REVIEW: Sprint's LG Optimus S & Samsung Fumble- I mean Intercept

A few weeks back, my fiancée found "the perfect phone" at Best Buy.  It was pink, running Android, and had a slide out, physical keyboard.  It was reminiscent of the G1, which she LOVED.  I felt it was a little cheap feeling, but if she was happy with it, I was too...  The next day, she wasn't happy anymore.  It was a Samsung Intercept.  I think the only thing it had goin' for it was that it was running Android (and only Eclair at that, so it was more like GONE instead of going).  The phone felt lighter and emptier than my 2 1/2 year old's playskool phone, and had about the same functionality.  It was un-updatable, dropped calls like an iPhone without a bumper, and NONE of the Android features had a chance on it's radio/hardware.  Basically, I could have gotten a better phone out of a 25C claw machine

(theeee CLAAAAAAWWWWW).

I was talking to the homies at VirusROM yesterday, and they too complained about their significant others complaints about the phones, so (kinda' as a joke) I suggested that while my Fiancée was out with the kids, she make a quick stop at Best Buy to chuck the phone at one of their larger windows (would have done more damage to the phone than the window) to request that Samsung kindly shove their Instinct up their asses.  She didn't, but when she got home, I talked her into checking online to see if anything comparable was available so she could make an exchange.  She called to find out about what options she had available, and while she was explaining that the phone drops EVERY call, the call dropped...  We found a replacement, and the rest is history.

We got her the  LG Optimus S and it's AMAZINGLY better!

It's a tad bit smaller than an iPhone, but works just as well as my EVO (which we originally got her when I got mine, but it was a little too much powerhouse for her).  It's a pretty basic phone, with a 3.2 mp camera, 320X480 display, and a microSD slot to name a few (Here are the full specs from Phone Arena).  I REALLY like that even though it's small, the screen still rotates to landscape when turned to the side.  This widens the on screen keyboard a bit, and hopefully complaints about typing will cease.  It came with Sprint's new ID service  installed, which I THINK is a way to theme your phone with icons, backgroundds and apps based on what you like to do with it and what you're interested in.  I'll have more on that after I steal it, and play with it a bit.  It was pretty annoying that the phone asked for her to choose an ID pack before the phone was even activated, and before she even knew what ID was.  Luckily I read a few reviews, and sorta' knew we could skip it.  In a nutshell, the LG Optimus is the perfect phone for the person who wants a smartphone but doesn't necessarily need a mini super computer in their pocket like I do (plus, it's rootable, so I'll have something to play with if I get bored some day).  Once again, she's happy therefore all is right with the world...