Review Gadget : Prada phone by LG 3.0 review

LG and Prada have a history of collaboration; their debut phone arrived around the same time as the first iPhone, sporting a black and white display, a petite footprint and a 2-megapixel camera. Next, the Prada II brandished a sliding QWERTY keyboard, a 5-megapixel camera and arrived at a time when WiFi functionality was a big enough deal to note on the press release. Four years on, the pair have rolled their sleeves and attempted to reclaim a place among the top devices, with classy aesthetics backed up by a strong hardware and attractively customized software. This is the team's first attempt at an Android device, and on paper it's got some respectable specifications, including a 4.3-inch NOVA Plus display, a dual-core processor and an 8-megapixel camera sensor that appears to be the same one found on LG's 2011 flagship models. Granted, LG probably wasn't ever planning to include its latest HD IPS screen on a phone where branding was dominated by the other partner, but this smartphone still wants to appeal beyond its good looks.

It's now appeared in Korea and Western Europe and we were fortunate enough to borrow one from UK retailer Phones 4u for review. Are people willing to stump up the top-tier smartphone cash for a device with last year's specifications? Do people want a Prada phone? Might a fashionista be more likely to plump for an iPhone? Or is it too popular? And what about that monochrome skin? We'll talk it all out after the break.

Review Gadget : LG Spectrum review

Let's just get this out of the way, shall we? If the LG Spectrum looks familiar, you're not imagining things. It may have been a highlight at the company's CES press event last month, but the handset bears more than a passing resemblance to its older, more excitingly-named sibling, the LG Nitro HD -- and, by extension, the globe-trotting Optimus LTE. Beneath their 4.5-inch IPS displays, you'll find virtually identical guts, including a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1,830mAh battery and 4GB of internal storage, coupled with a 16GB microSD. There are some important distinctions here, of course -- namely, changes to the phone's shell and, of course, a shift from AT&T to Verizon. So, how does world-weary Optimus fare from its jump to Big Red? Find the answer past the break.

Review Gadget : LG Nitro HD review

AT&T's lonesome LTE duo -- the Samsung GS II Skyrocket and HTC Vivid -- just gained a new member with the recent launch of LG's Nitro HD. You may recognize this particular handset from its former life as the Optimus LTE, except here the phone's been rebranded with a moniker that more astutely conveys its blazing 4G purpose. There may be tough times ahead for the handset, considering the current crop of high-end devices hogging the spotlight. But if three's company, the Galaxy Nexus, HTC Rezound and Droid RAZR are sure to make this a standing room-only crowd -- an especially haughty bunch given their heavyweight specs. Which is why this sudden end-of-year release for the Nitro HD has us questioning the company's timing. Sure, it's no slouch when stacked up against the competition, with a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 AH-IPS display, dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 processor and 1.3 front-facing / 8 megapixel rear cameras. Yet at $250 on contract, the Nitro HD needs to outshine the legacy set by its best-in-class Sammy stablemate or, at least, offer a performance boost over the cheaper Vivid. So can LG's last second contender rise above the fray to win your holiday dollars? Will it succeed in outclassing its LTE compadres? Or is it a case of too little, too late for this metoo three! smartphone. Follow on past the break as we dive into the mobile nitty gritty.

Review Gadget : LG DoublePlay review

It's no secret that Android's dominance of the smartphone world is due in part to the sheer number of models available running the OS. This abundance of choice, while undoubtedly good for consumers, presents a challenge for OEMs as they design and build handsets: how to craft a device that stands out from the crowd? At this point, we've seen slabs of all sizes, a legion of landscape sliders, and a dual-screen oddity join the Android family. Now, LG has created the DoublePlay, giving users both a hint of the Echo's dual screen experience along with a split physical keyboard for tactile typing. In doing so, the company has accomplished something we weren't sure was possible by building a unique Android phone. The question is, does this unusual form factor provide an improved user experience, or is it destined to go down in gadget history as a gimmick?

Review Gadget : LG Optimus 3D review

Cilantro might be the most polarizing thing on this planet. Some people can't eat a fish taco without it, others cry frothy tears of dishsoap at its mere mention. The same may well be true of the LG Optimus 3D (known as the Thrill 4G in the US). We already felt a little torn about the device when we first got our hands on it back in February. Sure, it packed some extra heft and, ahem, Android 2.2.2. But its stupor-inducing, 3D display (combined with some truly poignant marketing) was just enough to whet our appetites. Plus, after having already scarfed down a bowl of HTC's EVO 3D, we were more than a little keen on tasting LG's take on the glasses-free 3D recipe – a young and intriguing smartphone genre. Now that we finally have, we're ready to tackle a question for the ages: dishsoap or delicacy?

Review Gadget : LG Optimus 7 review

Following from the launch of Microsoft’s Window 7 operating system last week, we’ve been playing with LG’s effort, the LG-E900 or LG Optimus 7. Results are very impressive the LG Optimus 7 is a serious IOS and Android rival

LG Optimus 7 review

Love

• Intuitive interface
• Xbox Live Integration
• 720p movie mode

Hate

• No multitasking
• Current lack of Mac support
• Build quality isn't amazing

All the new WP7 phones follow a similar design. They’re black with three buttons - Back, Home and Bing search - along the bottom. The metal-backed LG Optimus 7 is sleek and attractive, easily fitting into a pocket. It doesn’t feel as durable as the Apple iPhone 4 or HTC Legend however - it’s perhaps a little too lightweight. Our major gripe is that when you press the Windows button it feels hollow rather than durable, something we’ve noticed on two versions of this handset. Instead of an SD card there's internal storage.

 LG Optimus 7: WP7 interface

 Microsoft has totally overhauled the interface. The odd touch here and there is unmistakably Windows, but far slicker than we’ve seen it before and totally unrecognisable from previous incarnations. Tellingly, there’s been no need for LG, or other WP7 partners - be it HTC or Samsung - to use their own skins.

At 3.7-inches the screen is a good size, although it's not as bright or sharp as the iPhone 4.