AT&T and LG today announced the LG eXpo, a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone that features a number of firsts for the U.S. smartphone market. The LG eXpo will use a 1GHz processor, like the European HTC HD2 we recently reviewed, and this makes the LG eXpo the first phone on the U.S. market to hit the 1GHz mark. Clearly, a new round of GHz wars are upon us. The LG eXpo can also use the new LG Mobile Projector, a pico projector that snaps right onto the back of the LG eXpo. This makes the new device the first on the U.S. market with that functionality.
The LG eXpo also gets some interesting security options in the Smart Sensor, made by AuthenTec. The optical cursor at the bottom of the phone's face is also a fingerprint scanner, which eliminates the need for pass codes or unlock gestures. This could make the LG eXpo an enticing device for serious business users, along with the slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, a must for editing documents on the go. The Smart Sensor will also offer cursor control and a featured turbo scroll function to help get through long documents and Web pages quickly.
The LG Mobile Projector will be an add-on accessory, available in the coming weeks for $180. Between the extra cost and extra bulk the device will add, only serious business users should apply. The pico projetor will add only 1.8 ounces to the device, though we're more curious about the affect it will have on battery life. The small projector will be able to display Web pages, Office documents, photos and even videos, which should make it useful for presentations and fun for some light entertainment (in a small, dark room).
The LG eXpo uses a 3.2-inch touchscreen to run Windows Mobile 6.5. The improved interface in the new Windows Mobile should make it more touch friendly, but we wonder why LG didn't go all out and offer their own S-class interface on top, or some other enhancement. It's getting more rare these days to see an unadulterated build of Windows Mobile released on the market. Still, even with the standard OS, the LG eXpo has a lot more to offer.
The phone will use a 5-megapixel camera around back. Besides the more unique technologies built in, the LG eXpo will also make use of AT&T's burgeoning HSPA network, which runs at twice the theoretical speeds of the existing 3G HSDPA service. The new service will be available in 6 market by the end of 2009, and it will steadily roll out across 25 new markets next year, covering around 90% of AT&T's current 3G footprint by 2011.
We'll admit some curiosity about this device, but we're skeptical still about the usefulness of the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor running at 1 GHz. As an HTC rep described it to us, the processor is "leaky," meaning it isn't very energy efficient. When paired with a pico projector, obviously this is a device that will have to be plugged in constantly. Even with that extra hassle, we'll have to see the LG Mobile Projector in action before we cast our verdict about its utility.
The LG eXpo will be available on December 7 for $300. A mail-in rebate will score you an AT&T Promotion card, which is sort of like a Visa debit card. You'll also need to sign up for a plan costing $70 or more. The LG Mobile Projector will hit the market in the coming weeks for $180.
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