LG U890: The U880's musical sibling

Life is definitely good for LG. In the last year the company has made a big splash with its new range of mobile phones, such as the LG U880, which was a hit due to its size and 3G support. We had some issues with the camera and the general build quality, but on the whole it was a pretty good phone.

LG has recently launched the U890, which it touts as the U880's successor -- apparently it's aimed at music lovers and style-conscious consumers. It has added A2DP, which lets you listen to music wirelessly in stereo via a Bluetooth stereo headset, and there are also built-in stereo speakers so you can share the music love with those around you. The internal screen is now 56mm, there's a better flash on the camera and the design of the keypad and dedicated music buttons have been updated. They've also tried to make it prettier and it now comes in silver with a blue or pink trim.

The specs didn't blow us away. We like the stereo Bluetooth support, new flash and larger screen, but it only has a 1.3-megapixel camera and it's slightly bigger and heavier than the U880. Visually, it's also not drastically different to its predecessor, and after Sony Ericsson all but cloned the design of the W800i with the launch of the W700i, we can't help thinking mobile phone companies are feeling a little uninspired. However, if music is your thing then the A2DP support and stereo speakers are cool extras and we'll wait to get one in our hands before we make a final judgement. It's currently available on the 3 network on a monthly contract and pay as you go. Expect a full review soon. -AL