Sure, Windows Phone is still but a baby alongside Android and iOS, but the platform shows promise. Woz likes it. And the fact that it’s backed by hardware partners like Samsung and Nokia says good things, as well.
But it would seem that LG, coming off of a few quarters in the red, has decided to back away from the platform.
LG reportedly told the Korea Herald that the company would be focusing on Android handsets going forward, since “the total unit of Windows Phone sold in the global market is not a meaningful figure.” → Read More
Well, Sprint certainly seems hell-bent on making this Earth Day one to remember. Not only have they decided to launch the LTE-friendly LG Viper and Galaxy Nexus on April 22, Sprint has announced that they have chosen that same day to release the new eco-friendly LG Optimus Elite.
Unlike the flashier handsets launching alongside it, the Optimus Elite is unlikely to turn too many heads. It’s a strictly entry-level device, though I imagine its $30 price tag (after a $50 mail-in rebate) should help it pick up a little steam among first time smartphowners. → Read More
Sprint still hasn’t launched their new LTE network yet, but if a new announcement about a LTE-capable handsey is any indication, they’re getting pretty close. Though the existence of a Sprint-bound Galaxy Nexus probably overshadowed it a bit, Sprint has announced that LG’s eco-friendly Viper handset will be available for pre-order beginning on April 12 with a release soon to follow. → Read More
The LG Spectrum has spent a long while with me. In fact, LG’s asking for it back, saying that my review period has come to an end. I didn’t get around to the full review until now because (to be perfectly honest with you) I didn’t really want to sit down and talk about the LG Spectrum for X amount of hours.
True, there’s nothing necessarily “wrong” with the phone. It’s got solid specs, performs alright (I guess), and has a downright gorgeous display. But at the same time, there’s a long list of issues that I have with the phone, and most center around design. → Read More
I’m personally waiting for some of LG’s, shall we say, more ambitious handsets to make to their way to our shores, but until that happens, we’ll have to make do with devices like the LG Lucid 4G.
This Verizon-bound handset was first spotted a few weeks back a long with an unconfirmed list of specs, but a newly-leaked LG document has confirmed the goodies to come nestled in the mid-range device. → Read More
Those of you dutifully carrying around your HTC Vivids have probably already heard AT&T has officially started pushing out the handset’s Ice Cream Sandwich update. For all you other AT&T customers, fear not — the nation’s second largest wireless carrier has also announced which of their other Android handsets will be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich treatment.
There aren’t many surprises on the list (which can be found below if you’d rather not wait), but a few fairly recent devices have been don’t seem to have made the cut yet. → Read More
The LG Spectrum isn’t necessarily my favorite phone. It’s got pretty nice specs and a killer screen, but there’s something to be said about the way a phone draws you in from across the room. I don’t mean to get all romantic or dramatic about it, but it’s still true: appearance matters. Windows Phones have that engaging, compelling live tile interface. The iPhone has its stunning design and piano black shine. Motorola’s Razr has that crazy thin profile, and Samsung has the ultimate combo in the form of its Galaxy series: giant, gorgeous screens with beautiful design.
LG doesn’t really have that, and this is particularly apparent on the Spectrum. I’ve been spending the past few weeks with it (full review to follow), and despite the fact that it’s pretty slick, has a gorgeous display, and packs badass specs, I can’t get over the fact that it’s ugly.
But maybe you like the specs, and just want something that’s as similar as possible to the Spectrum. Or maybe you want the latest and greatest? Well, that’s why we put together this here infographic which pits the LG Spectrum against the Nitro HD and the Galaxy Nexus. → Read More
What happens when Korea’s biggest wireless carriers and Korea’s biggest phone manufacturers get caught offering bogus wireless phone deals to their customers? Well, according to the Yonhap News Agency, Korea’s Fair Trade Commission gets pissed off and slaps those companies with a huge fine — 45.3 billion won ($40.2 million) — for “price fixing and consumer fraud.”
If the fines are any indication, then carrier SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics were the biggest offenders here — they netted themselves a 20.2 billion won ($17.9 million) and 14.2 billion won ($12.6 million) penalty respectively. → Read More
The Spectrum has been a busy little diva the last few days, strutting in and out of our NYC studio like she belongs there. So much in fact, that I’ve given her a gender and started to refer to her in gender-specific pronouns. A scary thought, to say the least.
Matt seems less perturbed by her presence, though I was (and still am) more than willing to duke it out with him over the value of this here phone.
Let me just start by saying that so far, I’m not a fan. But, these are just initial impressions so we’ll see how my relationship with the Spectrum progresses over time.
Sure, the LG Spectrum has a stunning 4.5-inch 720p display, Verizon 4G LTE, and all the innards of what could be a great smartphone. But so far I’m not ready to call it a great smartphone. → Read More
Remember LG’s squarish, Gingerbread-powered Optimus Vu smartphone? The Korean company’s new handful debuted at this year’s Mobile World Congress, and thanks to its… ahem… unique industrial design, it turned its share of heads on the show floor.
But will the ability to cause people to do double-takes translate into real sales? We should have the answer soon, as LG has announced that the Optimus Vu has gone on sale in its native South Korea. → Read More
We’re here checking out LG’s media preview event, and so far, there are no surprises to be had here. LG’s Daniel Hernandez is on stage as I write this talking about all of the phones that the company has already announced these past few weeks.
Of course, we’re not just here to listen — we’re here to play! And on that note, how could I resist playing with the giant little Optimus Vu.
Two words immediately spring to mind when you pick up the Optimus Vu: “Holy cow.” → Read More
In the world of mobile handsets, LG has been steadily losing market share to companies like Apple and ZTE in their collective march to catch up to market leaders Nokia and Samsung. But in the world of Twitter, LG is apparently winning.
According to some number crunching from Twitter analytics firm Anly.tk, LG in the last week has blown away competition from rival handset makers, and even Google’s Android, to become the most talked-about brand in the last week in all Twitter conversations related to MWC. → Read More
After spending the past few quarters in the red, LG recently turned things around with a bit of growth in their once-ailing smartphone division. By focusing half of their 2012 capital expenditures budget on developing smartphones, LG wanted people to know that some big mobile plays were on the horizon.
As it turns out, their plans for year include the newly-leaked Optimus Vu, which isn’t exactly the sort of big we were hoping for.
→ Read More
You can’t believe everything you read, nor can you trust everything you hear on TV. Especially if it sounds something like “four out of five people choose LG Cinema 3D over Sony and Samsung for overall 3D experience.”
Apparently the Better Business Bureau (more specifically the National Advertising Division) “has recommended that LG Electronics USA discontinue advertising claims made for the company’s Cinema 3D Television and 3D glasses.”
Back in June of 2011, LG sent out a press release claiming that four out of five customers prefer LG Cinema 3D television over Sony and Samsung in a number of different categories including brightness, color, picture quality, glasses, and overall 3D experience. The research was done by a company called Morpace Inc., which tested the TVs at their default settings without any branding shown. → Read More
We took a break from the Android round-up in December because, well, to be honest I was on vacation. But January gave us a few extra smartphones and the holidays are over, so we’re back. What we’ve got for you today leans into more expensive turf, and unfortunately, our favorite Android devices for the past two months are also exclusively at Verizon, so Big Red subscribers should pay attention.
Without further ado, these are our favorite December/January releases of the Android persuasion: The Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the LG Spectrum, and the Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx.
Enjoy! → Read More
Other than the LG Spectrum, LG didn’t have much to show off by way of phones at this year’s CES show. But that doesn’t mean that something special isn’t in the works.
In fact, Pocketnow reports that LG’s 2012 flagship will run a Tegra 3 quad-core chipset and go by the name X3, at least for now. The phone likely won’t show up on store shelves until spring or summer, but we should hear an announcement (including a retail name) come Mobile World Congress in February. → Read More
If you needed any more proof that the future is already upon us, take a gander at the LG Styler. It looks like a refrigerator at first glance, but opening the door reveals that it isn’t meant for food — rather, it’s your clothes are meant to go inside. → Read More
Here at CES 2012, phones are a bit in short supply. At least, new phones are. LG is one of the few companies to officially announce a new smartphone at the show, and I have to say it’s one of the best phones we’ve seen out of LG. Unfortunately, that still leaves the Spectrum quite a ways behind some of the other new phones we’ve seen recently like the Xperia S, Titan 2, or the Galaxy Nexus (of course).
The real stand-out feature here is the 4.5-inch 720p display with a True HD Graphic Engine and Corning Gorilla glass, boasting 326ppi. The phone also touts Verizon’s 4G LTE, which is mostly solid unless it’s December. → Read More
Microsoft this morning announced that it has signed a patent licensing agreement with Android device manufacturer LG, its eleventh deal of the kind.
Microsoft says effectively 70 percent of all Android smartphones sold in the United States today are covered under its patent portfolio, not mentioning the fact that they’re also suing Motorola Mobility and NOOK maker Barnes & Noble over their Android devices.
Continuing a tradition that we hope will stand the test of time, Microsoft’s head of communications, Frank Shaw, took to Twitter to taunt Google. → Read More
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