LG announces Prada II

We think that phones like the Touch Pro and X1 sort of limit the market for pricey dumbphone QWERTY sliders, but be that as it may, LG clearly has every intention of making the Prada II one of its headline devices in the waning months of 2008. The rumored 7.2Mbps HSDPA 850 / 2100, WiFi, TV-out, an FM radio, and a 5-megapixel camera have all been confirmed to go along with the full keyboard for a launch in Europe in the end of October or beginning of November, running something in the range of €600 (about $816). Don't get us wrong, it looks alright -- but would this be your first choice of ways to part with the better part of a grand?

[allislost @ Oct 13th 2008 3:28AM]

WTF? It's doesn't even have the necessary to be able to at ALL!!

[mousekopf @ Oct 13th 2008 3:55AM]

I might completely agree with you if I could discern at least some of what you just said.

[LordFarkward @ Oct 13th 2008 4:39AM]

He meant that if he could then he would and so it's good but then it's able and necessary.

Yup.

[OneLove @ Oct 13th 2008 1:29PM]

OMG! its Dr. Seuss!

[allislost @ Oct 13th 2008 8:56PM]

LordFarkward is right... i think...

[Kona @ Oct 13th 2008 3:34AM]

There is too much comp! This thing is ugly, not trendy and uses the prada name for no reason at all. where is the prada style? I will take my $816.00 and buy a puppy! what os is this thing using, I heard win mo. if this uses win mo and has the live tv feature i will suddenly pay attention.

[tydei8 @ Oct 13th 2008 10:12AM]

I don't know if buying an $816 dog is any better.

[noyp @ Oct 13th 2008 12:01PM]

A dog can love you. a phone can't

[eggothewaffle @ Oct 13th 2008 3:34AM]

All these phones sharing Nokia N810's styling/form factor should really send signals to Nokia that it would be an intelligent business decision to make an uber-phone based upon that particular form factor.

[derX @ Oct 13th 2008 3:50AM]

I'm not a big fan of the phone's design, but I must say for a QWERTY slider with those specs, it's pretty damn slim appearing.

...although I still cannot see why they have wasted so much frontal real estate. Does it not seem like there's an enormous amount of space between the top of the phone and the top of the screen? The camera and ear piece do not require _that much_ space.

[Samboini @ Oct 13th 2008 4:58PM]

That keyboard looks a beauty!

[somewhatboxes @ Oct 13th 2008 3:50AM]

Protip to commenters: Criticizing it and then not mentioning the price doesn't make you look like you're above complaining about the price. It makes it look like you have sour grapes. The phone offers some impressive aspects, and 7.2 mbps if faster than many home connections in the US (don't go quoting me your 40 mbps speed with FiOS, you're not living in the norm), so with that and the 5 megapixel camera and keyboard, it's a tempting phone in and of itself. For over 800 dollars though, the phone either has to stand almost entirely on fashion and fads, or it has to offer something so phenomenally mindblowing that it changes the mobile phone market in an even bigger way than the original Razr or the iPhone did.

This is, as the article said, a good phone and it looks nice. For 800 dollars it's a serious disappointment. They might do better if they printed ">$800" in big green letters on the back so that people might be able to flash their wealth with that much more ease. As it stands, it doesn't stand out as the beacon of absurd wealth for which they should be aiming.

[Alex @ Oct 13th 2008 3:56AM]

Protip: That's a completely unsubsidized price.

Example: The iPhone 3G unsubsidized is $600/$700 (8GB/16GB).

If this comes to a carrier, odds are it'll be hella cheaper. For instance, the Prada, with improved specs, is on AT&T as the Vu, which runs for $150.

The RAZR I believe was over $500 when it first came out.

Basically, this'll get cheaper in time. With specs like that, odds are it won't be outdated by the time it's more reasonable.

[somewhatboxes @ Oct 13th 2008 4:09AM]

IIRC, Apple sort of twisted AT&T's arm around to get them to subsidize the price more heavily than they would have been willing normally, so the chances of it getting anywhere near as steep a discount as the iPhone is relatively unlikely.

But you're right about the RAZR having been about 500, it was something like 800 dollars without service plan, but it went on to be one of the most widely purchased and popularized phones... well, ever.

Still, with the phone industry picking up in much the same way that computer components accelerate, we're likely going to find that the Prada 2 simply doesn't have the time to ease into a cheaper price that the RAZR had. In a couple of years we'll likely be looking at the beginnings of the 4G rollout, and we'll be rushing to get the Prada 2 off the stage to let other phones take its place.

It's a dangerous game that LG is playing, aiming high and expecting to ease into a more palatable price, because if their roadmap for that plan goes on for too long, then they'll find themselves the 300-400 dollar subsidized dumbphone among dozens of similarly spec'ed Android-powered smartphones with similar designs to boot LG out of the market.

[Shinigami @ Oct 13th 2008 3:51AM]

Forget about this and wait for Nokia 5800 Tube. Remember its price? 279 euro (around $400) without contract here in Europe. I don't think it will get much more expensive after getting into USA.

[asg84 @ Oct 13th 2008 4:14AM]

waiting for nokia 5800 will be a sensible thing , and nokia n83 will land soon too (high end touch phone)

[Bill @ Oct 13th 2008 4:46AM]

It's a high end designer branded phone, and as such, that's why the high asking price. However, is it worth it to most people? Probably not. I'll be getting a Nokia 5800 Tube for my touch phone needs and ignoring the "fashion phone" - I even work in fashion! LOL!

[david_topping @ Oct 13th 2008 5:19AM]

“would this be your first choice of ways to part with the better part of a grand?”

In the absence of the Touch Pro, G1 and the expectation (well really only a hope) of the Touch HD Pro then yes this would at least be on my list. It may be dumb but nowadays even the dumb phones have most of the functionality customers are looking for, if not to match my Universal. You can’t fault the styling, the UI is OK (if it’s like the old Prada) and there will be people who walk into a shop, decide it’s got what they need, looks good and buy it, even at £600.

It’s OK to ask the sort of people who read Engadget if they’d buy it and expect a “no” but the rest of the world won’t necessarily behave the same way, if they were truly rational and well informed we’d all be using OS/2 on our PCs. Ok that last bit was an exaggeration, or maybe an indication of some mental problems.

[Kris @ Oct 13th 2008 5:21AM]

It does look pretty though... But I think it will not succeed.

[BOGRASH @ Oct 13th 2008 8:03AM]

You always have to ask yourself - what phone would Biggie have? If he had not been murdered in 97, he would most likely be calling Diddy on one of these 'bad boys' right now.

[Daniel @ Oct 13th 2008 8:25AM]

It's GORGEOUS! Such a simple and clean design. :)

[Cybergypsy @ Oct 13th 2008 8:52AM]

iPhone for 199? I had the first Prada it was a great little phone but bought it for 400.00. this is much more and not worth it.

[cello @ Oct 13th 2008 10:48AM]

Agreed. I had the first one and now I have the iPhone - the iPhone has better build quality, is more supported and is just plain sexier.

The only thing the Prada had going for it was the size. If you wear tight pants I suppose it fits better in the pocket.

[noyp @ Oct 13th 2008 12:03PM]

An apple fanboi comment with some sense? say it ain't so!

[Ben @ Dec 5th 2008 11:50PM]

What company is this phnoe going to be in??????