LG enters Android fray with GW620
LG GW620
(Credit: LG)On Monday, LG Electronics introduced its first Google Android handset, the LG GW620, which is set to hit select European markets in Q4 2009. The Korean consumer electronics company wasn't too forthcoming with device details, but we do know that the smartphone features a 3-inch touch screen and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
It seems social networking will also play a prominent role, and LG said the GW620 will live up to the company's philosophy of making the "smartphone experience more accessible for typical users." Perhaps that means LG will add its S Class user interface (a la LG Arena) to the device?
In addition to the GW620 announcement, LG reiterated that it will unveil three new Windows Mobile smartphones in the next few weeks (the first set of Windows Mobile 6.5 devices are due to launch on October 6). Back at GSMA 2009, LG made it known that it has committed to making Windows Mobile its primary operating system for its smartphones and promised in early September, a minimum of 13 new WinMo devices over the next 16 months.
Bonnie Cha is a senior editor for CNET, covering smartphones and GPS. When she's not testing the latest gadgets, you can find her chasing after her crazy lab or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California. E-mail Bonnie.
1. Am I the only one who does not care for this slider design? I think it's really tedious to open the keyboard, wait for the accelorometer to change the screen etc. Yes, it's only 2 seconds, but that's two seconds longer than a candy bar messenger phone.
2. Not that it's referenced here, but is a 3.5mm headphone jack a selling feature? I use bluetooth for handsfree (so I'm not plugging anything in) and my iPod suffices for a music player--the headphone jack is never used on my blackberry. Surely I'm not alone...
Thanks.
1. I don't like that side slider design either. Then again, I would prefer the old Samsung i730 bottom slider with the small format keyboard (think Treo & Blackberry). The Samsung, when slid open, had just enough extra phone length to make it feel like I was holding a house phone to my ear. Big and outdated, yes, but man was it ever comfortable on long phone calls.
2. A 3.5mm headphone jack is still a selling feature for those of us that don't enjoy carrying around multiple devices and/or like to plug into other audio output sources (car, desktop speakers, etc.). Plus, I still haven't found a BT headset that works as good as the old phone-to-the-ear method.
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by Zingleberry
October 10, 2009 10:02 AM PDT
- I love the keyboard and the phone so all those people who don 't like it BACKOFF! So no I don't agree with you if you dislike the phone.
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