Messaging

If it's on the VX8360, users can probably send it. Videos, pictures, voice, text messages, instant messages and emails can all be shot from the handset to others in seconds.

Using Dashboard with Mobile Web 2.0, a wireless Internet service on the VX8360, users can send, receive and write emails from their personal Hotmail, MSN or America Online accounts or send instant messages via AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger Service and Yahoo! Messenger.

Users can add, copy, paste or write text messages, assign them a priority level, or insert a callback number, picture, video, voice message or quick text into the message. Any text message sent to a landline will be translated into an audio message.

Pressing the text messaging hot key initiates a message in one-step and can instantly send the message to up to five frequently messaged contacts. Depending on the size of the text messages, the VX8360 can store up to 540 messages.

The phone is equipped to send picture messages with one or multiple pictures and video messages of up to 30 seconds in length. Users can also record themselves talking and send the recording to a friend via voice messaging.

The VX8360 has a plethora of ways to stay connected, whether the user is on-line or off. There's not a lot to complain about with the phone's messaging services, but to get the full effect will take a little extra cash for Internet-based or picture and video offerings if they aren't included in the calling plan. Also, services are not available everywhere, and an international message will cost extra.

Entertainment

The VX8360 is made for downloading, uploading and listening to music. It features dual speakers, internal and external music controls, headset and stereo speaker compatibility, a music-only audio mode and the ability to create and manage playlists.

Users can copy a PC music library onto the phone with a USB chord (sold separately), and download music from wireless Internet song-downloading service VCAST Music with Rhapsody.

Buy a song from Rhapsody and customers will also receive a copy for their computer. Unfortunately, this program isn't much help to Mac fans -- the service is designed for PC users. The VX8360 supports MP3, WMA, unprotected AAC and unprotected AAC+ formats.

VCAST also has 3D games and streaming videos available for download. VCAST Video offers access to streaming entertainment, news, sports and other video clips. The VX8360 doesn't come with any games, but game applications are available for purchase -- as well as ringtones, ringback tones, and wallpaper images -- in the phone's media center.

The VX8360 has the capacity to become a user's personal entertainment playground, but it takes some extra time and extra cash.

Games, songs and videos have to be purchased or, for music, uploaded from a PC with a USB chord that's sold separately. To hold all these extras, users will also probably have to invest in a memory card. The VX8360 offers a surprising amount of Internet-based programs for a non-smartphone. Just keep in mind their offerings are not free.

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