Review: LG Lotus Elite
Bluetooth
The Lotus Elite supports mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets. Pairing with either kind was a snap. Sound quality through both was decent, though I thought the stereo Bluetooth sounded worse than I've heard on phones in recent memory. The Lotus Elite can also be paired with PCs and send files (such as pictures) easily.
Clock
The Lotus Elite has several different clock configurations. You can set it to be a large analog clock, small digital, large digital, or a combined analog/digital clock. Pressing the camera key or any of the keys in the side of the phone quickly will show you the clock. The clock has been vastly improved compared to the original. Since the screen is so much larger, so is the clock. You can still set a wallpaper behind the clock, but the clock is no longer transparent. This means it is always easy to read the time.
Java
The Lotus Elite can access and download third-party content via the "MyStuff" folder in the main menu. This includes games, ringers, screen savers and other applications. The top of the Application download center has its own carousel that lets you scroll through featured applications. You can browse through all the folders, or use the search tool to drill down faster.
The "MyStuff" folder is a bit of a misnomer, however. If you think that's where you're going to find your pictures, videos or music, you're sorely mistaken. It is for applications, ringtones and other content you download from the Internet.
Sprint Navigation
Sprint Navigation is preloaded onto the Lotus Elite. It lets you get turn-by-turn directions from point A to point B. It worked well, and was able to pinpoint my location in about 1 minute, which was an improvement when compared to the original. The software came up with viable directions, and was able to re-route me when I purposely veered off course.
SprintTV
The Lotus Elite can access Sprint's SprintTV service. It took a little bit of time to load, but the range of content available to watch is extensive.
YouTube
There is a YouTube application available in the Google part of the carousel. It lets you search for and view YouTube videos. I am a fan of having YouTube access on mobile phones. (What better place to watch Phone Scoop phone reviews, after all?) Videos take up to a minute to begin playback once selected. They played back with little stoppages or hiccups once you find and load them.