Text Message Indicator on outside of phone?

January 1, 2008 12:38 PM

Soon I will be able to get a new cell phone on my contract with Verizon. My current phone, a Samsung A930 is a clamshell style, and it doesn't display whether or not I have a text message when it's shut. Are there any phones out there of the clamshell design that display a small envelope or other symbol on the external display?

I have looked at several online, but in pictures it's difficult to tell if they provide this feature and many manuals say the external display shows something like signal, battery life "and more." I'd love to know what the "and more" is! Thank you very much for your help.

posted by cjorgensen to technology (15 comments total)

Most clamshells that have an external display do. My old Motorola 610 (?) and E815 did (both on Verizon), and my current Samsung A430 (AT&T) does.
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:44 PM on January 1, 2008

The Verizon cheapie LG models show the words "New TXT message" on the display when closed. I believe they are what's referred to as clamshell phones.
posted by crush-onastick at 12:47 PM on January 1, 2008

Problem is, with the model above, if you happen to not be in the room when the txt goes off, it will only stay on the display for a limited amount of time. Then you have to open the phone to find out if you have any texts or missed calls. I am wanting a phone where this information stays on the external display.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:50 PM on January 1, 2008

The razr does, however you do have to hit the side button for it to light up, but you don't have to open it.
posted by whoaali at 1:13 PM on January 1, 2008

My LG vx 8600 does exactly what you're asking about. It will even let you open, read, and close the new text message from the external display without opening the phone.
posted by J-Train at 1:16 PM on January 1, 2008

I don't know which one does, but I can tell you that the SonyEricsson Z610i also only shows it on the outer display for a number of seconds, so no luck there.
posted by Skyanth at 1:17 PM on January 1, 2008

My Nokia 6215i does display NEW MESSAGE on the external LCD, but the screen does go to black shortly thereafter. I assume that's to save battery life or the lifespan of the screen. I hate having the volume toggles on the side of the phone but they do let me turn the external LCD back on without opening the phone.

If you want to be able to glance from across the room and see if something new has arrived, that's still no good for you.

[I wouldn't recommend this phone, anyway. I really dislike the interface and the buttons. Still, it didn't cost me when I switched to Verizon and picked the phone up from a Verizon web promotion.]
posted by bonobo at 1:17 PM on January 1, 2008

The Motorola v188 and v195 both display a message about a text message on the outer display, with a little icon, and it doesn't go away until you either open the phone or hit the side button to make it disappear.
posted by limeonaire at 1:48 PM on January 1, 2008

My LG vx8700 clamshell shows an envelope and "New TXT Message" on the external display until you next open the phone. When the message comes in, the external screen lights and remains lit for a period of time. If you miss that period of time, pressing the side button turns the display back on. You can also set audible or vibrate alerts for incoming text messages that will alert you only once or every few minutes until you open the phone.
posted by weebil at 1:48 PM on January 1, 2008

My boyfriend has a Nokia 2650 (a few years old now). I don't know if it has an external display, but the sides light up and flash when you have a text message waiting or missed call (with different light patterns for each), and possibly some other things. It's really noticeable when you come back into the room and it's flashing away, so he never misses texts. It's also really loud and can be heard all over the house (although that can be turned down), so easy to keep track of.
posted by shelleycat at 2:03 PM on January 1, 2008

The Samsung u740 shows a little icon and makes a periodic noise until you open it. I was able to get it free last year on Verizon when re-upping my contract. Only negatives are that the buttons are kind of small for dialing (but great for texting, if you're into that), Verizon's web interface is pretty limited (probably an issue on any Verizon phone), and battery life can be kind of sketchy if you have it in a place where you go in and out of network often (like an office building). But I've been pretty happy with it otherwise.
posted by jenh at 2:21 PM on January 1, 2008

The Nokia 6131 shows the number of unread texts and missed calls on the outside display. The display goes into a low-power non-backlit mode after a few minutes to save battery, so you won't be able to see it from across the room but it doesn't turn off altogether. Other than that it's a decent phone but nothing special.
posted by penguinliz at 2:40 PM on January 1, 2008

A little more than a clamshell, but the enV does.
posted by clh at 6:52 PM on January 1, 2008

My verison LG-cheapie shows a message indicator on the display window when the phone is closed: a little envelope for a TXT message and a little tape for a voice message. Also, the "NEW TXT Message" or "Missed call" message remains on the display until I open the phone and clear it.
posted by crush-onastick at 7:29 AM on January 2, 2008

I have a RAZR v3m on Verizon and it shows an envelope plus the number of new messages. If you have no messages, it displays the date and time.
posted by desjardins at 8:07 AM on January 2, 2008