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Verizon LG Optimus Vu apprehended by Android Police, confesses to Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade
If the LG Optimus Vu's insistence on running Gingerbread was the sole factor keeping you from its 5-inch HD-IPS display and its goofy 4:3 aspect ratio, your prayers may have been answered. According to a leaked gallery of images at Android Police, the oversized slab's rumored Verizon variant will be running Android 4.0.4. The images don't reveal much else --save for big red's standard logo, prominently stamped above the device's face -- but that's one less negative you can count from our review. Check out a second shot after the break, or the full gallery at the source below.
LG Optimus Vu review: a 5-inch, pen-enabled phone to take on the Galaxy Note
Tech companies are no strangers to the game of follow the leader -- industry imitation is, after all, the sincerest sign of a successful product. In the case of the Galaxy Note, Samsung's phablet wonder has been enjoying some unexpected popularity in markets abroad and even here in the US. But the company's ownership of that once-niche category is about to be contested by a surge of copycats, spearheaded by the stylus-toting LG Optimus Vu ($866 unlocked). It should go without saying: this 5-inch not-a-smartphone, not-yet-a-tablet has a steep climb ahead if it wants to oust or even claim equal billing with its successful opponent. Of course, the Vu isn't launching an attack on all fronts yet as, right now it's a Korea-only affair running Android Gingerbread. (It redeems itself somewhat with an LTE radio.) Though the competition is welcome, the duel is not an even one, given the Vu's unusual mix of internals: a 1,024 x 768 HD-IPS LCD display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, 32GB of non-expandable storage, an ample 2,080mAh battery and a region-specific T-DMB TV tuner. But could that be enough to dethrone the current category king, or at least present a viable alternative? Join us after the break as we crack this rectangular nut and winnow out the marketing noise.%Gallery-160090%
LG Optimus Vu launches in Korea, gets priced
LG's 5-inch smartphone has finally arrived -- at least over in Korea. While 4:3 ratio display raised a few eyebrows during its debut at MWC, the IPS display, lightweight frame and stylus has us chasing after a review model to give it the full run-down. Anyone in LG's homeland can beat us to the punch -- it's now on sale priced just under the Galaxy Note, a device that's been around for a few months. Expect to pay 990,000 won ($890) for a carrier-free version, but importers should 'note' that they won't be able to take advantage of that built-in TV tuner. We're still sniffing out details on prices and launch dates for the US. Hopefully, the international model will arrive with a rubberdium stylus -- we just want to know what rubberdium is.
LG Optimus Vu officially revealed ahead of MWC with stylus, 1.5GHz CPU (Updated)
Similar to its pre-CES reveals, LG just couldn't wait for Mobile World Congress to get underway on the 27th before showing off its new Optimus Vu handset. These new pics offer a much clearer look at its 4x3 aspect ratio, 1024x768 res, stylus-friendly 5-inch IPS LCD display, while the official specs confirm rumors it would pack a 1.5GHz dual core CPU, 8MP camera, LTE, 2080mAh battery and Android 2.3 in a slim 8.5mm thick frame. An upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich is promised within three months of its launch, currently scheduled for March on Korean carriers SK Telecom and LG+. Check the gallery for a few more glamour shots of this new Galaxy Note competitor, and see if wider truly is better.Update: You'll find a few more official pictures in the gallery below and the English PR with details on its "QuickClip" hotkey for one-button screenshots and memos and the "Rubberdium" stylus after the break, plus a quick size comparison vs. the Note, Galaxy S II Global and iPhone 4S.
