feature, and according to PCS Intel, it's now out and about -- just head to your friendly local brick-and-mortar Verizon store and ask specifically for "V04." If everything goes well, a sales associate will knowingly wink at you, take the Chocolate from your hands and do the deed. Chocolate owners: let us know how it goes in comments, mkay?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
tim @ Sep 27th 2006 1:57AM
shocked!!!
Nick @ Sep 27th 2006 2:50AM
I did the upgrade myself. You can find the instructions at HoFo
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1008084
Warlock2010 @ Sep 27th 2006 4:03AM
The new Chocolate phones being sold have the 04 software version but is not available for flashing at verizon wireless stores at this time.
Rcadden @ Sep 27th 2006 10:07AM
Anyone else think it's pretty stupid that you can "add" speakerphone via firmware? Kinda makes you wonder what ELSE was disabled by good ol' Verizon?? This is why I stick with GSM.
Asian Voice @ Sep 27th 2006 11:14AM
Do people in the U.S. actually use Verizon and Non - GSM technology mobile companies? That is so strange, when the rest of the entire world is using the far better GSM.
I guess that is why the U.S. is on a decline.
Brett @ Sep 27th 2006 11:15AM
I also did the upgrade myself. It went smoothly and I love the speaker phone. A couple more things were changed that you can find in the thread posteed above. I bought it yesterday, the speakerphone was the only thing holding me back. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Igor @ Jun 17th 2008 2:01AM
how did you do the upgrade youserlf? ..where can i find the software..thanks
Astonished @ Sep 27th 2006 12:17PM
^#5.
"I guess that is why the U.S. is on the a decline."
Congratulations. This is the most asinine remark I have seen in a long time. I will frame it and hang it on my wall of shame, accordingly.
Mauricio @ Sep 27th 2006 2:07PM
Just called the local Verizon Wireless store and they said they CAN upgrade the firmware.
Asian voice is correct. why are we still using CDMA phones? and why does Verizon make the Speakerphone option off when they should have left it on in the first place? doesnt make sense.
CLShortFuse @ Sep 27th 2006 2:39PM
to force you to buy external accessories (bluetooth or wired headset). to be fair, GSM version didn't have speakerphone either. w/e, i never thought of LG as a real phone company. i've always known LG to be the ones who made my 2x CD-ROM drive in my Pentium 486. They make microwaves, refridgerators, even toasters. Their phones have always been "meh"
Brian Richardson @ Sep 27th 2006 2:43PM
"Do people in the U.S. actually use Verizon and Non - GSM technology mobile companies? That is so strange, when the rest of the entire world is using the far better GSM."
Strange comment from "Asian Voice". Last I checked, a little country known as "China" was still in Asia and using CDMA.
And his second comment, "I guess that is why the U.S. is on a decline" barely even deserves discussing, just shows his ignorance.
CLShortFuse @ Sep 27th 2006 2:52PM
China uses GSM. South Korea and some of Japan uses CDMA. LG and Samsung centralized in South Korea, which is why most Verizon phones are either LG or Samsung. Rest of the world (most) use GSM. 80%+ of cell phone users around the world use GSM. 2 billion people use GSM. Japan is slowly fading out CDMA.
Paul @ Sep 27th 2006 5:15PM
Do people realize that CDMA is in most respects a better technology than GSM. (At the very least its newer.)
In fact UMTS has much more in common with CDMA from a basic technology perspective than GSM. If it wasn't for a certain microsoft type company controlling the technology it would quite possibly be the dominant standard.
b-rad @ Sep 27th 2006 5:42PM
Well... I just called my local VZW crapshack and the tech there said he ahdn't even heard about this... and said it was not possible at all. I told him I'd print out what I had seen 'bout it but he said that wouldn't change anything... obvious, and how typical of vzw... maybe it'll be avail sometime lata'.. i dunno
protege @ Sep 27th 2006 5:53PM
Asian Voice, please read a book or something before making such statements. CDMA is used in several countries and GSM is NOT a better technology. Trust me on this one.
Have a nice day!
Brian @ Sep 27th 2006 7:19PM
CDMA is better no doubt about that, but I still use GSM service providers because they are less restrictive with network and handset use. Plus if your phone is GSM and unlocked with quad band your pretty much covered through out the world.
Richard Torres @ Sep 27th 2006 11:01PM
CDMA is a superior over GSM specially when you consider how many people per channel it can support. More people per channel more calls can be made and you dont get that stupid circuits are busy right now message.
paolo @ Sep 28th 2006 12:53AM
"16. CDMA is a superior over GSM specially when you consider how many people per channel it can support. More people per channel more calls can be made and you dont get that stupid circuits are busy right now message."
exactly why UMTS/HSDPA is using the best of both CDMA and GSM but all in a evolutionary GSM package. sorry CDMA is NOT compatible with this system either. GSM/HSDPA/UMTS ALL THE WAY!
Evan @ Sep 29th 2006 1:19PM
Went to the store and the tech guy had no idea what I was talking about. He didn't even offer to check it out! I was sent away, being told the speaker is for music, not phone conversations. I never thought I'd see the day when a phone company became too busy pushing music crap to help with actual phone issues.
Terence Waters @ Oct 10th 2006 9:49AM
I love the hype against cell companies and opinions...it just makes me laugh, especially since I work for a cell phone company myself lol.
But I shall say this: CDMA breaks your data/voice into two SEPARATE channels...GSM? Yeeeah, same channel one at a time.
PDA/Music wise, that doesn't help me. And, Verizon Wireless did confirm for me (being as I own the product) can flash the option into the phone. Especially granted it sends over $4 billion into its EV-DO network annually, constantly expanding.
GSM? Yeah, UTMS isn't even out here yet...EV-DO? Half of the United States and expanding. But then again, if all you do is talk on a cell phone, keep your GSM..I'll go for reliability and my data speeds on my network ;-).
casey lewis @ Oct 27th 2006 1:36PM
By the way for the TOOL that made the comment about VZW locking the speaker feature on the choco....WE (yes i work for VZW) didnt lock the feature LG did...when an LG rep did a demo for one of our training class right after the launch and i tried to tell/show him that the choco had speaker phone the LG re DIDNT EVEN KNOW about the feature...some of the early launch models were leaked with the SW v.4 so some of us actually had found the speaker phone before it technically even existed according to LG....and as far as CDMA vs. GSM...all you crap service users like cingular and T(erd) Mobile dont hate on VZW just because you have to lie about your coverage just to get customers to stick around...we spend 4billiion anually on our network and dont have to bad mouth other companies to make ourselves look better our network speaks for itself BECAUSE YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE IT!! Can you haters HEAR ME NOW??
Curtiss A @ Aug 16th 2007 11:33AM
Casey,
My nephew just bought the 8550 VZW phone and the phone does not allow a sync utility to upload any data except through the "private software" the comes with the VZW setup. (it only works with XP). The tech support has been of no value to resolve our issue, I event attempted to use a sourceforge utility to solve the problem with no luck. Not even DataPilot works with the phone. What we were trying to do: take already existing MP3 files from the W2K System and download them to the phone. We always get a time out message for both Data and Music transfer.
Any ideas please reply to me.
GEORGE L. @ Oct 30th 2006 1:03PM
casey lewis - i had cingular for 2 years and just switched over to verizon. 2 months ago and i also have the chocolate phone now. i dont see verizon being any better than cingular was. i only switched to verizon for the choco. phone i wanted but dont act like verizon is that much better than cingular cause here in NJ it certainly isnt.
Ilya @ Oct 30th 2006 1:31PM
I have been a loyal VZW subscriber for about 5 years. In my humble "end-user" opinion, Verizon has superior service to any other carrier in US. My friends have a variety of services from Cingular, Sprint, and T-Mobile and by any means my phone always has cell connectivity. Unfortunately, when I go outside the country to Europe or Middle East I can't use the same phone, which is not a big deal. You have to realize that Verizon also offers land line connectivity and therefore can enforce the quality of service via the towers by using their own routes more often than other cell providers (bigger infrastructure guarantees better quality of service). So, even though the phones are not as great as other mobile carriers I will stick with Verizon, because it is the best cell phone company as of now.
Grant @ Oct 30th 2006 7:59PM
haha @ making comments a month later.
anyways, 2 points:
1. The chocolate shipped without the feature, verizon didn't disable it. It's kinda like how PC games have been shipping buggy to only be patched a few weeks later after launch.
2. GSM isn't as convient in the US as it is in EU and Japan. those areas are much more densly populated in the areas that can afford cell phones, so the shorter radio waves that GSM uses works. As for the US, population is more spread out, GSM works less efficiently over large areas, as if there weren't enough dead spots all over metro areas.
Not to meantion the US gov has been putting pressure on the Verizon to start switching to GSM so it can become the global standard.
P C @ Jan 20th 2007 12:15PM
I have V04 but I cannot find instructions on how to turn on the speaker--
anybody knows how? Thanks.
Stu @ Feb 24th 2007 4:43PM
While you are talking on the the phone press the camera button to turn on the speaker phone.