Screen
The external screen provides convenient access to call status, date and
time, and signal and battery levels. However, while most devices are pushing
65K- and up to 262K-color displays, the V557's 96 x 32 px grayscale LCD
is disappointing.
But it does have one advantage. Monochrome LCDs consume significantly
less battery power than full color screens. Prolonging battery life at the
expense of color, the V557's external displays only shows static information
such as time, caller ID, or network status. Thus a simple two-toned screen
may be advantageous.
Conversely, the internal LCD is a 65K-colors TFT (Thin Film Transistor)
screen. Having a resolution of 176 x 220 px, TFT monitors provide significantly
quicker response and refresh rates by placing circuit transistors directly
on the glass.
Audio
 Progressing
past polyphonic ringtones, the V557 alerts users of incoming calls with
MP3 ringtones. Rather than recreating sounds through a local synthesizer,
MP3s are actual recordings from an audio source. Thus an exact duplicate
of the recorded source can be turned into a ringtone. From music with lyrics
to recorded voice, anything a users can record can be turned into an MP3
ringtone.
By pressing the Speakerphone Key, users can carry on a handsfree conversation
as well. Convenient and safe to use while driving, the V557's speakerphone
function comes in handy when attending to another task.
Messaging
Flipping open the V557, consumers can use SMS (Short Messaging Service)
and EMS (Enhanced Messaging Service) standards to text messages friends.
Adding multimedia to words, MMS (Multimedia Message Service) lets users
attach photos taken with the V557's VGA camera. Able to capture that vacation
sunset and or record that birthday bash, consumers can use MMS to send more
than text by creating digital vacation greetings or birthday video postcards.
Staying in touch through Cingular's network, customers can also access
the latest instant messaging platforms through preinstalled chat applications.
Featuring AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), ICQ, and Yahoo! Messenger, V557 users
can chat in real-time, additionally tracking online status and buddy availability.
Going beyond traditional SMS-based chat, users can receive notifications
where there are status changes to have real-time access to friends and family
on the go.
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