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Mobile Miscellany: week of December 12, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of December 12, 2011:
LG Optimus Hub (aka Univa / Optimus Two) earns its stripes at the FCC
Okay, we'll totally admit that we've got something of a phone crush on LG's successor to the Optimus One lineup. Sure, it hasn't debuted in the States, and its specs already look a bit tired, but there's tons of goodwill attached to this family of devices. Should LG properly execute, the handset promises to be an iterative improvement for all smartphone buyers that need to save some coin. Now this sexy creation is making its way though the FCC, and while it's difficult to tell whether this is an international model or is bound for our domestic shores, it's easy to realize that we're one step closer to its much anticipated release. After a bit of digging, we can tell you the phone supports the 1900 and 850MHz bands, which is common to networks such as AT&T, Bell, Telus and Rogers. With all the names being tossed around, it'll be interesting to see how the individual carriers choose to brand these devices, but it seems that we won't have to wait much longer for those details.
LG Optimus Hub officially outed as successor to Optimus One dynasty (video)
Well, LG's gone ahead and made the successor to the Optimus One all official-like. The device you've previously known as the Univa (E510) has been renamed as the Optimus Hub, and it's set to arrive in Italy next month for €199 off-contract. The specs remain the same since we first peered at the handset, though we're now able to fill in some additional gaps. First, the camera has received a bump to 5 megapixels, and while the phone's ability to record video still tops out at VGA (640 x 480), it'll now capture up to 24fps (rather than 18fps with the Optimus One). Sadly, an LED flash remains absent from the scene. This Euro version features quad-band GSM support, although its 3G connectivity is limited to the 2100 and 900MHz bands and HSDPA caps out at 3.6Mbps. HDblog (based in Italy) was fortunate to get some hands-on time with the device, and even if you don't speak Italian, it appears to operate quite well -- just take a peek after the break. How will it compare to offerings from Huawei and ZTE in the battle for your hard-earned coin? That folks, remains to be seen.
LG Univa pictured in the wild, may be the Optimus One's young Padawan
You, kid, have got what it takes. The LG E510 -- also known as the Univa -- may be the apprentice of the massively-popular Optimus One, learning the tricks of the trade and mastering the art of winning the hearts of millions across the globe. Norwegian site Mobili nabbed some quality hands-on time with the new device and gave it high marks. The Univa is rumored to feature an 800MHz CPU and Adreno 200 GPU, 512MB of RAM, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, a 1,500mAh battery, and will come with Android 2.3.4 installed. The spec sheet isn't enough to stand up to the Droid Bionics and Nexus Primes of the world, but it's certainly capable of holding up the lower end of LG's Android lineup for the next year, likely picking up right where the aging Optimus One left off. The device still isn't official, which means this is all pure speculation for now, but undoubtedly the manufacturer has something in mind for this newbie. Check out more pics in the gallery below. %Gallery-133005% [Thanks, Cato]
