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Fireweb, LG's first Firefox OS handset shows up at CES
LG's first-ever Firefox OS handset has already been making the rounds in Brazil, where's it been since October. And while we haven't heard much about US availability on the Fireweb (no real surprise there), the handset did show up here at CES, alongside a smattering of other already-announced phones running the mobile operating system. We played around with the handset a bit and weren't particularly taken with what it was offering up hardware-wise (again, no giant surprise) -- the company isn't exactly offering up its A-List devices for the browser company's nascent OS. The shiny back has a decidedly plastic feel (though it certainly brings it in the gloss department). The four-inch display is a pretty uninspired 480 x 320 and while the 1GHz processor isn't worth writing home about, it does a decent enough job running those HTML5-based apps. At top, you'll find the power button and headphone jack, with the volume rocker on the left-side and microUSB jack on the bottom. As mentioned above, you can pick the phone up now, so long as you live in Brazil, and thankfully, the $207 asking price won't cost you an arm and a lef.
LG unveils the Fireweb, its first Firefox OS smartphone (video)
So far, Firefox OS has been limited to ultra-basic smartphones like the ZTE Open. LG is expanding the platform's reach today by releasing its inaugural Mozilla-powered handset, the Fireweb. The 4-inch device is still designed for newcomers between its 480 x 320 display, 1GHz Qualcomm processor and 4GB of expandable storage. However, its 5-megapixel camera is a big improvement over shooters in preceding phones -- this is the first Firefox OS phone with both autofocusing and an LED flash. Appropriately, LG is pricing the Fireweb above its simpler counterparts. Vivo Brazil is selling the Fireweb today for $449 BRL ($207 US) to pay-as-you-go customers, or $129 BRL ($59 US) to regular subscribers. It's now more expensive than LG's cheapest Android device, the $399 BRL ($184) Optimus L3 II. Hop past the break for both a video demo of the Fireweb and details of a Firefox OS market expansion that now includes Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. Update: We've tweaked the post to reflect that the handset has 4GB of storage, not 2GB as previously noted.
