Chummy LG Aka has its digital eyes on you (pictures)

You've never met a smartphone like this before. LG's four Aka phones have a different personality for each color.

Jessica Dolcourt

Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

See full bio

Jessica Dolcourt

Nov. 10, 2014 6:00 p.m. PT

1 of 8 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Looky here, it's the LG Aka

You want a phone with realpersonality? The LG Aka has not one, but four. Think of the phone line (pronounced AH-kuh) as a set of cartoon characters that reside within your smartphone and you're halfway to understanding LG's novel approach.

2 of 8 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Color-coded character

Pink, white, yellow and blue. These names correspond to LG's characters, each with his or her own stylized digital eyes and personality: YoYo, Wooky, Eggy and Soul.

3 of 8 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Choose your character

Turn on the phone, and the character greets you on LG's skinned version of Android. On the left, YoYo walks on the treadmill, hamburger dangling in front of her face.

4 of 8 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Android inside

Push your newfound phone friends aside (you can see Soul's character on the home screen) and you'll find a functional Android 4.4 KitKat device on a 5-inch 720p HD screen, which you use just like any other phone.

5 of 8 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Specs inside

Midrange specs, like the 8-megapixel camera on the back and 1.2GHz quad-core chipset inside, target a more youthful, budget-conscious demographic.

6 of 8 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Sturdy and tactile

The grippy, textured backing on the colorful phones feels great in the hand, and the dimensions are in balance for the 5-inch display size.

7 of 8 LG

Take a peek for yourself

Learn even more about these phones in CNET's LG Aka hands-on take.

8 of 8 Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Having fun

For a collection of phones that's all about having fun, you can bet that accessories enter into the mix, like this aftermarket front-facing case that shows of YoYo's eyes and tastes.