LG Ally works its Iron Man cred, leaves a few loose ends to tie up
By Paul Miller 
posted May 11th 2010 8:05PM
posted May 11th 2010 8:05PM
At least LG managed to best the Droid's landscape QWERTY, with some well-defined keys and decent, clicky action, though the unfortunate layout and an oddly inconsistent key shape keeps that from saving this phone. Specs-wise it's just what we had been hearing: Android 2.1, a 3.2 megapixel camera (with a flash), a nicely side-accessible microSD slot for the included 4GB SD card, and that mid-range Qualcomm MSM7627 processor. Hopefully Verizon can announce a bargain basement price (we're figuring $99 or less is a shoe-in), otherwise we want that GW990 back pronto. No word on release date, either, but we should be learning more tomorrow.
very nice design :)
@sedo True, but honestly all these Android phones are starting to look alike.
@aubreyq It's not that all the Android phones are looking the same. It's that LG has no comprehensive Android strategy, and without that they should be pushing the hardware. Unfortunately, that isn't happening since they have no real strategy. Both LG and Samsung relied on dumbphones for far to long to rise in market share, then Samsung scrambled to put something together that is lacking (touchwizz/bada) LG just said we'll make our bed with other OSes and see where it takes us. Good luck with that.
@sedo How come everyone says that Android is fragmenting then when the manufacturers all come out with similar spec phones people say they don't like it? Seems like Android phones such as this are going to be archetypal but that's good for users.
@David Bailey its the software thats being fragmented
@aubreyq like ******??
@aubreyq
You know whats really alike and getting tiresome. People who blindly follow everything Engadget has to say without trying it for themselves. Ba Ba Ba!
Easily swappable SD cards! I thought companies had forgot people like storage.
@sweetelectro
LG dont copy Motorola, the D-pad needs to be on the left.
See how 30min's of MS Paint can redesign the QWERTY to be more loveable!
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/7240/lgim2.png
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... I wonder if this post will get "Highest Rank"?
@Kangal uh, actually LG handsets pretty much all have a right-side d-pad.
@joebaba
Ok sorry, but doesn't change the fact its unreasonable.
If it was on the left, we probably wouldn't need a Game Gripper.
Anyways here's option #3:
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/4435/lgim2a.png
@Kangal
LG didn't copy Motorola, look at the v, enV, enV 2, enV 3 and the enV Touch, all of them always had the d-pad on the right. And the camera lens... right under your right hand.
@jazen
I can't believe my first comment was down-ranked into oblivion for saying
"I wonder if this post will get Highest Ranked?"
Moral: never ponder or ask questions online, it makes you a Troll
I guess I should've instead said something about the iPad :(
I can't believe I am actually saying this...but...
Another Android phone? Seriously?
OK...I love Android, I still have a G1/Dream somewhere in my basement, and I am using Milestone right now...but I was looking for a slider that could match Nexus One's specs or ... EVO's awesomeness...This is disappointing...still a nice design...
@kapanak That's like saying, another dumb phone? Android is now its' own standard, learn to love it!
@kapanak
Do you get disappointed when you see another Dell or HP running Windows? Android is not supposed to mean an awesome new phone design every time. It's a unified OS experience, just like with Windows and computers.
@kapanak me too, i love the qwerty it comes in handy all the time for emulators etc..
I have to agree.... I mean Iron Man will use a SnapDragon phone at the least. I feel disappointed. Althougth I am set on the EVO, the Ally was my back up plan, but that is when I thought that it had a SnapDragon chip. :( It only has one of those many 600 MHz. Maybe it does not need it, but I just feel more eager to invest on the 1GHz now, so I don't feel obsolete sooner lol
@TikiTeko Believe me, the snapdragon is worth it. Don't sell yourself short on this one.
Well Samsung came up with Bada and you guys didn't seem to like that either.....
LG, seriously do you not pay attention to the message boards.
The G1 folks are looking for an upgrade soon and want a slider, but they are not going to settle for something with worse specs then the Nexus One. And 4GB, what are you thinking? What did that cost you $2 in bulk prices, if that?
@SiXiam Do you think that every new phone has to be a 'blockbuster' like the Nexus One or EVO now?
@SiXiam Do you think that every new phone has to be a 'blockbuster' like the Nexus One or EVO now? Not everyone needs a smartphone.
@MrAffrox
Yes, of course, why would I even be on Engadget if I didn't think that.
For those that just want a phone, buy a phone, but if you want something that does more then I see no reason to buy something that isn't cutting edge, as long as it is affordable.
@MrAffrox no, but unless the shadow materialises, QWERTY lovers will have to wait, I'm still using a G1. My upgrade is in december, I have crossed everything (you should see how I walk lol!) For the shadow to arrive in UK before xmas
@iucidium
SHADOW IS NOT A QWERTY SLIDER!!!
Its a slate!!!
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1607765&page=56&pp=15
Droid 2 is the next Moto slider
@MrAffrox
Honestly in America if you are getting a smartphone and aren't getting the best one available you are getting ripped off.
With most U.S. carriers if you're getting a smartphone they make you get a full smartphone data plan. Even if you buy the phone off contract. So besides easily switching from carrier to carrier, traveling overseas, and just not wanting to get stuck in a contract you have to pay, there is no reason to not go on contract and get the phone subsidized. The price advantage is gone. Also subsidized smartphone prices have standardized to be about $99-$300 with only extreme standouts like the best iPhone going for $300. Most are $200 or less. This phone will not debut for less than $99. I can guarantee that. And you can get blockbuster,best in class phones for $99 to $150 if you go through places like Best Buy.
So why settle if you're going in under contract? And if you're not going in under contract I would consider it because it is no longer cheaper to go unsubsidized with an unlocked phone. At least on at&t
Ruined by too much dead space on the front, and a small screen by 2010's definition (3.2"??).
But at least it has stock Android.
Looks like I'll be waiting for the Nexus Enterprise...
I..I...I actually really like it the form factor looks really sweet but the specs don't make me want to get rid Of my Inc.
BTW with this be a Droid Phone??????
Love all the buttons on the front, but screen is too small and that processor is too old and slow. Nothing less than a Cortex A8 or equivalent will do.
When will LG bring out a real contender?
Oh please people.
Not every Android phone has to be AAA.
There will be plenty of low, mid and high end Android phones. That's the whole point. Not all of them are meant to take our breath away and dethrone the Evo 4G. This, along with the Droid and myTouch Slide, are the minority for hardware keyboards. Since when does more options hurt?
It might not be breathtaking, but that's no reason to hate.
@JONNNathannn Good post sir. All points very true.
@JONNNathannn
Exactly. You know what's funny? There have been some shots of some very unique Motorola Android phones, and on every one, the same people comment on how stupid Motorola is for making something different. Make up your mind, people!
I've learned to generally ignore Engadget's commentary. Looks like a decent midrange phone (not for me though), if the price is good a great choice for a lot of people. I hope the camera isn't awful and the battery life is good.
It does have the honor of being the only phone other than the Nexus One to get the new Android home screen so far.
I had high hopes for the first LG Android and I'm left unimpressed. Mickey Mouse compared to the Incredible.
@paradigmshift
Go look up the GW620 Eve, LG's actual first Android handset, and you'll be much, much more impressed with this.
@kenny goo first Verizon LG Android phone.
Take the LG enV Touch form factor, switch it from clamshell to slider, swap in a larger capacitive touch screen, give it smart phone internals, run Android on it. Call it a day.
Not bad, but not what I was asking for either. My LG Voyager (the enV Touch predecessor) is nice, but not *that* nice. I'd much rather have a Droid or a lower end MyTouch Slide.
Um thanking it will have a Env Touch type feel to it
I don't know if its just me, but almost all of LGs Touch phones all look the same, only minor differences. They need some different hardware, but overall it is a pretty impressive mid-range Android phone.
Just give me the suit keep the phone
Wow what a very good point that I overlooked; google is saturating the market with all these android based phones, sure they're going to have more of the market share, but also more easily bored customers
Honestly, I am thinking about getting this phone. I don't really mind the bad camera/small screen I'm just worried about the 600 MHz v. snapdragon. If this had been a snapdragon I would have bought it in a heartbeat. Anyone have any opinions on how necessary snapdragon is vs. this?
@hybrd and on that point I just think the incredible is overwhelming / I hate touch screens
so basically they made a worse samsung moment? sounds great
I don't know. It's really close. I am ready for a new phone now, so my two choices for an android on Verizon with qwerty are Droid and Ally. Ally is really kindof close (camera doesn't matter much to me). I've loved my LG Shine for two years now and the qwerty on the Ally looks slightly better. My only real two questions at this point are will it do flash10.1 and/or android 2.2 (surely it will?) and what is the max microSD card size (I need to jam 32 Gb in there)?
Another generic android phone..YAWN.
Within 2 weeks the Evo 4G.
@TheRogueFFAngel
Sorry Engadget fail...
Within 2 weeks the Evo 4G will be upstaged by yet another "iPhone killer" from Motorola or Samsung or w/e the android fanboys choose next to champion...
The lack of HTC's Sense skin really does make plain Jane Android UI pretty boring looking.
Besides the fact that this Ally has a slightly smaller screen (not a big deal), and a slower CPU (bigger deal), I think the thing I would miss the most if I got the Ally versus the Incredible is the Sense UI. Sense really makes the phone look slick as hell.