Basic Features

The U740 offers basic features of its competitors with twists and improvements. Its address book includes room in each entry for five phone numbers, two email addresses and a personal note. Contacts can be saved in a group or with a photo for caller ID and one of 10 polyphonic ringtones, which can be expanded with the use of Verizon's vast VCAST network. A useful, albeit paid service is Extras, which backs up address book entries to an external database that can be accessed when a phone is damaged, etc. Another very useful selection is the call timer breakdown. Users can view the total number of minute spent on received, dialed and roamed calls. In addition, the U740 logs the total number of KB transferred as well as how many were outgoing and how many were incoming.

An Alarm Clock option allows users to preprogram the U740 to ring once, daily, only during the week or weekends. A World Clock and Stopwatch are also available.

Quirky features include four different number display options. Telephone numbers can be displayed in a normal black and white text style, rainbow colored type, quill pen font or sticky, which features multi-colored sticky notes with black numbers written on top of them all against a corkboard background. For those who might tire of entering numbers manually each time or scrolling through an endless rolodex of contacts, the U740 allows for up to 999 pre-programmed speed dial numbers.

The most frustrating aspect of the user experience with the U740 is the menu, which is often difficult to navigate. The opening menu features a round of pictorial icons that light up when the directional keyboard rolls over the image. And with a battery talk time of only 3.5 hours but an estimated life of 200 hours in standby mode, the U740 isn't meant for long road trips.

Screen

Equipped with internal and external screens, the U740 easily transitions between the two, allowing the external screen to serve as a timekeeper, battery power gauge, reception monitor and music player display when the device is shut. The screen displays album art and has customizable wallpaper and clock displays. The external screen is not crystal clear but reasonable enough at 96 x 96 px and 65K-colors and its clock can be displayed in digital or analog format. The screen also displays photo caller ID and can be used as a viewfinder when taking self-portraits.

The internal display works best in landscape mode. At 176 x 220 px and 262K-colors the TFT screen is clear, but perhaps not as top-of-the-line as would be nice with such a vast array of videos and other multimedia devices in the VCAST libraries.

Audio

One of the U740's best options is Sync Music which allows users to transfer files from their PCs. Windows Media Player 10 (only compatible with Windows XP) is required. The USB plug required for this function is not included with the handheld.

While the VCAST library opens up many options for users, the Music Library and playlist functions allow for user preferences on the device. Users can input songs directly into their My Music library and or create specific playlists with their favorite tracks. Music can be played while the U740 is shut.

The two speakers on opposing ends of the screen are decent, but do not provide the clearest sound. It works well enough for options like speakerphone and basic music playing. Speech recognition is sometimes flawed and registers the wrong command. However, the device continues to build on its competitors' versions with programming its voice recognition programs to send pictures and text messages in addition to traditional options like looking up names, dialing contacts and opening applications. The U740 also includes a headset adapter with 2.5 mm jack, conveniently and discreetly located on the left hand side.

The U740 comes with just a few preloaded options, which gives users incentive to buy pieces from VCAST. One function called MySounds allows users to record up to 60 seconds of an audio track and then set it as a ringtone or alarm clock sound or attach the clip to a text messenger. Sounds preloaded on the handheld include the Birthday song, clapping, a crowd roar, rainforest and train whistle.

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