LG KS360 review: Of teens and twitters

Fast-ticking user interface

LG KS360 features the regular LG user interface, which scores high on visual appeal and user-friendliness. The only issues we've had with it is the awkward behavior and silly limitations of the file browser that some LG models have. Yes, LG KS360 is among them. But more on that later.

The standby screen of LG KS360 has information about the current time and date, as well as the typical status readings.

Orange have added a dedicated web shortcuts menu pegged to the left soft key. Although the icons look remarkably large, there's no touch functionality here.

Standby screen • the Orange menu has a bunch of shortcuts to various services

The menu structure of LG KS360 is straightforward and makes sense most of the time. The different applications and settings are exactly where you would expect them to be, even if you don't have much experience with LG handsets.

A pleasant surprise was the fact that the LG KS360 can start up without a SIM card - that's rather unusual for LG mobiles. However, without a SIM card you won't be able to access the phone contacts list or any of the contacts options. You can't even add a new contact, when you start up the KS360 without a SIM card.

If you do have a SIM card in, but you want to turn all transceivers off, there is also a Flight mode available.

Once you slide out the QWERTY keyboard, the interface orientation changes to landscape in an instant. The only confusing bit is that the context hints at the bottom of the display retain their relative position no matter portrait or landscape.

In effect the OK context hint is always dead center at the bottom of the screen even in landscape mode, when the actual hardware OK key is way down the right corner of the QWERTY keyboard. It's no biggie but it's quite misleading and takes some getting used to.

The standby screen and the menus turn in landscape mode once you slide out the QWERTY

Customizing the KS360

LG KS360 has several appearance customization options. There are two pre-installed themes - the regular dark LG one and a lighter colored Orange one.

The two themes: a standard LG one and an Orange one

Other customization options include altering the main menu, as well as font style and size for messages and dialing.

Changing font size and font style

Phonebook limited

The phonebook in LG KS360 can store up to 1000 entries. The contacts stored on SIM and phone memory always display simultaneously.

There is no option for contacts to be ordered by first or last name, as there's only one name field. That's kind of strange and might be inconvenient if you sync with a PC or another handset that has the usual first and last name fields.

The user can opt for showing the caller ID images in the phonebook list along with the names. Searching is performed by gradual typing, but again if you have contacts with a first and a last name, it will only search the first name.

An irritating feature is that the first thing you see when you enter the Phonebook is the Phonebook options menu instead the actual contact list. The actual contacts only appear when you press Search.

The LG KS360 phonebook: it takes two clicks to get to the contacts list

The maximum number of available contact info fields on the LG KS360 phonebook is 11, including 3 phone numbers. You can save a note, along with a personal photo and a ringtone, as well as one email address.

Up to 11 fields can be assigned to each contact

Finally, LG KS360 features the well-known grouping: contacts can be organized in groups for easier management.

In general, the phonebook seems to offer enough for the mass user, however the lack of separate first/last name fields and the annoying two-click access to the contacts list can put off some of the potential users.