LG Doubleplay review: A solution waiting for a problem
The LG Doubleplay has excellent features for a midrange Android smartphone, but its bizarre design is not for everyone.
We'll admit it: The LG Doubleplay's bizarre design just doesn't work for us.
But if you disregard the design, the LG Doubleplay is actually a remarkably solid Android smartphone. It ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and has plenty of great features like Wi-Fi calling, mobile hot-spot capability, and support for T-Mobile's 4G/HSPA+ network. We're also mostly impressed with the 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor, and LG's Android overlay does not offend us.
Yet, we can't help but be put off by the subdisplay set right smack dab in the middle of the keyboard. We understand the multitasking reasoning behind it, but we don't think it's necessary--it feels like a solution waiting for a problem. The dual displays might even be a big contributor to the rather lackluster battery life. If you're willing to suspend your prejudices, you're welcome to take a chance with the LG Doubleplay for $99.99 after a new two-year service agreement with T-Mobile, but excuse us if we don't share your enthusiasm.
The good
The LG Doubleplay has a vibrant and sharp display, a 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, DLNA support, Wi-Fi calling, mobile hot-spot support, full WebKit browser with Adobe Flash, support for T-Mobile's 4G/HSPA+ network, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, and great call quality.
The bad
The LG Doubleplay's quirky dual screen and split-keyboard design is a little too strange for us. It's a hefty and bulky handset, and has poor battery life.
The bottom line
The LG Doubleplay has excellent features for a midrange Android smartphone, but its bizarre design is not for everyone.
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