: kajeet

by Carol Politi

I recently replied to a comment on this blog questioning how one should select between the LG260 Rumor and the Sanyo 2700.  We have had this question a lot so I’ve decided to republish the device comparison as a full fledged blog posting.

Both are great looking QWERTY devices, but there are many differences between the two that might influence which would be the best device for your kid.

Summary:

• The LG 260 Rumor has a bar design that slides open to reveal a QWERTY text keyboard.  The key features of the device include Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel camera, speakerphone, a music player, and a memory card slot.  This is a great voice and text phone that also supports a nice music player.  People that want to both call/text and play music will prefer this phone.

• The Sanyo 2700 also is a bar design and has a QWERTY that is used for all key functions (similar to most smartphone keypad designs). The key features of the device include Bluetooth, a QWERTY keyboard, 1.3 megapixel camera and speaker-independent voice control.  This is a phone for people that want voice and text as the primary functions, and it also has a nice display for web browsing as well.

Differences:

The primary differences are as follows:

1. Display.  The Sanyo 2700 has a 2.2” display.  The Rumor has a 2″ display.  The larger display is nice to have (especially for web browsing).  There is a bit of a difference in the colors supported but this should not materially impact the user experience.
2. Texting. Both devices are very solid texting devices.  The Rumor supports the pull out QWERTY keyboard while the 2700 has a native QWERTY keyboard that is used for all functions.  The native keyboard is nice as it removes a task when texting (the need to pull out the keyboard). However, the keyboard on on the Rumor is a bit more spread out and may be preferred by those with larger hands.  Whether you prefer one or the other is going to come down to a personal preference on style.
3. Micro-SD. The LG 260 Rumor has a micro-SD card slot. The Sanyo 2700 does not. The SD card is handy for both pictures and music.
4. Internet Access.  The screen on the Sanyo 2700 is larger than that on the Rumor which gives it a bit of an edge when it comes to browsing.  There is no real difference in the browser technology/performance.
5. Music. The Rumor has a nice music player (and supports the micro-SD card which you need to transfer songs).  You can create play lists, etc. With stereo headphones this is a nice experience, and it allows you to play back music you have purchased (perhaps your own CDs, etc. – assuming you have the digital rights to use it on the phone).  If you want to play music, you will need the Rumor.
6. Video. The Rumor supports video capture. The Sanyo 2700 does not.

The Sanyo 2700 also has a nice voice dialing feature – it supports what is called “speaker independent” voice dialing which means it automatically attempts to match the name you speak with the entry in your phone book you would like to dial.

Please comment here to let us know which device you have and the features you like or would like to see in future devices.