Low-end music phones are among the most popular market segments, as they combine the two features most people would bother carrying a handheld for - phone calls and mobile tunes. The LG GM205 candybar fits squarely in that niche, bringing just enough looks and features to make it of interest to younger users on a budget.
Physically, it does nothing to set itself apart from other affordable music phones. The colorful back panel adds some flair, but it's just a straight up plain candybar otherwise. Build seems sturdy, although the plastic protector along the edges seems a little too loose for comfort. The 2-inch screen only has a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels. Colors are bright, but sharpness is naturally affected. It's pretty much unusable under sunlight.
As a phone, the LG GM205 makes for good calls. There's some sharpness, but it's generally clear with plenty of volume. Those on the other end report excellent sound. Battery life is rated at 8.5 hours, which translates to roughly four days of casual use.
On the features end, it keeps everything else basic while throwing a crown around the music capabilities. While the music player isn't particularly special, the phone does manage better-then-average audio, especially with Dolby Mobile and LG Equalizer processing. The 2.1-channel speaker is a surprise, belting out excellent sound quality - lots of power and no crackling even at maximum loudness. There's also an FM radio on board.
Like all phones, it can handle the basics: standard messaging (SMS, MMS and email), stereo Bluetooth and some productivity tools. There's also a 2-megapixel camera. Editing options are lacking, but photo quality is about on par with similar modules.
While it bears largely unexciting looks, the music features on the LG GM205 are enough to make this a very worthy purchase. The 2.1 channel stereo makes for good quality listening even without headphones and there's enough extra features thrown in to let you do just a little bit more.
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