optimus

Quad-core LG Optimus 4X HD makes European debut

While American smartphones have yet to taste the fruit of quad-core computing, yet another fire-breathing handset boasting the technology has hit European shores. LG has confirmed its Optimus 4X HD is now for sale in Germany. … Read more

Android 4.0 reaching two LG Optimus smartphones in June

Some LG smartphone owners will be receiving the latest version of Android early next month.

An LG Korean news item (English translation) points to the Optimus LTE Tag and the Optimus Vu as getting a dollop of Ice Cream Sandwich -- aka Android 4.0 -- starting on June 4.

As Engadget points out, it's a bit tough to decipher the Google translation. But the update appears to include LG's Optimus UI 3.0, which runs on top of Android 4.0. Owners of the Optimus Vu will also receive "additional features."

CNET contacted LG for … Read more

LG Optimus Slider lets you text like a fiend

The LG Optimus Slider on Virgin Mobile is the successor to early 2011's LG Optimus V -- only, it hardly even looks like it.

Like a cousin who spent his summer camp days working out and beefing up only to become unrecognizable by the time September rolled around, the Slider somewhat resembles the V with a little more junk in the trunk.

But to be fair, that extra "junk," is actually a slideout QWERTY keyboard. With four rows of generously sized keys and navigational arrows, the handset is great for people who text all day and want … Read more

LG Optimus M gets a makeover with the M+

In 2010, MetroPCS released its first Android smartphone, the LG Optimus M. We were pretty satisfied with the phone, save for its boxy design and the fact that its specs weren't up to par with its counterpart models carried by other networks.

But two years is a long time in this industry, and MetroPCS recently released an updated version of the M, aptly called the LG Optimus M+. With its 3.5-inch screen, 800MHz processor, and 5-megapixel camera, the bumps in specs in this mid- to entry-level device did not go unnoticed. And, compared with the original M, the … Read more

LG unveils new user interface for ICS devices

One of the nicest things about Android is that vendors can place their own user interface on top of it to deliver a unique experience to customers. And LG is taking advantage of that.

The company today introduced the Optimus UI 3.0 for Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) devices it sells. A key ingredient in the new user interface is an enhanced Quick Memo feature, allowing users to use their finger to quickly take notes. In addition, Quick Memo information can be shared via social networks, or sent as a text message or e-mail.

The update is by … Read more

Improved LG Optimus 4X HD arrives in Europe in June

LG today confirmed that its quad-core Optimus 4X HD will go on sale in "key markets" in Europe starting in June. Initially unveiled at Mobile World Congress back in February, the smartphone also will touch down in select countries in Asia and South and Central America in the coming months.

As a reminder, the handset runs Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) and has 16GB of internal memory, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel main camera, a second 1.3-megapixel shooter around front, DLNA support, a 2,150mAh battery, and the Nvidia Tegra 3 1.5GHz quad-core processor. On … Read more

LG Optimus Elite brings Google Wallet to Virgin Mobile

Following in Sprint's footsteps, Virgin Mobile is getting Google Wallet thanks to the LG Optimus Elite, which first came out on Sprint on April 20.

The Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone is Virgin Mobile's first phone with support for Google Wallet and NFC, or near field communication, a short-range communication protocol similar in concept to Bluetooth.

The silver LG Optimus Elite, which also features a 3.5-inch touch screen, 5-megapixel camera, and a 800MHz processor, goes on sale May 15 for $149.99, but preorders begin today.

Camera megapixels: Why more isn't always better (Smartphones Unlocked)

Editors' note: This article originally published May 6, 2012, and was updated on February 13, 2013, and again on May 4, 2013.

In a matter of months, the high-end smartphone camera spec rocketed from a respectable 8 megapixels to an altitudinous 13.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG Optimus G Pro are the freshest examples of this megapixel push, but even last January's Pantech Discover (12.6 megapixels), last October's LG Optimus G for Sprint (13 megapixels), and especially mid-2012's 41-megapixel Nokia 808 PureView piled on the megapixels.

Yet even though the technology exists, quality can be just as uneven from phone to phone as it was when an 8-megapixel shooter was the "best" that money could buy.

Shootout!: Samsung Galaxy S4 versus HTC One and iPhone 5

Championing that perception head-on is HTC, the same company that not too long ago boasted about the 16-megapixel camera in its Titan II. Now, in its HTC One flagship, the smartphone maker dials down the megapixel count to 4 megapixels, which HTC fancifully terms "Ultrapixels," arguing that the lager pixel size throws back the blinds to let in much more light.

In this lies the reminder (something photography nuts will tell you) that it's quite possible for an excellent 5-megapixel camera to produce photos you prefer over a shoddy 12-megapixel camera. The number of megapixels alone is no guarantee of heightened photographic performance.

Instead, the formula for fantastic photos comes down to the entire camera module, which includes the size and material of the main camera lens, the light sensor, the image processing hardware, and the software that ties it all together. So let's dive in.… Read more

LG Optimus M+ is a plus for MetroPCS users

MetroPCS recently added the LG Optimus M+ to its Android offerings, and the phone is available online now, starting at $129.

The 3G Gingerbread device has a 3.5-inch touch-screen display, an 800MHz processor inside, and a 5-megapixel camera in the rear.

The handset also includes features such as Bluetooth, 2.8GB of internal memory, and a 1,300mAh battery.

For an extra $60 a month, users can also receive Rhapsody Unlimited, a music portal where subscribers can download and access millions of songs and albums.