Our friends over at LG have sent us the T-Mobile Optimus L9 for us to review! This is part of LG’s L-Series, and this fits into T-Mobile’s mid range line up. It will work on T-Mobile’s newly announced Unlimited Nationwide 4G with no contract service and while it does not have the same features or specifications of the Optimus G devices, it has some solid features. It is running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with an LG User Interface, and it does have the ever-so-popular LG Quick Memo application. If your into good-looking phones, you may have found your device as well. Now, let’s dive into the full review of the T-Mobile LG Optimus L9!
Our friends over at AT&T have sent us the LG Optimus G for use to review! This is one AT&T’s newest devices and will be going to head to head with the Galaxy S III, HTC One X, Galaxy Note II, and many other devices. The Optimus G is LG’s new flagship device you could say, it is not similar to the Galaxy S III in that there are variants of the device floating around on different carriers. In the US alone you can get it on AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint. And of course there is an unlocked version as well. The last big LG device for AT&T was the Nitro HD, which stole my heart. And LG is back again with a new more elegant looking device, that has some really nice features. But should you the Optimus G be your next smartphone? We will answer that in the full review which begins right now!
Today Verizon Wireless announced the LG Spectrum 2! See the announcement below and we will update with a full post soon. Stay Safe Everyone!
Press Release
Verizon Wireless Adds Fast, Powerful, True HD Spectrum 2 By LG To 4G LTE Lineup
Spectrum 2 Offers an Enhanced Wireless Experience, 4G LTE Speeds, True HD Display, Advanced Camera Capabilities and Stylish Design
October 30, 2012
BASKING RIDGE and ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ — Verizon Wireless and LG Electronics USA today announced the Spectrum™ 2 by LG. Exclusively for Verizon Wireless, the Spectrum™ 2 by LG will be available online on Oct. 30 at www.verizonwireless.com and will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.
The Spectrum 2 by LG creates a unique wireless experience thanks to an ecosystem of features and accessories, allowing customers to avoid cables. The unique battery cover allows wireless charging, and it’s included at no additional cost. Contacts, maps and websites can be shared wirelessly using near-field communications (NFC), by tapping two compatible phones together. NFC can also be used with the included reprogrammable LG Tag+ stickers to create special smartphone modes for the office, home or car by tapping the stickers with the Spectrum 2 by LG. SmartShare also makes it possible to wirelessly view pictures and watch videos on a DLNA-enabled device.
The 4.7-inch True HD display will make the Spectrum 2 by LG stand out by enhancing the viewing experience when streaming movies, playing games and browsing the Web. The HD display, paired with Corning® Gorilla® Glass, delivers vivid and accurate colors, crisp, sharp text and clear images. Apps such as viewdini, make it easier than ever to find TV shows and movies that users can enjoy right on their Spectrum 2 by LG. Football fans will also be able to take advantage of the screen combined with 4G LTE speeds to watch live games for an unrivaled viewing experience.
The Spectrum 2 by LG helps to capture precious moments with its 8-megapixel camera and then takes it a step farther with its Advanced Image Editor and Video Wiz features. With these features, customers will have an editing studio in their hands to crop, rotate and add effects to photos and other multimedia documents that they can then share with friends over 4G LTE. The 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera allows customers to video chat with friends and family to easily stay in touch from virtually anywhere. Additional camera features include 1080p HD video recording, Intelligent Panorama Shot and Time Catch Shot to take photos before pressing the shutter button.
Accessorize and Protect
- LG Premium Sleeve with Smart Display – provides protection and displays notifications on the screen to show the number of missed calls, text messages, emails and voicemails. Customers can also customize the clock styles that are displayed when the Spectrum 2 by LG is inserted in the sleeve. The Premium sleeve will be available in stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $24.99.
Additional Features:
- Wireless charging capabilities thanks to the unique battery cover included in the box
- 4.7-inch True HD Advanced High Performance (AH) In-Plane-Switching (IPS) display
- Global Ready™ so customers can have voice and data service in more than 220 countries
- Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait 1.5 GHz dual-core processor
- Mobile Hotspot to share a 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
- 16 GB of internal storage (formatted capacity is less) with microSD memory card support of up to 32 GB
- QuickMemo™ allows customers to capture screenshots and add their own personalized commentary or drawings with a finger
- Bluetooth® Version 4.0
Pricing and Availability:
- The Spectrum 2 by LG will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com starting Oct. 30 for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
Our friends over at LG have sent us the AT&T LG Escape for us to review. AT&T has plenty of lower-budget devices currently available, but the LG Escape is a new device in this category. It comes in at just $49.99 with 2-year contract. Yet, it still has some nice features like 4G LTE speeds, Android 4.0, a 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor, and much more! This device is very similar to the Verizon Wireless LG Lucid(Click Here To See Our Full Review). But, should the AT&T LG Escape be your next smartphone? We will answer that in the full review, which begins right now!
Design
LG has been known for making some very nicely designed smartphones. And I am glad to say that I personally like the AT&T LG Escape. This siding is mainly a black plastic with a design built-in to it and on either side it has a thin aluminum edge. The black plastic siding offers some grip for the smartphone, and this does come in handy. The back is a shiny plastic surface, that has an interesting textured design, that looks almost carbon fiber like. However, this design is under the clear plastic, so this does not help with the grip. On the back as well you have a LG logo, speaker, and 5 megapixel camera. For some reason they did not decide\ed to include an LED flash on the Escape. If you pop the back cover off you will find the AT&T Sim Card slot, micro SD card slot, and a 3.8 V Li-ion Battery. The plastic back is tougher than most other devices, as it has NFC(Near Field Communications) built-in, so you should be careful with the back cover. On the top of the device you will find the 3.5mm headphone jack, while the micro USB port can be found on the bottom of the device. Your power/sleep button can be found on the right hand side, and your volume rocker lives on the left hand side. Below the display you have 3 touch buttons, those being back, home, and menu. Above the display you have an earpiece, AT&T logo, LG logo, and the 1.3-megapixel front facing camera. The main issue I have with the design is that the power/sleep button is sometimes hard to use. It would be nice if it was pushed out of the more, as it would be easier to use. The volume rocker is much easier to use and they should have kept the design the same for both buttons. Besides for the power/sleep button the design of the AT&T LG Escape is very good.
Hardware
The thing that lower end devices have begun having are some lower end hardware mixed with some new hardware, and giving it one of the newer flavors of Android. And the AT&T LG Escape just does that, you get speed from AT&T’s 4G LTE network and the 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor. This keeps the device going whenever and wherever it has to be. AT&T’s has a large backend, you can run on their 4G LTE, 4G HSPA+42, or even their 3G network. This way you can access data from almost anywhere. Keep in mind that data speeds depend on AT&T’s coverage in your area. The 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor gives the Escape a very strong software experience. It does not lag unless you have many heavy applications running at once and swiping back and forth between home screens is very smooth. The animations of the operating system are quite smooth as well. In terms of space to store all of your data you get around 4GB of Internal Space and you can expand thanks to the micro SD card slot. Now, let’s move onto the screen you get a 4.3-inch qHD IPS touch screen display that has a resolution of 960 X 540. Now, granted this display is not as good as the LG Nitro HD for AT&T, but it is not the worst display on the market. The colors look very vibrant, even when the brightness is on low. Images look real and very crisp, but it could be better. However, for a lower-end device this is a very nice display. I was very surprised that they decided to not put an LED flash along with the 5-megapixel camera on the Escape. And yes, in my opinion this is pretty much the same camera that is on the Verizon Wireless LG Lucid. Due to the fact that there is no flash, it kinds of removes your options from getting good photos that you take in darker lighting conditions. This is an everyday camera that takes some nice shots in well-lit conditions. The 1.3-megapuxel front facing camera takes very nice “selfies” or portrait shots and video chatting is very nice. Overall, LG and AT&T did a nice job with the hardware on the Escape.
Software
The AT&T LG Escape is running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich with an LG User Interface. This adds some cool features to the basic Android operating system. For instance you get LG QuickMemo, this allows you to take screenshots and customize them. This application/widget is one of the main features on the Verizon Wireless LG Intuition. You can compare it in some ways to S-Note on the Samsung Galaxy Note II. It is nice to see that LG is including it on some of their other lower-end devices as well. You can take a screenshot of a map and then customize it with what ever you would look to write on it. From there you can share it in an email, text message, social networks, and much more! You get a nice weather and clock widget, that comes in super handy. You can also sign in using the LG Facebook and the LG Twitter applications, this way you can access social media right from inside the application. Then you come to the pre-loaded applications, and there are a good amount on the LG Escape for AT&T. You get Amazon Kindle, AT&T Code Scanner, AT&T FamilyMap, AT&T Locker, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Ready2Go, AT&T Smart Wi-Fi, Google App Suite, Facebook, Live TV, Messages, myAT&T, Polaris Office, Qik Lite, SmartShare, Twitter, Video Wiz, YouTube, YPMobile, and more! So, some of these you may never use but, others you will end up using quite frequently. These are the usual AT&T applications that come pre-loaded on devices, and for instance myAT&T will help you keep track of your bill. The good thing is that these applications perform very well on the Escape thanks to it’s 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor!
Bottom Line
The AT&T LG Escape is a very nice lower-end Android smartphone. It comes in at an awesome price point of just $49.99 with a 2-year contract. For this price you get some features that pack a punch and others that don’t quit do as much. I personally like the design of the LG Escape a lot, expect for the one minor issue with the power button. It is running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box with LG QuickMemo pre-loaded. You get speed from AT&T’s 4G LTE and a 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor and inside you get 4GB of internal storage and micro SD card slot. You get an okay 4.3-inch qHD IPS touch screen display and a not so good 5 megapixel back camera. However, if you are looking for a low-end Android smartphone, that packs a punch with certain feature you should definitely consider the AT&T LG Escape. For More Information On The AT&T LG Escape, Please Click Here. We would like to thank LG USA Mobile for providing us with a copy of the “AT&T LG Escape”.
Our friends over at LG have sent us the LG Motion 4G for Metro PCS for us to review! This is one of MetroPCS’s newest 4G LTE devices, and while it be small in size it still packs a punch. It features a 3.5-inch screen, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE speeds, and much more. Keep in mind that MetroPCS is a pre-paid carrier, they are similar to Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. You but the device out right and then choose your monthly plan. The LG Motion 4G will cost you $149.99 for the device. But should the LG Motion 4G be your next device? We will answer that in the full review which begins right now!
Design
The LG Motion 4G for MetroPCS is not a large device, in fact it is quite compact and small. The length of the device is around 4.37-inches and it is 2.39-inches wide. It should fit in most people’s hand fine, and it should be comfortable. The back has some texture to it, but not enough texture to provide the best grip. It has some thickness to it at 0.45-inches. It is not heavy at 5.64-ounces. However, you have to remember that is a very small and compact device. It could easily fit in your pants pocket or be thrown into a purse or clutch. Let’s start off on the back of the device, you have a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, a MetroPCS logo, 4G logo, LG logo, and a speaker. The back cover is a little difficult to take off, and it has the same build quality as the rest of the plastic backs for devices on the market. Under the back cover you will find the 3.8 V Li-ion LG battery. Under the battery you will find the micro SD card slot and your micro SIM card slot. On the top of the device you will find the power/sleep button and headphone jack. The left hand side is home to your volume rocker and micro USB port. The bottom and right hand side of the LG Motion 4G are both empty, which helps to make design very simple. Above the screen you will find the LG logo and front facing camera. Below the screen are you’re 3 touch buttons, those being back, home, and menu. Going around the front of the device is silver aluminum lining, this adds a pop of color to the device. The siding going around the entire device is a shiny black plastic. While the logos and the siding around the front are the only real source of color. That is besides what is on the display. Overall, the design of the LG Motion 4G for MetroPCS is small and compact.
Hardware
As I said before the LG Motion 4G packs a punch even though it has a small design. Let’s start off with the screen, it has a nice 3.5-inch Corning Gorilla Glass touch screen display. It’s resolution is a little low at 480 X 320, the image turns a little grainy when you zoom in or start looking at high-resolution photos. For the most part colors look very vivid and bright, and the screen looks the best when the brightness is turned all the way up. It has protection from its Corning Gorilla Glass layer, this is a big advantage for the LG Motion 4G over other devices that MetroPCS offers. For storage you get 5GB of internal storage, plus the micro SD card slot. It is always important to have the option to expand your storage. You get access to MetroPCS’s 4G LTE network, which will you give you faster speeds. It is not the fastest network out there, and does net yet compare to Verizon or AT&T’s 4G LTE network. However, web browsing and downloading applications goes by pretty quickly. Keep in mind that it all depends on the coverage in your area. The phone itself moves fast thanks to it’s 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor, the phone is zippy and fast! Opening applications and swiping through different screens happens very quickly and for the most part no lag time can be found. On the back you have an okay 5-megapixel camera with LED flash. It features autofocus, tap to focus, speak to take a photo, panorama, HDR(High Dynamic Range), continuous shot, time catch shot, and much more. Quality of the image depends on your conditions, it performs very well outdoors with good lighting. While inside in either dark conditions or very bright conditions, there might be a yellow tone on the image. The front facing camera has around the same quality of the back camera, it comes in handy for video calling on the go. Overall, the hardware on the LG Motion 4G is pretty good.
Software
The LG Motion 4G is running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and this is always an advantage to have one of the newest operating systems. However, no word on when or if Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is coming to the Motion 4G. It does come with LG Quick Memo, this is an awesome application that was originally made for the Verizon Wireless Intuition by LG. Of course you don’t have a pen to use out of the box, but using your finger in this case is just as good. If you like to take screenshots or write on a photo, this application will come in handy. It will allow you take a screen capture and then customize it to your liking! Than you can save it your gallery, send it in an email or text message, and much more! LG also has included a simple user interface on the device, that as usual does make the device more simpler to use. Out of the box you have an interesting Metro PCS background and some pre-loaded applications. You get 4G Mobile Hotspot, AppStore, Backup, Emergency Alert, Google Chrome, Car Home, Google App Suite, guided Tours, IM and Social, Into Now, M Studio, mail@metro, Metro Block-It, MetroPCS Easy Wifi, Metro 411, MetroWeb, MyExtras, myMetro, Polaris Office, Pocket Express, Rhapsody, SmartShare, SmartWorld, Sportacular, Task Manager, Total Protection, Video Wiz, Weather, YouTube and More! LG And MetroPCS has also customized you home screens out of the box with widgets and application short cuts, and of course you can redo the customization to you liking. The speedy 1.2GHz Dual-Core processor keeps the LG Motion 4G running quick and fast. The main issue here is the amount of pre-installed applications, but hopefully you can remove some of them. Overall, the software included on the LG Motion 4G is nice.
Bottom Line
Overall, the LG Motion 4G for MetroPCS is a nice device! It has a speedy 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor, 4G LTE speeds(where available) from MetroPCS, a clear 3.5-inch Corning Gorilla Glass touch screen display, a nice User Interface from LG running on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, 5GB of internal space plus a micro SD card, and more. The bad side of the Motion 4G would be the not-so-great camera and the many pre-loaded applications. But if you can get past those few minor things you may have found the 4G gem of MetroPCS smartphone lineup. You get Android 4.0 which is huge step up from 2.3.5, so you are already at advantage here and you get LG QuickMemo. The LG Motion 4G on MetroPCS is available for your purchase and will cost you $149.99 . And then since it is a pre-paid network you will then choose the monthly plan that best fits your needs. For More Information On The LG Motion 4G For MetroPCS, Please Click Here. We would like to thank LG USA Mobile and MetroPCS for providing us with a copy of the “LG Motion 4G for Metro PCS”.
Our friends over at LG have sent us the Verizon Intuition by LG for us to review! This is LG’s answer to the phablet, and it is a similar device to the Galaxy Note from Samsung. Currently it is the only phablet on Verizon Wireless so it has the market for now, but coming soon it will have competition from the Galaxy Note II. And the big feature(literally), is the 5-inch 4:3 display. And you need to be able to handle the device to enjoy it and get the most out of it, but should this be your next smartphone? We will answer that in the full review which begins now!
Our friends over at LG have sent us the Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE for us to review. It is there latest and greatest eco-built device. It is the first 4G LTE device for Sprint. Yes, keep in mind that Sprint’s 4G LTE network has still yet to be launched. So, for now this device running on 3G(EVDO). We will get into all of this and more in the full review. Which by the way, begins right now!
Design
Now the LG Viper 4G LTE for Sprint is a very interesting device. It has a very thick build, making it as thick as some of the smartphones from last year. It comes in at .46 inches thick, from the side you can tell it. However, when you are holding it in your hand is quite comfortable. This may not be the most beautiful device on the market, if LG made it thicker more people would like it. On the top of the device you will find the power/sleep button and headphone jack. The left hand side is home to your volume rocker and micro USB port. On the back you have a fake brushed aluminum back, it has a 5 mega-pixel back camera with LED Flash, a speaker, and a LG logo. Now, the entire device is made from 50% reclined plastics, so all of the eco fans will love it. If you take the back off you all find the 3.7 V Li-ion battery and a 4GB micro SD card. Keep in mind that the back of the device does have NFC built-in. There is an aluminum siding that goes all around the device. Above the screen you can find the ear piece, LED notification light, front-facing camera, and Sprint logo. Under the screen you will find the 4 touch capacitive buttons. I would have like to see the device being a little thinner but, LG and Sprint decided not to do this. Overall, the device’s design is pretty nice.
Hardware And Network Speed
Now, we move on to the hardware of the Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE. The device may have a 50% recycled design but, most of the hardware is new. It has a 4-inch NOVA touch screen, with a resolution of 800 X 400. It has protection from Corning Gorilla Glass. This screen is found on many Windows Phone devices and it works well with Android. The screen is very bright and it makes color’s look super vibrant. In terms of viewing angles, when brightness is high they are very good. It has both 4GB of internal storage and a 4GB micro SD card. For speed you will get access to Sprint 4G LTE, when the network launches. Their 4G LTE network is still in deployment stage. For now we are stuck on Sprint’s 3G EVDO network, which will give you not the fastest speeds in the world. However, this is Sprint’s first 4G LTE device. So once that network launches in your area you will get to enjoy those speeds. You can see our network test below.
NJTechReviews Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE Speed Test
The speeds were average for what you would expect on a 3G EVDO network. Our fastest download speed was .53Mbps and our fastest upload speed was .67Mbps. For speed when using the phone you get a 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor with 1GB of RAM. You can also share your data connection via a mobile hotspot. On the back of the device you have an okay 5 mega-pixel camera with LED flash. On the front you get a VGA camera for self-portraits and video chatting. Overall, the hardware on the Viper 4G LTE is good.
Software
No Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on the Viper 4G LTE just yet, however the update is coming. It needs to pass carrier testing before it can be deployed out to the masses. Right now, it is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a plain flavor of the operating system. Since you have a Near Field Communications (NFC) chip built-in the device, you have access to service like Google Wallet. Which lets you pay just by sampling tapping your phone on the pad. Instead of a user interface on this device, you get Sprint ID packs. This lets you choose what user interface and certain theme you want on the device. You can choose the one that best fits your needs. There is plenty of pre-loaded applications like Google App Suite, YouTube, Music, Music Player, NASCAR, Pandora, Play Store, Google Wallet, Google Shopper, Polaris Office, Rhapsody, SmartShare, Sound Hound, Sprint ID, TeleNav GPS, and more. You also have LG’s latest app, “Life’s Good Fairy Tales”. It lets you add your own customization into a story tale. You can put yourself or your child into the story, and then they can watch themselves as they appear throughout the story. Overall, it makes for great fun with you and your child/friends. This application is free on the LG Viper or you can buy it for your other Android device for $0.99 via the Play Store. The software on the LG Viper 4G LTE for Sprint is great.
Bottom Line
The Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE is the first 4G LTE device for the carrier. So, therefore it gets some special treatment right away. However, it also gives you some nice hardware at an affordable price. It is just $99.99 with a 2-year contract or $399.99 with no contract. It features a great 4 inch screen, 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor, and eventually 4G LTE speeds. I wish they could have made the design less thick and nicer, but you can’t always get what you want. However, if you want a 4G LTE device from Sprint and don’t mind the thickness of the device, then go for it. However, you may want to wait for the HTC EVO 4G LTE and for future 4G LTE devices from the carrier. Just keep in mind that the network is still in deployment. For More Info On The Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE, Please Click Here.
LG Mobile has just posted on there Facebook Page that the AT&T LG Phoenix is getting upgraded to Android 2.3 Gingerbread! You Can See The Post On Facebook, By Clicking Here. We reviewed the LG Phoenix last year and the device was good. You Can Get The AT&T LG Phoenix Android 2.3 Gingerbread Upgrade, By Clicking Here. It will take you directly to the upgrade page on LG’s site. I suggest that you follow all of the directions given, to make sure it goes smoothly. Also, be sure to back up all of your important data. Android 2.3 Gingerbread brings some great new things to the operating system. However, most likely the device won’t be getting the upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Good luck with the upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread!