LG's KM501 says 'hello' to Taiwan with a 3.5mm headphone jack
Certain features we really never get tired of reporting, because, well, they're far rarer than they should be. Case in point: the elusive 3.5mm headphone jack, a drop-dead obvious spec that allows real, actual headphones to be plugged in without the aid of a device curiously referred to as a "dongle" in some circles. The LG KM501 for the Taiwanese market is pretty plain by most definitions -- 2 megapixel camera, dedicated music controls, polarizing black / red styling, EDGE data, microSD slot, and A2DP -- but the thing that keeps drawing us back in is that darned jack. Why don't all phones have one of these? Can someone please explain that to us in simple terms? No word on if or when this one might be found outside of Taiwan, which as far as we're concerned, is a travesty for real headphone lovers everywhere.
[Via Unwired View]
[Via Unwired View]




















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
frank @ May 15th 2008 9:26AM
I'm not trying to blow smoke up anyone's back side but Engadget, please, with your (apparent) clout, why not do another open letter campaign to the big mobile companies? That thing with Palm was nice and all but come on; Treo users are Treo users -- let's just let 'em be.
I can't believe that any of the major cell phone manufacturers have the balls to apply the label "music phone" to any of the steaming piles of shit they pass of as such. Take for example the Samsung Katalyst. Certainly no one is expecting anything exciting from a low-end T-Mobile handset. Nonetheless, the Katalyst comes with a microSD slot and a media player application. To quote T-Mobile's web site, listed under the Features of this phone, it says "Make a personal soundtrack with your favorite MP3s on your phone." Yet they make it awfully difficult to actually listen the music. Not only does the Katalyst lack both a 3.5mm headphone jack and A2DP, you can't even buy a stereo headset from T-Mo's site -- wired or otherwise -- if you wanted to. Just for grins, I sent an email to their customer support, indicating my interest in utilizing this purported music player. My message went unanswered. Other than using the built-in speaker, no one can tell me exactly how I might listen to music on it.
I use the Katalyst as a whipping boy but it's obviously not the only american handset that falls into this category. Please Engadget, use your powers for good and tell all the big guys that we're going on a hunger strike until proper headphone jacks are on every phone!
Or something like that.
Jamar @ May 15th 2008 10:04AM
Well, Sony Ericsson has Walkman phones that aren't "steaming piles of shit"- they just don't feel like selling them in America. Go get yourself a SO905i.
Engadgetluvsappl @ May 15th 2008 1:15PM
Nokia have been throwing 3.5mm jacks on a LOT of their phones for like 2 years now. Yet another reason to buy from the best.
ST_MD @ May 15th 2008 7:48PM
"Why don't all phones have one of these?" - put it this way: why should they let you use standard headphones when they could SELL you a pair of phone-specific ones instead? It's business...