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LG launches 5-inch touchscreen Optimus Vu smartphone/tablet

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13:29 February 21, 2012

LG has unveiled its new 5-inch Optimus Vu smartphone/tablet ahead of Mobile World Congress...

LG has unveiled its new 5-inch Optimus Vu smartphone/tablet ahead of Mobile World Congress 2012 in Spain later this month

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LG has revealed what is claimed to be the thinnest LTE smartphone available on the market. The Optimus Vu sits somewhere between a small tablet (Thrive/Agora/Arnova) and a modern smartphone (Spectrum/Xperia ion), features a 4:3 ratio IPS display, is powered by a Dual-Core processor, and has 32GB of onboard storage.

LG is making quite a bit of noise about the high quality multimedia experience offered by the Optimus Vu's 4:3 ratio, 5-inch (1024 x 768 pixel resolution) IPS display with sunlight-friendly 650-nit brightness, and the speed and performance of its proprietary LTE technology. At its heart, the smartphone has a 1.5GHz Dual-Core processor supported by 1GB of DDR2 memory and 32GB of eMMC solid state storage. There's also an 8 megapixel snapper with AF LED Flash at the rear and a 1.3 megapixel camera at the front.

At launch, the Optimus Vu will run on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) but there will be an update to version 4.0 of Google's mobile operating system (Ice Cream Sandwich) within the first three months. It has dimensions of 139.6 x 90.4 x 8.5mm (5.49 x 3.55 x 0.33-inches), weighs just 168 grams (5.92 oz), benefits from a capacious 2,080mAh battery, and comes supplied with what LG is calling a Rubberdium pen for typing onscreen (or you could just use your finger).

A QuickClip hotkey caters for single button screenshot capture, and the Polaris Office app is pre-installed so that users can open documents, spreadsheets and presentations from the get-go, no matter the format. It's also DNLA-capable and there's HDMI connectivity, too.

LG has scheduled the Optimus Vu for a Korean release in March (no word as yet on wider availability) but visitors to the company's stand at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, Spain (February 27 to March 1) can grab a sneaky first look at the new smartphone/tablet.

Source: LG

About the Author
Paul Ridden
Paul Ridden
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before the desire for sunnier climes saw him wave a fond farewell to his native Blighty in favor of Bordeaux, France. He's now a dedicated newshound pursuing the latest bleeding edge tech for Gizmag.

User Comments (6)
 

Thinnest... its no thinner than a 5" Dell Streak and the spec's are not all that much of an improvement on the Streak thats been around for nearly 2yrs!

comment Paul Harris - February 22, 2012 @ 12:39 am PST

4:3? stupid ratio for a all touchscreen phone...

comment Vivek Yadav - February 22, 2012 @ 01:37 am PST

I agree with Vivek Yadav. If they are trying to compete with the Samsung Galaxy Note, they went the wrong way with screen resolution. I'll wait for the 1920 x 1080 HD 5" screens.

comment MBadgero - February 22, 2012 @ 07:03 am PST

If it's cheaper than Samsung Galaxy Note, then I'll buy it, but I'm more interested in Sony Xperia S, with 12 mega pixel quality camera, or Droid 4, with physical keyboard. By the time it's released, Galaxy Note will be cheaper, and it has the Samsung brand. Right now it's my beloved HTC Sensation 1.5 Ghz.

comment Dawar Saify - February 22, 2012 @ 10:24 am PST

The phone is okay, but the female model sure is cute!

comment Mark Keller - February 22, 2012 @ 10:57 am PST

@Mark Keller - she's an Android, not the Gingerbread type either...

comment agulesin - February 22, 2012 @ 11:11 pm PST
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