LG says it's launching a product to 'compete with Apple and Amazon,' maybe by April
By Donald Melanson 
posted February 12th 2010 4:45AM
posted February 12th 2010 4:45AM
LG isn't dishing out many details about this one just yet, but company exec KW Kim (head of LG's Middle East and Africa Operations) has told Emirates Business that LG will soon be launching a product -- "maybe by April" -- that "will compete with Apple and Amazon." And, well, that's about it. As you may recall, however, LG has been showing off various bits of technology for e-book readers over the past little while, including a solar-powered system designed specifically for e-readers and, of course, some flexible e-paper displays that have already turned up in the Skiff Reader. In other LG news, Kim also dropped word that the company is talking with Etisalat about a new line of "notebooks" (possibly netbooks) that would use "Google's operating system," although it's not clear if he was referring to Chrome or Android.
Apple and Amazon have content alongside their hardware. Content is key. Do you have content LG? I don't mind if you ship your devices with some pre-loaded K-dorama and/or manhwa though.
A borderless e-book reader. I knew it.
@pika2000 they've got bulgogi and those hot, hot, surgically enhanced female sales reps.
@pika2000
That may be exactly what LG is rolling out... a content store for LG devices.
But the problem is it will turn out just like all their other products. They will release this seemingly better device, with better specs, but it wont have the instant appeal, nor will it have the support or community backing. Apple has such a minimal product line and they refine their products. LG and Samsung in particular just pump out one after another. Just look at what they have done to "compete" with the iPhone. In the time that Apple have released 3 iPhones since 2007 LG and Samsung have released COUNTLESS smart phones, non of which have really stuck in the publics mind.
Anyway that will be the end of my drunken rant lol
@Adamgs
Mind you, Samsung has been doing touchscreen phones way before the iPhone came out. Or is the American public just so fuill of themselves?
@darkmax
Thats fantastic, i never said Apple invented the smartphone. Im not that ignorant. Infact i had plenty of smart phones BEFORE the iPhone was even mentioned.
Apple undeniably did it right. Personally i hate the iPad, i love my netbook..but no one knows better than Apple that specs arent everything. LG and Samsung are yet to create ANYTHING that is truly lust worthy.
They ditch their products far too quickly, even ones that do particularly well like the Omnia. It built up a reasonable name for itself but thats faded into oblivion.
@Adamgs Yes I do agree they ditch their product far too quickly, leaving almost no resale value to any thing they make.
However, Apple has been selling older components in their devices at today's premium prices. I simply cannot comprehend why the fanboys are so willing to pay for gadgets that are easily 5 years old (software and OS aside).
@darkmax Apple is winning the war via software, where it really matters, any company can assemble top of the line components and create a better specs products, however without software to take advantage of those hardware, it meaningless to own them.
Let's look at Ipad, many may whine about it's single task only, however with it's CPU, multitask will only slow down performance, destroying the whole experience, a trade off i would gladly take.
With our current generation of CPU, 4Gb ram, it's not that bad, running vista, but after all those bad press, no sane person will buy vista. It's not poor programing that kill vista, but the lack of control on hardware and ultimately user experience that killed Vista.
Even if you dislike apple, you have to admit, they are good, they understand consumers, they deliver, not the hardware, but the experience.
@darkmax 5 years I think you may be just a little off there sir, just sayin
@heliosys "Even if you dislike apple, you have to admit, they are good, they understand consumers, they deliver, not the hardware, but the experience."
I do like the experience, but what I like more is freedom of choice. I have lots of choice in the app store, but I can't choose to get google voice, I can't choose to play flash videos, I can't choose to turn multi-tasking on/off in the iPad. It's a weak brand of choice that apple understands consumers want, but they wont give them. So, maybe even 60% of users don't want flash (I'd think the number is much lower, I'm just trying to make the people that want it the minority). Why not give them the choice? Oh yeah, because like most companies, they understand just how much a leash you can put a customer on and the longer you have them the more you can get away with (windows OS is a good comparison here with ME & Vista, still XP & windows 7 beating sales expectations).
Long winded rant that's been said before, but what the point is, I might be more willing to take a spec'd up model from LG than ever as long as they try to open up development in a real way, with real choice.
I couldn't agree more!
These days you're not cool if you don't make an ereader or tablet.
the guy on the left doesn't seem to want to look at his paper
@shithead
Yea I'm sorry for the off topicness here but I couldn't help but look at that picture and just KNOW that those guys are about fondle that woman all extra Japanese style....
The MeatStylus tag is missing.
@onlymyrailgun the "meatstylus" now that was an amusing read wasn't it. I would rather just not where gloves than carry around one of these on a cold day but funny none the less.
The guy in the photo on the left is not looking at the newspaper but actually at the girl and thinking 'bukkake'.
Bendable porno ebook powered by solar panel, oh yeah! Next thing you know, they are going to free max hardcore to do the promotion.
Have to be extra careful rolling this up and "gently" whacking it on my son's head when he is naughty. Might cause a concussion....
A newspaper?
Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure they are.
Although competition is a good thing. I say bring it on.
'Compete with Apple and Amazon'
I'm sure it'll be some kind of e-reader/multitouch pad
Good luck with that. IMHO, that's nuts in a bad way.
This good be the revival of the traditional newspaper corporations. Costs linked to the physical paper rises up the 60% of the total expenses. In this article I am proposing a model that saves a lot of expenses and is based on this product. http://www.spatialheadworks.com/2010/02/12/concept-digitally-distributed-newspapers/
that guy in the far left is pulling a "DAT ASS" face.
i find it hilarious apple is even being mentioned along side amazon.