Does LG’s new UMTS-enabled CU320 slider phone live up to the hype? We took a hands-on look during last week’s CTIA, where LG showed off the rest of its latest handsets.
LG LX550 review summary
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LG LX550
Score: 76% When: May 2006 (Sprint) Worth: $80 - $330 What: Music phones, LG phones
The stylish, white-and-blue LG LX550 (now known as the "Fusic") is one of the friendliest music phones we've laid eyes on – think of it as the 3G handset next door. Complete with three removable faceplates (blue, pink and black), the LX550's brilliant 262,000-color internal display (the 65,000-color external LCD is workable) looked bright and vivid, and the flat, blue-backlit keypad is both easy to use and easy on the eyes. With its microSD memory expansion (up to 1GB), access to the Sprint Music Store and dedicated music controls on the external flip, the 4.2-ounce LX550 performs its music duties well, and it even adds an FM transmitter for broadcasting your tunes to the nearest radio (sound quality was surprisingly good). You can groove to the music (at ear-splittingly high volumes) over the included (and decent) earbuds or with a Bluetooth stereo headset, although LG is still tweaking the Bluetooth stereo profile to make it work with Sprint Music Store tracks (unprotected music files work fine using the integrated music player). Finally, the hazy snapshots we took using the Fusic's 1.3-megapixel camera were disappointing.
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LG CU320
One of the first UMTS handsets available in the U.S., the LG CU320 (which debuted back in January at CES) made the rounds at CTIA last week. We had a chance to tinker with this speedy, multitasking slider on the show floor, and we walked away mighty impressed.
Measuring 3.8 by 1.9 by 1 inches and weighing in at about 4.3 ounces, the CU320 has an average heft and bulk for a multimedia slider; it felt fairly comfortable in our hand, although the stubby external antenna pushes it over the edge in terms of fitting in a jeans pocket. The 262,000-color, 176 x 220-pixel TFT display looked razor-sharp to our eyes, and the phone open and closed with a smooth sliding action. While we liked the styling of the navigational keypad and the soft/talk/end keys, our fingers had some trouble with the smallish numeric keys.
The CU320 enters the fray with a 1.3-megapixel camera and video recorder (which records clips up to 25 minutes long), Bluetooth, a microSD expansion slot, an MP3 player, a speakerphone, and a suite of instant messaging clients (including AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ). We were most impressed with the phone’s ability to multitask, meaning you can take a voice call while continuing to use the handset’s data features.
Pricing and availability
The CU320 is available now from Cingular for $150, or $100 with a new service plan.
LG CG300
A new push-to-talk clamshell for Cingular, the quad-band CG300 lets you squawk at up to 30 people at a moment’s notice. The silver-and-black handset also packs in a VGA camera, Bluetooth, a speakerphone, instant messaging (with clients such as AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ), and voice memos. The CG300 is available now from Cingular for $100, or $50 with a new service plan.
LG LX350
The new LX350 clamshell looks to be a solid mid-range handset, complete with Bluetooth, a 1.3-megapixel camera, 1xRTT data capabilities and a speakerphone. The tri-mode GSM handset should launch in the U.S. during the second quarter of 2006; no word yet on pricing or carriers.
LG CG225
A standard-issue, entry-level camera phone, the flip-style CG225 lets you snap VGA-quality pictures and chat with your IM pals via AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and ICQ. The quad-band GSM/GPRS handset also boasts a speakerphone, a 65,000-color internal display and a monochrome external LCD. Look for the CG225 in the second quarter of 2006; again, no details on pricing or carriers.
LG VX3400
This bare-bones entry-level clamshell eschews a camera, opting instead for basics such as a 65,000-color internal LCD and a monochrome external display, a speakerphone, and voice memos. The tri-mode CDMA/1xRTT LG VX3400 should street in the U.S. in the second quarter; carriers and pricing have yet to be announced.
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