Category: LG

LG Set to Release New Smartphone Featuring Company’s Own Chipset

We have heard for long about LG’s homegrown chipset. It was its effort to catch up with its compatriot and consumer electronics powerhouse Samsung. The chipset is supposedly going to be called Odin. Now it seems that the Chipset is well cooked, and it’s ready for the world to see.

LG has said that the processor will be inducted in the upcoming LG G3 Screen, which will be unveiled in South Korea. The processor will be called the NUCLUN (pronounced NOO-klun) and will boast of an Octa-Core (1.5GHz Quad-Core +1.2GHz Quad-Core) processing capability.

Nuclun processor is LTE Category 6 ready.

The company claims that the Nuclun processors are designed to handle LTE Cat.6 and can provide download speed of up to 225Mbps. It also provides backward compatibility with current LTE networks.

Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company said, “NUCLUN opens up a new chapter in LG’s history of innovation in the mobile industry. With this in-house solution, we will be able to achieve better vertical integration and further diversify our product strategy against stronger competition. NUCLUN will give us greater flexibility in our mobile strategy going forward.”

Samsung’s Exynos processors are still trying to find their mark and LG needs to bring an efficient chipset if it wants to take on the leader of the market; the Snapdragon family. The LG G3 Screen with its 5.9 inch Full HD display won’t make it to India anytime soon, but we’ll know pretty soon if LG has a worthy competitor for this ever-saturated market.

October 24, 2014
LG L Bello Launched in India for Rs.18,500

LG has officially announced the launch of its L Bello smartphone in India at a price tag of Rs. 18,500. LG believes that the L Bello is an affordable yet powerful alternative to its flagship model LG G3 and imbibes the same design language.

The smartphone has LG’s trademark rear key design with an arc curved back and tapered edges. It sports a 5-inch IPS 480 x 854 pixels display with 196 ppi pixel density. It is powered by a 1.3Ghz quad-core processor with Adreno 305 GPU, bundled with 1GB of RAM and a 2540 mAh battery to juice it up. The smartphone runs on the latest Android KitKat OS with LG UI 3.0 on top. The phone has an internal memory of 8GB expandable upto 32GB via SD card.

It has an 8MP rear camera along with a 1MP selfie cam, which comes with features such as ‘Touch & Shoot’, ‘Gesture Shot’and more. Also include are some UX features such as Knock Code, Smart Keyboard, Guest Mode, Capture Plus, Easy Home and QSlide

The phone will be available 3 colour variants namely White, Titan Black and Gold. As already mentioned, the LG L Bello is officially priced at Rs.18,500, though you can get it via online retailers in India at a little lower price.

October 14, 2014

LG Brings Out the Pen-Enabled G3 Stylus in India for Rs. 21,500

LG has launched a new variant of its flagship G3, LG G3 Stylus in India for Rs. 21,500. The LG G3 Stylus is a pen-enabled smartphone that offers a large display and many of the premium user experience features of the G3.

The Stylus version of the G3 comes with a 5.5-inch qHD IPS (960 x 540) display and mounts a 13 MP rear camera along with a 1.3 MP front camera. The LG G3 Stylus runs on a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1 GB of RAM and Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system. It offers 8 GB of internal storage which is further expandable via microSD card slot and is powered by a 3000 mAh battery.

The G3 Stylus boasts the same Floating Arc design with gradually tapered edges, thin bezels and metallic skin back cover that was first introduced on the LG G3. According to LG, the proprietary Rubberdium stylus pen feels comfortable in any hand.

“We believe that the G3 Stylus is perfect for consumers looking for a powerful display and sophisticated design with a reasonable price tag. The G3 Stylus smartphone offers not just a stylus experience but also the same premium user experience and design heritage of the G3,” said Amit Gujral, Marketing Head, LG Mobiles.

This smartphone is equipped with G3’s key camera features such as Touch and Shoot, Gesture Shot and Front Camera Light. Additional UX features that have become standard offerings across LG’s newest smartphones include Dual Window, Smart Keyboard and Knock Code. Optimized for various 3G markets’ wireless networks, the G3 Stylus will be offered in Dual SIM with NFC capability in three colors: Black, White and Gold.

Specifications	LG G3 Stylus
Display	5.5-inch qHD IPS (960 x 540)
Processor	1.3 GHz Quad-Core
Storage	8 GB MicroSD slot
RAM	1 GB RAM
Camera	Rear 13MP, Front 1.3MP
Battery	3,000mAh (removable)
Operating system	Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Add-on	Stylus Pen

October 6, 2014

Battle of the Compacts: Z3 Compact vs S5 Mini vs HTC One Mini vs LG G3 Beat

A recent trend from the major smartphone companies is to release a mini variant of their popular high-end phones to create a namesake device. These devices come at diminished features and price.

Samsung was one of those who began the trend with the S3 Mini. This year saw the emergence of the Galaxy S5 Mini, HTC One mini, LG G3 Beat. These devices are now joined by Sony’s Z3 compact which comes with some impressive specs.

So we decided to have a spec battle of these mini/compact devices to check out how they stand against each other.

Specs	Xperia Z3 Compact	Galaxy S5 Mini	HTC One Mini	LG G3 Beat.
Display	4.6 inch, 720p HD (319 ppi)	4.5-inch, 720p (328 ppi)	4.3 inch, 720p (342 ppi)	5.0 inches, 720p (294 ppi)
Processor	2.5 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 801	1.4 GHz, quad core	1.4 GHz Dual-core Snapdragon 400	1.2 GHz quad core, Snapdragon 400
RAM	2GB	1.5GB	1 GB	1 GB
Internal Storage	16 GB	16GB	16 GB	8 GB
Expandable up to	128 GB	64 GB	–	64 GB
Main Camera	20.7 MP	8.0 MP	4 MP	8 MP
Front Camera	2.2 MP	2.1MP	1.6 MP	1.3 MP
Battery	Non-removable 2600 mAh	Removable 2100mAh	Non-removable 1800 mAh	removable 2540 mAh
Operating System	Android Kitkat v4.4.4	Android Kitkat 4.4.2	Android Kitkat 4.4.2	Android Kitkat 4.4.2
Price	Rs. 44,999	Rs 26,499	Rs. 29,500	Rs. 25000

Well as we can see, Sony’s Z3 Compact clearly washes all others in the battle. But, of course, this wasn’t a level playing field. The Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact are rather like the new iPhones where the only major difference lies in screen sizes. Sony seems to have a great device and by losing some of that bulky price tag the device will be able to find a lot of new customers.

September 25, 2014

LG Introduces G3’s Mid-Tier Variant LG G3 Beat in India

LG has launched the new LG G3 Beat in India for the price of Rs. 25,000. The smartphone which was announced earlier this year is essentially a mid-tier variant of the flagship G3. The new LG G3 Beat will be available across the country retail outlets as well as on e-commerce websites.

LG Electronics India MD, Mr. Swoon Koon in a statement said,”Mobile communications needs to serve the requirements of a growing segment of consumers who are looking for a balance between style, design, features, and great performance, combined together at a favorable price. The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven performance, great innovation and an attractive price, all in a single device.”

On the hardware side, the G3 Beat fashions a 5-inch HD 720p display and is powered by a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also included is 8GB of internal storage that can be further expanded using a microSD card. It is powered by 2540mAh battery and runs on Android 4.4.

The LG G3 Beat features the same ‘Floating Arc Design’ as seen on the LG G3, featuring smooth curved sides and gradually tapered edges. The highlight of the G3 Beat is its 8-megapixel rear camera which comes with the Laser Autofocus feature, same as the G3. However, it has a 1.3-megapixel front camera. Connectivity options on the LG G3 Beat include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPRS/ EDGE, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, Micro-USB, 3G and 4G LTE support

The device weighs 134 grams and will be available in black, white and gold. At this price point, the LG G3 Beat will be up against the likes of the Sony Xperia T3, Samsung Galaxy S5 mini, and the Oppo N1 mini.

Specs	LG G3 Beat
Display	5-inch 720p
Processor	1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 quad-core
RAM	1GB
Cameras	8-megapixel rear/1.3-megapixel front
Storage	8GB expandable
Battery	2,540mAh
Android OS	4.4.2 KitKat
Price	Rs 25,000

September 17, 2014

LG Officially Reveals G Watch R with Circular P-OLED Display

It is a good day for smart watch lovers; Following the unveiling of Samsung Gear S and Gear Circle, LG announced its new G Watch R smartwatch, and it’s one of the most elegantly designed smartwatches we have seen.

The LG G Watch R is said to be the world’s first watch-style wearable device to feature a circular Plastic OLED (P-OLED) display. It utilises 100 per cent of its watch face unlike Moto 360 which has flat bezel in the bottom of the screen.

Like LG’s G Watch, the G Watch R runs on Google’s Android Wear operating system, but that’s by far is the only similarity between the two watches. The G Watch R’s circular touchscreen measures 1.3 inches versus the G Watch’s rectangular 1.65-inch screen. The G Watch R’s display has a higher resolution (320 × 320 pixels) compared with the G Watch’s (280 × 280 pixels).

LG claims that it’s viewable in sunlight and clear from any angle, and the plastic also comes with some durability benefits. The screen rests in a stainless steel frame, and comes with an interchangeable calf skin leather strap.

LG G Watch R packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC with 1.2GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM. The rest of the device’s specs include 4GB of built-in memory, 410mAh battery, and the usual sensors (gyro, accelerometer, compass, barometer).

The G Watch, which sells for $229, took heavy criticism for not including a heart-rate monitor which the company has included in the new G Watch R. It is said that the new device will give tough competition to the much popular Moto 360 which turned lot of heads around during its unveiling at this years Google I/O.

LG G Watch R is already a crowd favorite with its retro-style analog watchfaces, which show sweeping second hands and a set of internal dials that look like a classic watch. There’s even a classic watch crown on the side, which is likely the power button disguised in style.

The sophisticated looking G Watch R come only in black. The Android Gear powered device will run all compatible apps available in the Google Play Store and with an Ingress Protection Rating of IP67, the LG G Watch R is designed to run for up to 30 minutes in one metre of water too. Talk about durability.

The LG G Watch R is said to available in market sometime around this year’s Q4. Prices and details of availability will be announced at the time of local launches. The watch will be on display at IFA 2014 in Berlin next week.

August 28, 2014
LG to Roll Out World’s First 4K OLED Display

The battle of pixels just reached a major extreme. LG will become the first company to sell a 4K OLED TV in the world. These TV’s are massive; they come in 65 and 77-inch variant. These monstrosities have a pixel resolution of 3840X2160.

The 4K OLED TV’s would be first sold in LG’s homeland of South Korea. The company plans to sell the 65-inch variant at a price of 12 million Won ($11,766) that is a huge amount of moolah, but the prices will, of course, come down over time.

The OLED TV’s are capable of producing better blacks, fix flickering and blurring, and reproduce colors more efficiently. LG’s 4K OLED TV will also have audio system that has been designed by Harmon Kardon. The operating system on the TV is WebOS, which is really easy to pick up and makes browsing around the options fairly simple.

The 4K OLED’s were introduced at CES 2014

The main issue with these TV’s is the availability of content that will do justice to such a massive high-def screen. 4K has gained steam in the past few years, but there is a shortage of content for both 2K and 4K. 2K screens have percolated down to mobile devices and have found home in devices like Oppo Find 7, LG’s G3 and the upcoming Note 3. But even here there is a serious lack of content in terms of multimedia and apps. Most importantly, there aren’t enough content delivery mechanisms like discs or USB devices out there for 2K or 4K master quality.

The only option currently is to access the little amount of content available on the internet. But even here, the streaming options are limited by the internet speeds. Even the ISP’s don’t have the capability to handle the massive resources that 4K requires. Currently, 4K content can only be streamed in America, so LG could have introduced them in USA first, but guess they wanted to unleash the pixel powered brilliance to their compatriots first. The TV’s will arrive soon to North American and European markets.

August 25, 2014
New Teaser Reveals Moto 360-Like Round LG Smartwatch

Last week, we heard that LG is working on a refreshed version of the LG G Watch. And now, a leaked teaser shows that this second generation G watch will be round in shape; same as the much appreciated design of the upcoming and highly anticipated Moto 360 smartwatch. A brief 30-second teaser trailer, posted as unlisted on LG Mobile Global’s YouTube page, doesn’t tell much about the new wearable. In fact, it only reveals one (important) detail —its round shape.

LG, which officially launched one of the three Android Wear smartwatches (the LG G Watch), appears to now be focusing on individuals’ preference for round watch faces. The LG watch seems to look like the Moto 360, with a superbly round face that, at any rate as per the teaser, stresses the way that it doesn’t need to leave a little window at the base, as does Motorola’s wearable.

The design also looks to feature a more traditional case with external lugs, vs Motorola’s design, which might be more appealing for those looking for something that more typically resembles your average, innocuous Timex or Casio.

The original G Watch was released only two months ago. The new design so quickly could mean that both these watches were developed around the same time. The first-generation G Watch could have been just to test the waters of the wearable market and to get a headstart and be one of the first companies in the Android Wear device market.

It is said that, LG will be showing off this device at IFA 2014 next week, which means we don’t have to wait too long to get official details.

August 25, 2014
LG Announced Two Affordable Smartphones with G3-Like UI

LG has announced two new affordable smartphones – the L Fino and L Bello in its L Series. According to LG, the devices are aimed at the first-time smartphone users in emerging 3G markets.

The South Korean giant also announced that the new L series handsets will be showcased at the IFA 2014 show in Berlin in early September. LG says the new phones will start rolling out in Latin America, followed by Europe, Asia, and CIS markets. At the moment, India-specific pricing and availability is unknown.

Powered by quad-Core processors, the L Fino and L Bello will continue LG’s signature Rear Key button design and come equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera. The L Fino will have a 4.5-inch display while the L Bello will come with a 5-inch display.

LG L Bello

LG’s L Bello is more powerful of the two, featuring a 5-inch FWVGA (480×854 pixels) IPS display and a 1.3GHz quad-core processor. It too gets 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage. There’re an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a 1-megapixel front shooter. The 2540mAh battery sounds superb given the non-demanding hardware.

LG L Fino comes with a 4.5-inch WVGA (480×800 pixels) IPS display offering a decent 207 PPI pixel density. That puts it behind much of the competition such as the Moto G and Asus Zenfone 5, but it does have a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM. Internally, there’s 4GB of storage, and a microSD card slot is present as well. There’s an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 0.3-megapixel front camera and a 1900mAh battery, which sounds decent given the other specs. Both the Bello and Fino have G3-like buttons on the back and feature a button-less design on the front.

LG L Fino

On the launch Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO, LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, said,”With their competitive specs and accessible pricing, we have high hopes for the L Fino and L Bello to continue our successful expansion into emerging markets. Our newest L Series smartphones represent the best of LG in design, hardware and UX as well as our commitment to bringing best smartphone experience to 3G customers as many as possible.”

August 21, 2014
LG Might Bring Out the G Watch 2 at IFA Berlin

The tech evolution is happening at break neck speed. Just a few months after introducing the G Watch and bringing it out for the consumers, LG might already be ready to bring out the G Watch 2 at the upcoming IFA fair in Berlin.

It is probably the first time that the second generation has been ready to roll out so quickly after the debut product. This is also more than a rumor as it was an LG official who told KoreaTimes about the release.

The Second Generation G Watch is expected to have an OLED display.

The new LG G Watch 2 is expected to have an OLED panel which has nearly become synonymous with LG. Firstly, the OLED panel would definitely help in creating a better display and secondly will help for innovations in fields of battery usage and graphics.

The watch is also expected to be powered by a Qualcomm chipset. It was earlier reported that LG would utilize Odin chipset that it has been developing internally. However, new reports say that they are not ready for the market just yet.

If LG gets this right, it may prove to be a major competition in the burgeoning Smartwatch business. The company will face some intense competition from the Moto 360 and Apple iWatch, both of which are expected to arrive in the market soon. Being the only company with two generations of Android Wear devices, LG has a good chance to carve its luck in the Smartwatch market.

August 20, 2014
YouTube Gives 1440p Option For 2K Displays

You bought that expensive phone with an eye popping 2K display but cannot find content that does justice to that phenomenal screen. Well everyone’s favorite video streaming address has now come up with a solution. YouTube is giving a scale up option for smartphones with superior displays.

Although Oppo’s Find 7 and Lenovo’s Vibe Z2 had brought their phones with 2K displays, the market started to heat up following the launch of the LG G3. The phones spectacular display and flagship performance was unanimously appreciated.

The issue with screens with such high definition is that there isn’t enough content for these screens. Of course there is some phenomenal HD content that will keep you mesmerized but they don’t unleash the screens full potential.

Now YouTube will provide a higher 1440p output for such screens, thereby giving you a one source option for high quality content. This will of course apply to content that can be presented at that resolution.

This is a great opportunity for other handset makers to bring in the displays and use them in their marketing strategy. It is speculated that Samsung might enter the 2K space with the upcoming Note 4. At a time when companies are actively trying to make smartphones capable of competing with computers, a superior display can be a good selling point.

August 11, 2014
LG G3 Review

LG has remained an underdog in the Android smartphone race for quite a while. In 2012 when Google formed a liaison with the Korean manufacturer for the Nexus 4, LG was suddenly back on the map. LG simultaneously launched global versions of the Nexus devices known as the “G” phones. The first one aka Optimus G was very well received and appreciated for its performance and looks, and the G2 which was the Nexus 5 version of LG’s flagship lineup won several accolades.

The LG G3 was not something most were looking forward to, in fact no one was really waiting for the G3. With Samsung launching one of the most disappointing flagship Galaxy S phones in many years, the HTC One M8 more or less stole the thunder in the top tier of the Android Market.

Does LG’s late arrival of the G3 slow down its acceptance in the market, lets find out!

Overview

The LG G3 took the market by storm at launch, the G3 is the first commercially available phone from a big manufacturer to feature a brilliant 2K resolution display. But LG also improved a lot of other things with the phone, a removable back panel, laser autofocus and more, making it possibly the right kind of eye candy and by pricing it well a superior and rounded phone.

Hardware and Innards

The LG G3 is more or less up there with specs and internal hardware, a Snapdragon 801 chipset and Adreno 330 GPU. You also have two easy memory options, one with 16 GB storage and 2GB RAM and the other with 32 GB storage and 3 GB RAM. The removable battery and memory card slot are a major boon to everyone who is planning to buy this phone.

The Pièce de résistance of the LG G3 is the marvellous 5.5 inch 2K resolution display, aka 1440 x 2560 pixels, which makes it a crazy 534 ppi on the display. LG has also bumped up the optics with a 13 MP camera and laser autofocus which will also capture 2160p video at 30 fps and 1080p video at the same 30 fps.

All of this for a good under Rs. 50k price bracket for the higher GB variant.

Build Quality and Design

Even though the phone is completely made from plastic and has a removable back panel, it has a far superior build quality when compared to the Galaxy S5. It’s almost like a impressive plastic version of the HTC One M8, also very identical to the HTC One E8 in terms of the build.

Design wise the LG G3 is beautiful to our eyes, the front of the handset is absolutely stunning with thin bezels and that gorgeous display. The brushed finish of the back panel replicates a metallic look quite a lot, and we are really happy that LG improved on the G Flex’s design to get this finish.

Rear Buttons

Just like the G2 the buttons on the G3 are at the back and have been improved to become easier to use, they look much better too. The edges of the G3 are also more rounded and the phone feels fantastic in the hands. The front is laden with Gorilla Glass 3 for added strength and usability.

Design wise LG has improved quite a lot and really built a better G2 which in itself was pretty good-looking.

August 6, 2014
#LetsTalkShop with LG’s Amit Gujral

LG has put them selves on the map in the past couple of years. Taken as a company known for “cheap” products, LG has managed to quickly change their public image and their product lineup to match their image.

Amit Gujral, who has spent well over a decade and a half with the company, heads the marketing for the Mobile division of LG and sits out of the large and lavish Greater Noida HQ which also doubles up as a factory for home appliances.

The LG G3 is being pushed by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan as an “Endorser”, Amit Gujral claims the campaign is simply to push a “legend by a legend”. The company is not interested in playing a catch up game, and wants to go beyond the thinking of its competition.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Amit Gujral” author_title=”Marketing Head – LG Mobile India”]

We don’t want to play catch up!

[/quote]

LG is also working on a tablet that they will launch shortly, said Amit coyly. Giving us another opportunity to sit with him to discuss details. The company has understood that there is very little need between a large phone and a tablet for consumption of content.

Amit claims that Social Media availability for a brand is a must, and the trend in the market is more “we” than “me”. LG is available for the consumers on Social Media and is arming up operations to be available in a better fashion.

Software is key and mostly all our phones are running KitKat, from mid to High segment , said Amit. Going forward LG will continue supporting updates for products.

Watch the full video below for the juicy bits.

August 4, 2014
LG G3 Unboxing and Hands On

The LG G3 is finally here and we think it’s priced perfect for market that we are in. We haven’t been this excited for a product in a while and the G3 just makes the cut. The phone is a beautiful amalgamation of specs and design, hardware and looks, brains and brawn, basically however you put it, LG may have the perfect smartphone here.

Let us put everything in perspective, the G3 is packed with a beautiful 5.5 inch 2560 x 1440 px display, giving this bad boy a whopping 534 pixels per inch density on the IPS panel. You also get Gorilla Glass 3 and a highly optimised and fast Snapdragon 801 Qualcomm MSM8975AC chipset with Quad Cores and 2.5 Ghz on the clock.

The beauty of it all is that for a price difference of just a few thousand rupees/ less than 50$ , you can get a higher speced version with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage vs the usual 16GB storage and 2 GB RAM version.

The box is golden in colour and is representative of the LG G series of phones. Like many smartphones before this you will see the usual set of things in the box, a cable a charger, handsfree and documentation. LG has ignored the need of things like NFC tags and such, because frankly there is no need.

Camera and Laser Autofocus

Price wise the lower spec’d variant will be available for Rs. 46999 vs the 3GB + 32 GB variant which has been launched for Rs. 49999. Did we mention that the device is LTE enabled. Watch the Unboxing below.

July 21, 2014
New Launch : The LG G3 Comes to India For Rs. 47,990

LG has officially launched the baddest smartphone till date in India, the LG G3, officially for a smart price of Rs. 47,990 for the 16 GB variant and Rs. 52,990 for the 32 GB variant. The LG G3 is also the first commercially available phone from a big manufacturer to feature a 2K display and what a display it is!

The LG G3 is the third iteration in their flagship line and we have to say, unlike their Korean counter brand, they seem to be innovating on the right side of the brain which is usually the left. The G3 has a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor and comes in 16 and 32GB internal storage variants with 2GB and 3GB RAM, respectively. Both models support up to 128GB microSD cards.

LG has also made the battery removable along with the back panel which comes of easy to house one micro sim card and one micro SD card. The phone is LTE enabled from the get go so you should be mostly happy with the bands supported.

LG has positioned Amitabh Bachchan as the promotion celeb for this particular product and you will see a lot more of him in the coming days is what LG tells us.

LG has also mastered the focus capabilities of this phone says the company thanks to the new Laser autofocus : which also uses phase detection to get quick and precise focus on your subject so that the 13 MP OIS equipped camera can take a picture for you.

Watch the full Unboxing here, and stay tuned for the Review galore coming right up.

July 21, 2014