Verizon adds LG Revolution to May 26 launches

As we suspected, Verizon Wireless announced today that the LG Revolution will be available starting May 26 for $249.99 with a two-year contract.

The Revolution is the carrier's third 4G smartphone (following the HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung Droid Charge) and offers a 4.3-inch WVGA touch screen, a 5-megapixel camera and front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, and mobile hot-spot capabilities. The handset will ship running Android 2.2 but note that it will use Bing search and maps.

Other features include a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, Bluetooth 3.0, Swype, HDMI output, and a preinstalled 16GB microSD card.

The LG Revolution will have some company tomorrow, as Verizon is also launching the Motorola Droid X2 and Sony Ericsson Xperia Play in stores on Thursday. Decisions, decisions.

Cnet

LG Phoenix (AT&T)

LG's value-priced Optimus One smartphone has finally made it over to AT&T. Dubbed the Phoenix here, it lets bargain hunters step to a real Android cell phone for just $29.99 with a two year contract. At this price, the Phoenix does the job just fine. But AT&T subscribers also have the ability to get a $49.99 Apple iPhone 3GS (4.5 stars), which makes the Phoenix a bit less compelling than its siblings on Sprint and T-Mobile.

Design, Call Quality, and Apps

The LG Phoenix measures 4.5 by 2.3 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs just 3.2 ounces. That's light for an Android phone, and this is the lightest Optimus variant by far. It's made mostly of a soft touch, slate blue plastic that's comfortable to hold. The 3.2-inch capacitive touch screen offers 320-by-480-pixel resolution; it's bright, if not particularly smooth to the touch, but it does the job. Four backlit, plastic function buttons sit beneath the screen, and have just the right amount of give. The on-screen QWERTY keyboards are a little cramped, but LG redesigned the keyboards to have slightly larger keys. The typing experience was okay; other phones are roomier and a bit more responsive.

The LG Phoenix is a quad-band EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and tri-band HSDPA 7.2 (850/1800/2100 MHz) device with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. You can also use it as a mobile hotspot for up to five devices with the appropriate optional data plan. LG's Optimus phones usually sound good with voice calls, and the Phoenix is no exception. Callers said I sounded clear through the microphone. Aside from the occasional computerized-sounding syllable, everyone sounded fine to me too. Reception was average. Calls sounded clear through an Aliph Jawbone Icon ($99, 4 stars) Bluetooth headset. Voice dialing worked fine over Bluetooth without training. The speakerphone sounded clear but needs more gain. Battery life was quite good at 6 hours and 30 minutes of talk time.

With the Phoenix, AT&T requires its usual minimum data plan starting at $15 per month. The Phoenix's Android credentials are fully intact: you get free voice-enabled, turn-by-turn GPS navigation, a great stock WebKit browser, powerful webmail and Microsoft Exchange integration, and access to over 150,000 third-party apps in the Android Market. The Phoenix runs Android 2.2 (Froyo). Although it packs an older Qualcomm MSM7227 600 MHz ARM11 processor, the device is responsive enough in day-to-day operation, in part thanks to LG's relatively light hand on the UI. The Phoenix isn't particularly fancy, but I'd have no problem using it as my personal smartphone.

Multimedia, Camera, and Conclusions

The microSD card slot is located underneath the battery cover; my 32GB SanDisk card worked fine, and LG throws in a 2GB card to get you started. There's also 162MB of free internal memory. Music tracks sounded clear and punchy through Samsung Modus HM6450 ($99, 4 stars) Bluetooth headphones. The stock music player displayed album art clearly and was simple to navigate. Standalone videos played well in full screen mode, though 720p files failed to play at all. The Phoenix isn't the best portable video player anyway, given its smallish LCD and somewhat subdued colors.

The 3.2-megapixel auto-focus camera has no flash. Test photos looked good, but not great; the same as with other LG Optimus phones. The camera sensor picks up a reasonable amount of detail, and outdoor shots looked relatively natural. But indoor shots in dimmer lighting exhibited too much grain. Recorded 640-by-480-pixel videos looked okay and played relatively smoothly at 18 frames per second, though the lack of image stabilization means you'll need a steady hand.

Our Editors' Choice for AT&T smartphones remains the Apple iPhone 4 ($199, 4 stars), but a better point of comparison here would be the iPhone 3GS. It costs just $20 more than the Phoenix; for that, you get access to the best app store in the industry, including much better gaming support, and it's also a real iPod. The Phoenix shares the iPhone 3GS's screen resolution, although the Phoenix's panel itself is a bit smaller. On the other hand, the Phoenix beats the iPhone with its free GPS navigation and smoother integration with Google services. Make no mistake, this is the best entry-level Android phone. But we'd keep an eye on prices for higher-end Android phones like the HTC Inspire 4G ($99, 4 stars) and Samsung Captivate ($99, 4 stars), both of which offer faster processors and larger, higher-resolution screens. Considering the high price you're paying per month, it may be worth it to pay a little bit more up front for a more powerful phone.

Benchmarks

Continuous talk time: 6 hours 30 minutes

Pcmag

LG kicks out ultra-slim Blade P430 and P530 notebooks

LG on Tuesday morning trotted out a pair of new mid-size notebooks that potentially defy categories. The Blade P430 and P530 both use the same Shuriken display technology behind the Xnote P210 and have extra-thin screens, at under 0.19mm thick, as well as very narrow bezels. The P430's 14-inch display still fits into the frame of a 13.3-inch notebook where the 15.6-inch P530 steers away from the near desktop replacement size of most systems with its screen.

Either is also comparatively light, at 4.28 pounds for the P430 and just 4.85 pounds for the P530, much lighter than most of its peers. Both use their display advances and an aluminum casing to achieve the effect.

The two systems are relatively high performance. LG outfitted the P430 and P530 with Core i5 and Core i7 chips respectively, and both have dedicated GeForce GT 520M video for a modest level of gaming. Both have 1.3-megapixel webcams and DLNA media sharing software.

International shipments are due to start at the end of May for the P430 and late June for the P530. LG is targeting Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America, but it also often brings its systems to Canada.

Electronista

LG Flare LX165 (Virgin Mobile)

The LG Flare offers good voice quality, Bluetooth, and a lightweight design. If you've got another device for listening to music and snapping photos�say, an iPod touch ($229, 5 stars)�then the LG Flare is a decent way to spend as little as possible on whatever occasional voice calls you need to make or receive. It's a poor choice for a primary cell phone, though, for several reasons.

Design, Call Quality, and Battery Issues

Let's start with the basics. The LG Flare measures 3.5 by 1.9 by 0.8 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.7 ounces. It's made of a mixture of glossy and matte black plastics, and manages to avoid looking or feeling cheap. As with most flip phones, you get two LCDs: an external, 1.1-inch, 96-by-64-pixel screen, and an internal, 1.8-inch, 128-by-160-pixel display. Both are color, although the external one is a dim, passive-matrix LCD.

Seven function keys surround a squarish, five-way control pad. On the home screen, each of the control pad directions offer additional shortcuts to various apps like many other phones, but LG actually labels them on the control pad, which is helpful. The brightly backlit numeric keypad offers soft-touch, raised keys. They're a little stiff, but fine for dialing numbers and texting (the latter providing you don't mind T9, as opposed to a real QWERTY keyboard).

The LG Flare is a single-band, 2G 1xRTT (1900 MHz) device which runs on Sprint's physical network. Voice quality was fine overall, with a bright, if somewhat scratchy sounding tone in the earpiece. There was little background hiss. Callers said I sounded clear as well, and RF reception was fine.

Bluetooth pairing is a total mess. LG split it up into two menus�Tools and Settings�and requires many extra steps and key presses. At least the Flare has Bluetooth, though; the LG 101 ($9.99, 2 stars) omits it entirely. Calls sounded clear through an Aliph Jawbone Icon Bluetooth headset ($99, 4 stars). Voice dialing works over Bluetooth, but only with preset contact names; you can't dial arbitrary numbers. The speakerphone went surprisingly loud, although it distorted considerably.

Battery life was terrible at just 2 hours and 23 minutes of talk time. That's awful. But given the Flare's prepaid leanings and several days of actual standby time, it may not be a deal-breaker for an occasional-use phone. Oddly, the Flare uses a proprietary charging connector that I thought had disappeared several years ago. Be careful not to lose the bundled AC adapter, especially since you'll need it so often.

Plans, Apps, and Conclusions

Virgin Mobile's payLo plans for the LG Flare are quite inexpensive. A 1500-minute, one-month plan that includes 500 text messages and a paltry 10MB of Web access costs $30. You can also get a 400-minute plan for $20, or pay 10 cents per minute and 15 cents per text message. You activate the phone via a serial number, either through the phone (if you're topping off an existing number) or through Virgin Mobile's Web site (if you're starting from scratch). We wish each plan didn't expire after one month, but otherwise, they're solid deals.

The Flare's main menu consists of nine icons arranged in a grid pattern. You can send texts and picture messages, but text messages aren't threaded. The sluggish OpenWave browser loads WAP pages slowly. They're readable in a pinch if you want to check the latest news or sports scores, but that's about it; I couldn't get Facebook's WAP page to load without server errors. You can buy ringtones, wallpapers, and basic games from the browser-based VirginXL portal. LG and Virgin Mobile claim the Flare has GPS, but I couldn't find navigation or even basic mapping apps. You can check or top up your account from the phone, though using Virgin Mobile's Web site on a PC was much faster.

Multimedia functionality is non-existent. There's no camera, camcorder, music player, video player, or memory card slot. There's just 7MB of free internal memory, which I suppose is enough to store a few extra ringtones if they're not too long. The non-standard 2.5mm headphone jack only works with mono, wired earbuds.

As a phone for occasional calls and texting, the LG Flare gets the job done. I'd probably choose it over the LG 101, thanks to the Flare's superior voice quality and Bluetooth compatibility, even if the Bluetooth here is unnecessarily fussy to set up. The Samsung Mantra SPH-M340 (3 stars, $19.99) is pretty similar; it adds longer battery life, a cheap camera, and looks a bit different. It's otherwise functionally equivalent to the Flare, but gets a better rating because of its adequate battery life. Our Editors' Choice on Virgin Mobile remains the LG Rumor Touch ($99, 4 stars), which requires a regular monthly plan. But if you have the extra cash, it adds a QWERTY keyboard, touch screen, and music and video players, and is far more suited to being your primary cell phone.

Benchmarks

Continuous talk time: 2 hours 23 minutes

PCmag

LG to show off MeeGo phone, tablet prototypes in May

LG is planning to present a number MeeGo OS phone and tablet prototypes in May. The presentation will form one of the sessions at next month�s MeeGo Conference to be held in San Francisco between May 23 � 25. Along with the devices, LG will highlight how they have been able to port the OS across multiple platforms including a smartphone and tablet.

LG has been one of the primary backers of the OS, along with Intel. Intel is looking to enter the smartphone space with its Moorestown platform, which will power the LG devices. Moorestown is a 32nm design, and will be the first chip that Intel will pitch head-on against the currently dominant ARM-based chip designs that feature in most smartphones.

LG has previously shown MeeGo powered devices including the GW990 smartphone at CES this year. The smartphone concept centers on a large 4.8-inch capacitive touchscreen and will provide design cues for potential production models.

Electronista

Acer may trump Apple with very thin LG Shuriken notebook LCD

LCD display makers claimed Monday that Acer was planning to claim an edge in the ultraportable space by using the same display technology behind the LG Xnote P210. An unnamed notebook from the company would use LG Display's new ultra-compact Shuriken LCD to get a 14-inch screen into a 13.3-inch frame. The design identified to Digitimes would cut the bezel thickness by a third, to 0.31 inches, and make the entire panel just 0.16 inches thick.

The panel would also command a premium for Acer, which isn't normally known for using high-end displays. A Shuriken display reportedly costs about $15 more than the usual $30 Acer would likely have to pay.

Shipments could start as soon as May and would have only a limited production run. The company may be using the initial batch as a test for demand and might use the notebook as a way of repairing significant market share losses as the iPad and other tablets ate into its notebook sales.

Acer has been participating in the ultraportable space for some time through its Timeline models but hasn't usually sold them as more than a niche model. Part of its challenge has been overall size, since most Timelines are just under an inch where the MacBook Air is noticeably thinner and overall smaller. The Timeline series has usually counted on significantly lower prices to counteract this, but Apple might have outsold it in the fall by shipping as many as 1.1 million MacBook Air units.

Electronista

T-Mobile G2X to get Android 2.3 relatively quickly

T-Mobile in replies to customers gave clues that the G2X would get Android 2.3 sooner than planned. The carrier promised that it had already been testing the OS, Gingerbread, before the phone reached stores last week. It was coy on release dates but promised the new OS would be around "sooner than you'd expect."

LG's dual-core phone will get the update relatively quickly since it's using a stock version of Android. The Optimus 2X it's based on doesn't despite having been released earlier since it uses a custom interface skin.

On the G2x, Android 2.3 should bring more integrated support of the front camera as well as better app management and faster visual performance. The only major missing feature is NFC, which isn't present in the hardware.

Electronista

LG Ally, Samsung Acclaim upgraded to Android 2.2

The LG Ally and the Samsung Acclaim have received updates taking their OS to Android 2.2. The update for the handsets has arrived at the same time as news showing that more than half of Android users are now using Android 2.2, some eight months after it was made public at Google I/O. The Android 2.2 update brings with it a range of enhancements including Microsoft Exchange support, Adobe Flash 10.1 for mobile devices, a portable hotspot function, and faster browsing.

 

Further information about the LG Ally update can be found through Verizon, while US Cellular has similarly made information available for Samsung Acclaim users.

source

LG preparing smartphone with glasses-free 3D display

LG is reportedly set to formally introduce a mobile device featuring a glasses-free 3D display, which was previewed earlier this month at CES in Las Vegas. While many companies have shown off similar technology, LG aims to be one of the first to actually bring the small 3D displays past concept stage and onto the market.

 

The company demonstrated its 3D system using a 4.3-inch LCD with 800x480 resolution, a perfect fit for high-end smartphones. The technology uses parallax barriers to separate the left and right images without the need for special glasses.

 

LG has hinted that an unveiling is on its way in the near future, though the company has yet to disclose which particular device will integrate the 3D display. Many smartphone makers will be introducing their latest devices next month at Mobile World Congress.

 

source

LG Announces The LZ9700, A 72-inch LED Monster

LG is blowing up the CES spot this year by introducing what will soon be the largest 3D enabled LED TV, the LZ9700.  It measures a ridiculous 72-inches and produces images in both 3D and 2D. LG is mum on all the specs, but we do know that it will sport a 240hz refresh rate, 1920�1080 resolution, local LED dimming, USB inputs, DLNA compatible, Internet app enabled and LG�s Magic Motion Remote Control.

Verizon to remedy the two-minute delay in switching from 3G to LTE

Ever since Verizon introduced its "4G" network, users have noticed that that LG's LTE modem, which will cost you $249.99 without a contract, is having trouble handing you off from 3G coverage to LTE-blessed speeds. The wait has been an excruciating two minutes, until you stop sending data to the 3G network. In some cases users had to replug the modem for the magic to work.


Big Red acknowledged the issue and said it is hard at work fixing the two-minute delay before you switch from 3G to LTE. The carrier is also working on bringing the modem software to the Mac sooner rather than later, which should make Apple fans sigh with relief. To his credit, Verizon's CTO Tony Melone did warn that a brief delay will be occurring when users switch from 3G to LTE coverage, so this issue is not out of the blue, and a fix is on its way.

Source