Category: LG

LG Teases Four Budget Smartphones Ahead of MWC 2015

The long awaited event, Mobile World Conference (MWC) is just around the corner and LG Electronics couldn’t resist teasing some of its offerings beforehand. A few days back the company unveiled that it will be using the MWC stage to launch its next-gen classy smartwatch called LG Watch Urbane. Now as per the recent disclosure, LG will launch four “Mid-Range” smartphones in the upcoming show in Barcelona, namely – Magna, Spirit, Leon and Joy.

The new lineup of smartphones by the company is available in both LTE and 3G versions, and is 4 to 5-inch in size. The LG Magna and LG Spirit are distinctive from the other two, and boast a slightly curved display and rounded back for better grip. Both are devices hold in-cell tech technology that offers improved sensitivity with faster touch recognition, better outdoor visibility and crisper images.

Starting with LG Magna, the device sports a 5.0-inch HD (294 ppi) along with a 1.2GHz or 1.3GHz quad-core chipset. It has an 8MP rear snapper and a 5MP front camera. The phone holds a removable battery of 2,540mAh. The LG Spirit, on the other hand, is 4.7-inch handset with identical 1.2GHz or 1.3GHz quad-core chipset. The other device, LG Leon, features a 4.5-inch screen, while LG Joy packs a handy 4-inch screen, which can easily fit in one’s palm. All the phones run on Android 5.0 Lollipop, except LG Joy.

The company is infusing popular UX features onto the phones like Gesture Shot and Glass View, which are otherwise a part of high-end devices only. Further details about the gadgets have been kept under wraps and pricing has been kept secretive as of now. The phones will roll out in select markets this week.

February 23, 2015
LG Unveils ‘Watch Urbane’, an All-Metallic Luxury Smartwatch

A while back, the South Korean electronics producer LG raised the bar with the revelation of the G Watch R. Now pushing ahead of its own mark, the company has unveiled yet another smartwatch called the LG Watch Urbane. The new timepiece is a fusion of style and technology with an all-metal body and classic design; keeping its market open for both men and women. The watch follows the footsteps of G Watch R and is tweaked to make it more user-friendly.

The President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Juno Cho said in a statement :

The LG Watch Urbane’s classic design and smart features make it the perfect smartwatch to complement our G Watch and G Watch R, which were designed as more casual and active devices.

Besides the external magnificence, LG Watch Urbane boasts a 1.3-inch circular P-OLED (320x320p resolution) display, just like the G Watch R. Its bezels are narrow, which gives it a more elegant and classy look. The device is driven by 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset paired with 512 MB RAM. The Watch Urbane can hold data in the 4GB inbuilt memory and runs on Android Wear. The 410mAh battery of the smartwatch can be a bit disappointment, and one has to charge it time and again to keep it running. The Watch Urbane packs Gyro, Accelerometer, Compass, Barometer and a heart rate sensor.

The device has a sensitive touch-based UI and is compatible with devices running on Android 4.3 and above. The stainless steel body is beautifully paired up with the leather strap that can be replaced with any 22 mm band.

The dust and water resistant watch is available in gold and silver colour options. There is no word about its price and availability, but users can expect the details once the company showcases the watch in the upcoming MWC 2015 in Barcelona.

February 16, 2015
LG Showcases Low-Cost, Plastic Version of Google’s Cardboard VR Headset

Virtual Reality headsets are the new tech every firm is betting on. But as it tuns out, none of them are available at a budget price – except one. At a mere $20, Google VR is super economical but it’s made out of cardboard. Quality would be no issue with the new VR headset by LG. The South Korean company has made a plastic version of the Google Cardboard that would be low in price. Called VR for G3, the headset will give virtual reality experience using the phone’s internal hardware.

Based on Google Cardboard VR, the VR for G3 is a mere shell with lenses. The LG VR headset has three pieces which come assembled. A ring magnet like in the Cardboard VR headset sits on the left to select menu. A cutout on the back of the device reaches the volume rockers. Also, there are small cutouts for flash, laser autofocus, and speaker. The two slots are seen at the either ends, which can be used for a head strap.

Just strap your phone in the headset and it will send you right in the virtual world. As its plastic, it will cost low, but it is speculated that it may be available for free. Meanwhile, there is no word about its availability and price, and users have to wait till the next announcement.

Samsung released a Gear VR headset last year, but it costs $199. Not only this, one need to buy a Galaxy Note 4 as it is compatible with the Note 4 only.

The VR for G3 is definitely a good step to encourage the virtual reality concept to come into the mainstream.

February 10, 2015
LG’s Next Flagship Expected to Come With an Impressive Spec Sheet

LG’s last year’s releases LG G3 and G Pro 2 were received well by both the users and critics. The company is now apparently gearing up to unveil its next flagship LG G4. But as the launch date approaches, speculations are rife about the phone boasting some top-notch specs.

If we believe the rumours to be true, then the next LG G4 would be one beast of a device. Packing a display of 5.3 inches, the device will be powered by the latest 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor paired with impressive 4 GB of RAM. The G4 will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop and will sport a 16MP wide-angle camera.

According to GSMArena, LG G4 might pack a 3K display of 1620×2880 resolution. If this turns out to be true, the G4 will be the first ever phone to feature such a high-quality screen. There are also talks that the next flagship from LG will not come with a stylus. The South Korean giant has recently filed a patent for another handset called LG G4 Stylus, which would be the successor to the mid range LG G3 Stylus handset.

All the rumoured specs seem top notch, but if the phone houses a 3K display, 4 GB RAM and the speedy Qualcomm 810 processor, it would definitely not be pocket-friendly.

The much-awaited phone is expected to arrive in the second quarter of this year.

February 2, 2015
Here Are the Impressive Leaked Specifications of LG’s Next Flagship

LG had a string of hits in 2014 including LG G3 and G Pro 2 which have been received really well by consumers and critics alike. The smartphone maker’s next flagship, G4, is expected to launched at this year’s Mobile World Conference (March 2-March 5) in Barcelona.

Recently, the system dump for LG’s next G series flagship smartphone has been leaked revealing a few of the hardware specifications of the smartphone. The leak confirms the Android 5.0 as well as 3GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810.

LG G Flex 2 was launched at CES 2015 with Snapdragon 810

According to the past rumors, LG also working on its own ODIN processor for a bit now, and we heard that it’d be coming in one of their flagships. It was expected the G Flex 2 would launch with this processor, however, that didn’t happen.

While there is a fresh rumour suggesting that Samsung Electronics will dump the Snapdragon 810 processor for use in its upcoming Galaxy S6 smartphone in favour of its own Exynos chip, LG may follow the suit and launch their own processor too.

In addition to that, the purported forthcoming handset, the G4, could pack a wide angle 16-megapixel rear-facing shooter on the back. The LG G3 had a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera on the back side. After the release of the G Flex 2 at CES it will be interesting to observe the type of hardware and software specifications their next flagship will pack.

January 16, 2015
LG G Flex 2 is Cheaper Than its Predecessor

The Consumer Electronic Show (CES) saw some really interesting innovations this year. One such innovation was the LG G Flex 2, which is an enhanced version of the original LG G Flex released last year. The device made a cameo at the event; only its specifications were released, while the price was kept under wraps. Now, the South Korean smartphone manufacturer has come up with a price tag, which is a bit lower than the launch price of its predecessor.

The device is listed on Amazon, where it is priced for €599. This translates to somewhere around Rs. 44,000. The original LG G Flex was a little pricey and came at an introductory cost of €850. For now, the phone is available for purchase in Germany only and the shipping date of the same is not yet specified.

The major tweak in the device is its fast restoring capacity. The phone retrieves its original position in just 10 seconds whereas the G Flex took around three minutes to heal. Briefing its specs, then LG G Flex 2 boasts a 5.5-inch full HD Curved POLED display, with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. It is powered by a Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor with 64-bit capability, becoming the first device to pack the latest and powerful processing system. The G Flex 2 sports 2 GB of RAM and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Coming onto the camera front, the G Flex 2 has a 13MP rear shooter along with OIS+ and laser auto focus capacity and a 2.1MP front snapper for your selfie needs. Furthermore, the phone features both 16 GB and 32 GB of internal storage and has a microSD card support.

As of now, there is no official announcement about its launch in India, but it is speculated to release soon.

January 13, 2015
LG Launches the Curved UltraWide Monitor Along with a 4K Monitor in India

Gamers, graphic artists, CAD designers and even humble home entertainment enthusiasts who regularly spread their onscreen activities across multiple displays were super impressed by LG’s flagship IPS 21:9 Curved UltraWide Monitor when it launched back in IFA 2014.

Now, the company has announced that it will introduce this impressive Curved UltraWide Monitor along with other compelling monitors in the Indian market. In essence, LG’s curved QHD monitor, the UC97 bridges the two worlds of widescreen monitors and curved TVs together. This monitor is targeted at power users who need, not just a great viewing experience but also the extra room to place their windows, particularly those in the creative business.

LG Digital Cinema 4K

With Quad HD resolution display at 3440 x 1440 pixels, this 34-inch monitor packs quite a punch and is considered the world’s first curved monitor with an extra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio. For connectivity, it utilizes Thunderbolt 2 connectors not just for fast data transfers but also for the ability to daisy chain other devices. It also comes with its own 7W stereo speakers boasting the Maxx Audio tech.

LG will also introduce the Digital Cinema 4K Monitor—also known as the 31MU97—which has a 31-inch screen and 4096 x 2160p resolution. It can reproduce 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color space and includes calibration software. LG claims that MU97 Digital Cinema 4K monitor owners can look forward to ultra-sharp images with wide viewing angles, and those using it for work will appreciate its ability to reproduce 99 percent of Adobe’s RGB color space.

LG GM77 Gaming Monitor

Gamers are the important prospective customers of the high-end monitors and LG has made sure they are not left in the dark. LG is also announced the GM77 24-inch monitor with 144 Hz refresh rate for smooth, flicker-free onscreen action. The gaming monitor also benefits from a feature to render consistent blacks across different scenes, and a mode to cut down motion blur. Game Mode also offers players the chance to switch between three optimized settings with the push of a hotkey on the monitor.

The Curved UltraWide Monitor is expected to be priced around Rs. 85,000 and the Digital Cinema 4K Monitor around Rs. 90,000, meanwhile there is no word on the price of GM77 Gaming Monitor. According the company, you will be able to buy their extreme monitors by the end of this month.

If you are looking to build your own system according to your preference, using one these monitors, check out our DIY Hackintosh Build video below for inspiration:

January 12, 2015
CES 2015: LG Unveils a WebOS Powered Smartwatch That Unlocks an Audi

The year 2014 was the year the smartwatch gained prominence in pop culture. Samsung, LG, Motorola along with Asus and others brought their models in the market. On the operating system front, most of the watches have gone for the Android Wear OS. Samsung has gone with its own Tizen OS for its smartwatch lineup; the only exception is the Gear live which was unveiled last year at Google I/O. Now LG has unveiled a prototype of new smartwatch that runs on webOS.

LG’s new Smartwatch almost looks like the G Watch R that it released last year. It has a circular display which is more wrist and eye-friendly than the rectangular clock faces we have seen in the market. The patterned leather along with the machined crown and buttons give the watch a premium look.

The circular UI does look user friendly. (Source: TheVerge)

But the real revelation is what is on the inside. Observing a few demos, it is quite clear that the WebOS running on the device is user-friendly. It was Palm that originally developed the OS and later sold it to HP that subsequently sold it to LG. LG has inducted the OS in its Smart TV line-up making it quite easy to use and navigate. Even on this prototype smartwatch the OS seems to perform quite efficiently.

The menu options are presented in a circular dial fashion where all icons can be rotated around. Unlike the Moto 360 where the edges of the display gets slightly cropped, this smartwatch has an OS that is tailored for a round display. The device also packs a phone dialer. The feature that might help it find a lot of premium consumers is its ability to unlock an Audi door lock using NFC. The company plans to bring a webOS powered smartwatch lineup by next year.

Overall this prototype webOS smartwatch looks like a good effort on the part of LG. Android wear is still in its initial stage and considering the massive support it has from Google, it will stand as a formidable opponent to any OS in the industry. Apple Watch too is bound for the market in a few months. It seems like the Smartwatch market is finally ready to shed its infancy and ready to be recognized as a valid consumer technology.

January 8, 2015
CES 2015: LG’s Dual-Bending Display Steals the Show

The smartphone market is getting more and more competitive every passing day. Few months back, Samsung brought out the edgy new Galaxy Note Edge that was a class apart from the other handsets available in the market. Its unique feature was the sloping display on the right-hand side. However, LG seems to take over the Note Edge market with its 6-inch device with bending OLED display on both sides.

Well, LG moved a step ahead and presented an example of supreme leadership at the ongoing CES 2015. The smartphone stole the audience of the Note Edge and acquired a huge crowd gathering at the show. Although the futuristic device has a 6-inch display which is difficult to manage as the edge display presses accidently at times, but its extra peril on the side screen will help users navigate their way through the phone.

Another known feature about the device is its 1280x720p screen resolution, which could have been better. No other specifications about the phone have yet been disclosed, other than the fact that it’s 0.7 mm thick. The P-OLED technology was first used by LG itself on its G Flex smartphone, which was then carried by G Flex2 as well, showcased at the event.

The LG Director of Corporate Communications Ken Hong hinted at the successor of LG G3, tentatively titled G4. Hong commented about the same –

I think we will [experiment with our high-end phones]. I think we have to. If you look at the specs only, there are other competitors with similar-spec phones. How do you stand out in that pile if you’re not doing something different? I don’t think we are going to be able to sit back and expect people are just going to fawn over the G4, or whatever the name will be, just because they liked the G3. I don’t think it works that way anymore. I don’t think people are as loyal on the Android side as they are on the iOS side, so you really have to win every customer with your products.

It’s true that LG has disclosed a surprise which it was preserving for the big day, but if it would be able to hold a strong position in the market with contenders around, only time will tell!

January 8, 2015
Android Lollipop Captured in a Leaked Screenshot on LG G2

Mere weeks have passed since the roll out of Google’s Android 5.0 Lollipop, and all the smartphone manufacturers are doing everything to upgrade their devices with Google’s new OS. Countable number of devices have received the update so far and Nexus devices top the list for obvious reasons. The South Korean giant LG’s flagship, LG G2 has been recently caught with Lollipop on it.

An authentic Italian technology web portal unveiled a screenshot that shows Android 5.0.1 on the LG G2 with a build number LRX21Y. However, the leaked pictures of the update was of the LTE-Advanced version bound to South Africa only. It is believed that the global LG G2 users will soon witness the update on their devices. The leaked image itself is a pretty good sign that the company is working on it.

It is an impressive step by the firm to upgrade their 2013 released smartphone with Lollipop. Meanwhile, all G2 users can check out their devices for an OTA update.

The LG G2 features a 5.2-inch IPS display with 1080×1920 pixels along with Corning Glass 2 protection. Initially, the device ran on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS out of the box; but later it was upgraded to KitKat. Now it is said to support Lollipop as well. The phone is powered by quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and comes with 2 GB of RAM. It packs a 13MP primary camera and a 2.1MP secondary snapper that can take amazing selfies. The phone has 16 GB of internal storage capacity and comes with connectivity options like 4G LTE, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and microUSB. The 3000 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery powers the device for a complete day usage.

With the incredible interface of Lollipop, the old G2 models will come to life. However, till the time LG makes an official announcement, global users will have to wait.

December 23, 2014
GizmoPal Wearable Allows Kids to Call their Parents with One Button

Well, why should adults have access to all the new gadgets that are changing the way we live and do our work. That’s what LG thinks, and in line with this, LG introduced KizOn in South Korea earlier this year. KizOn is a wearable device for children that makes it easy for them to communicate with their parents.

Now, the toddler-focused wearable is sailing to the west with the launch of GizmoPal (US nomenclature) on Verizon. The GizmoPal is designed for kids anywhere from pre- to middle- school to easily make and receive phone calls using a single calling button and auto-answer feature.

It only requires a pre-configured number setup and, then using a single button, kids can easily make or receive a call. All what the child has to do is press the button to make or answer a call, followed by speaking into GizmoPal and listening through its speaker—no complicated steps that can cause confusion.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Dr. Jong-seok Park” author_title=”President and CEO of LG Electronics”]

GizmoPal was developed in response to customers’ opinions that technology should be used to improve the lives of all consumers. It occurred to us that children had the most to gain because they’re the most vulnerable.

[/quote]

The GizmoPal also comes with a companion app available for iOS and Android. This app uses GPS to allow parents easily monitor their child’s location at all time. Obviously, it will need Verizon service to work as intended, the fee itself is only $5 per month. The new wearable is available now on the carrier’s site for $80, while it will go on sale from 11th December in physical stores.

November 27, 2014
LG Brings Out a Sleek and Wireless Headset for Rs. 10,990

LG, the South Korean electronic giant, has launched new wireless neckband ‘LG TONE INFINIM’ based on ergonomic design for better comfort and sound. The new wireless headset is engineered by Harman Kardon and can be paired with smartphones via Bluetooth. The TONE INFINIM is available in India at Rs. 10,990.

INFINIM has essentially a crisp audio rather than a bass-heavy sound. The gadget includes the company’s retractable wire management technology, a metallic finish and an ergonomic curved design. Its ‘Easy Control’ feature includes control with Jog switch to control music with one fluid motion.

It comes with a handful of features such as Current Time Alert, SMS/SNS Replay, Speed Dial, Direct Dial, Favourite Call and Advanced Vibration Alert. During incoming calls, the device alerts the user with its caller ID. The battery status of the headset can be checked on the smartphone at a glance.

The LG Bluetooth Stereo Headset reads out the most recently received SNS or text messages. Users can directly call the previously saved contacts via the headset without taking out their smartphones. Users can designate up to five contacts on their headsets using this USP. This USP can only be used after saving contacts on the application, Tone&Talk. Users can set different vibration patterns for SMS and SNS so that they always know the type of message received in advance. It also informs about the current time on the smartphone with a simple button press.

LG has given these sleek new headsets a classy look which are available in metallic silver and gold colour variants.

November 12, 2014
New LG AKA is a Geeky Smartphone With a Personality of its Own

LG has announced a brand new Android smartphone called AKA. Launched in the company’s home market South Korea, the AKA is targeted at young customers, and comes with four unique cases that transform it into different characters: Eggy (yellow case), Wookie (white case), Soul (blue case) and YoYo (pink case).

The front of the phone, when covered with theses interesting cases, shows animated eyes of the four characters. The eyes are more than simple animations as they can provide info including notifications and battery status.

On the hardware front, the LG AKA offers a 5-inch IPS display with 720×1280 pixel resolution, LTE, 8 MP rear camera with laser auto focus, 2 MP front-facing camera, quad-core 1.2 GHz processor (unknown maker), 1.5 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of expandable memory. The handset comes with a 2610 mAh battery and weighs 135.5 grams without the front cover.

LG AKA’s connectivity options include 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, GPS, AGPS, and USB 2.0. and measures 138.7×71.9×9.9 mm. According to the official blog post, LG AKA is available starting today in South Korea via all three carriers running Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box. However, there’s no word on how much the smartphone costs. It seems unlikely that the new AKA will be launched in any other market apart from South Korea.

The South Korean electronic giant on Monday started rolling out its KizON wristband in Europe, which was launched in July. LG KizON is a wearable device exclusively designed to help parents track their pre-school and primary school children.

November 12, 2014
LG to be the First Ones to Give Out the Lollipop

LG has so far had a good year. The company got back into focus with its G3 family of devices. Its smartwatches are getting quite an appreciation in the market, and it is ready to bring out devices with its own line of chipsets. In between all of this, the company will also become a customer-darling with its announcement of bring out the new Android 5.0 Lollipop update.

It was expected that Motorola would be the first one to deliver the new OS update to its users, but LG seems to have beat them to it. The company will begin the update delivery process from Poland by this week. It will then start the update process in other important markets.

The first update will be for G3 users. LG will later announce a schedule for its other devices. In the fast updating and concentrating market, the company who delivers the fastest updates may move forward in the food chain. Motorola has released the Android 5.0 update for its testers on the Moto X devices. A full update will be out this month or early next month.

The latest Lollipop update is, in fact, the best Android update yet which takes the operating system to the next level. The update adds better battery backup to the devices, and the new material design and animations have been appreciated for introducing a fresh look to the operating system. Here’s a list of all the devices that will be getting the Android Lollipop update.

November 10, 2014
HTC Desire Eye, Nokia Lumia 830 and LG G Watch R Arrive on 7th November in the US

Post Samsung Galaxy Note Edge announcement, AT&T revealed a long list of devices which will be available in the US starting from 7th November.

AT&T is going huge with HTC offerings including the Desire Eye ($150 on-contract, $550 off-contract), One (M8) for Windows and RE camera ($199 contract-free). Along with these devices, the previously promised Lumia 830 will also be available around the same time, costing you $100 on-contract and $450 upfront; you’ll get a free Fitbit Flex activity tracker with the Windows Phone, if you are one of the lucky buyers.

The One (M8) for Windows will be available online and in AT&T retail stores starting 7th November. It will cost $200 with a two-year contract or free upfront with a Next plan – $27.92 a month for Next 18 and $33.60 for Next 12. If you don’t want commitment to AT&T, the off-contract price is $670.

The Lumia 830 is exclusive to AT&T and will also go on sale on 7th of this month. It is priced at $100 with a two-year contract or $18.75 with Next 18 and $22.50 with Next 12. The no-commitment price is $450.

Along with this, the retail giants will also offer Moto 360 and LG G Watch R for respective prices of $299 and $249.

November 4, 2014