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AT&T will sell the G Pad 7.0 for 99 cents -- with a couple catches
We can't say for sure how great a tablet the new LG G Pad 7.0 is -- we haven't had the chance to try it out yet. But if you were already planning on buying the G3 smartphone on AT&T, you might consider picking up the tablet too: Starting on Friday, Ma Bell will throw in the tablet for just 99 cents extra. Now, before you get too excited, there are of course a couple catches. Maybe some dealbreaking ones. To qualify for that insane 99-cent price, you'll have to purchase either the G3, G Flex or last-generation G2, and you'll need to either sign a new two-year service agreement or renew your contract through AT&T's "Next" early upgrade plan. Also, the tablet needs to be on-contract too. Ouch.
You can order a gold LG G2 in Taiwan, but just... don't.
It's de rigeur now for flagship phones to get a gold version, a debatable trend that's at least working out for snarky tech editors. After all, there's something awkward about gilting a geeky handset like LG's G2, especially in a shade reminiscent of gaudy late '80s home decor. It's now available in Taiwan (and possibly elsewhere later) for $530 -- if you're in the target market, those back buttons are less likely to tangle with manicured nails.
IRL: Another look at the LG G2
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. It's been just about 10 months since an LG device has showed up in "IRL." That was back in January, when our Canadian editor Jon Fingas took the Optimus G for a spin on Rogers. Now he's back to test the G2, though he's still waxing a bit sentimental about the ol' G. So how does it stack up? Let's see.
New LG developer program lends you a G2 for free
Perhaps LG thinks life could be better than good for the company if more developers create apps for its smartphones and tablets. That's why the Korean corporation has launched a program that loans devices to devs free of charge. The catch (there's always a catch), is that LG wants devs to design proprietary apps for its phones -- but it doesn't forbid folks from seeing if their non-exclusive apps play nice with the handsets, too. If you're interested and technically adept, you can register at the official LG Device Loaner Program website and choose from one of the gadgets available, including the G2. You only have 30 days with whichever you choose, and return shipping's on your dime, but it's still a pretty good deal if you've been looking to test your code on LG's hardware.
Sprint introduces Spark enhanced LTE, promises unprecedented speed, futuristic app support
Sprint may have lost 360,000 customers over the last quarter, but it's looking to stem that tide with the introduction of Sprint Spark, an enhanced LTE service it says will deliver "unprecedented speeds" to its cellphone users. The company demoed the service running at 1Gbps this morning, however, customers can expect "50-60 Megabits per second (Mbps) peak speeds today with increasing speed potential over time." Sprint says the service will not only enhance video and bandwidth-hogging apps, but says it's ready to take on virtual reality and "futuristic apps" -- whatever those might be. Spark is dependent on tri-band wireless devices, which are intended to seamlessly switch between Sprint's 800MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz cellular bands, depending on your location and which apps you're using. The rollout begins today with limited availability in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami, though Sprint promises to extend that service to 100 US cities by 2016. The first Spark-supported phones, Samsung's Galaxy Mega and Galaxy S 4 mini and LG's G2, will be available on Sprint's network on November 8th. Software updates for Samsungs' handsets will enable tri-band "shortly after launch," with a similar update scheduled for early 2014 for the G2. The HTC One Max will also support Spark, but Sprint has yet to announce availability. Update: This post originally listed tri-band support for all Spark-enabled handsets as November 8th.
LG banner ads detect your Galaxy S 4 or iPhone in order to bash it
Ad agency M&C Saatchi has come up with a rather dubious but clever way of marketing LG's G2 smartphone. Its banner ads sense your own handset and will taunt its shortcomings while suggesting, naturally, an LG G2 instead. For instance, an HTC One-based ad suggests that you'll get 30 percent more battery life with a G2, while an iPhone version touts the LG's larger screen. The Sweden-only ads may rub brand-loyal types the wrong way, but as an attention-grabbing device? LG does know trolling.
Sprint opens LG G2 pre-orders ahead of November 8th release
Already on sale for more than a month at AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, Sprint has finally revealed when you'll be able to get your hands on LG's G2 flagship. The operator today opened pre-orders for the $99 Android phone but doesn't expect deliveries to hit your doorstep until November 8th. To sweeten the deal, Sprint will also provide lazy notification cases (which are actually pretty convenient) to everyone who pre-orders a G2 through its website. [Thanks, Metayoshi]
NTT Docomo's winter lineup arrives, includes Sony Xperia Z1 mini and Samsung Galaxy J
As is tradition this time of year, NTT Docomo's annual winter/spring lineup has just fallen in our laps, unveiling a slew of devices that includes ten smartphones, a tablet, two feature phones, a photo panel and two mobile WiFi routers. On the smartphone front, several standouts include the new LG G2, the Galaxy Note 3, the Sony Xperia Z1, the Sony Xperia Z1 f and the odd Japan-only Samsung Galaxy J. The latter two are of particular interest, as this marks their first official unveiling. The Xperia Z1 f is essentially a miniaturized Xperia Z1 -- it has a 4.3-inch screen instead of a 5-inch one -- and packs in specs that are similar to its bigger brother, such as a 2.2GHz MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 processor and a 20.7-megapixel camera. The Galaxy J, meanwhile, has a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display, a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor and a 13.2-megapixel camera. Also of note is the Fujitsu Arrows NX-F01F, which has a 5-inch full HD screen, a 2.2Ghz quad-core processor, a 3,200mAh battery, a 13.1-megapixel rear shooter plus a fingerprint scanner. For fans of Disney and Square Enix, there's a special Disney branded phone from Fujitsu plus a Dragon Quest handset that's really just a rebranded Sharp Aquos Zeta. The latter is pre-installed with Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King and is limited to just 30,000 units. The lone tablet on the list is a 10.1-inch Fujitsu Arrows Tab, which happens to be both water- and dust-proof. All smartphones and the tablet are compatible with Docomo's high-speed Xi LTE service, several of which are capable of hitting the 150Mbps maximum download speed. They also come equipped with long-lasting batteries, quad-core CPUs and the docomo LIVE UX home screen application. Though not listed as part of the 16 devices in the release, NTT Docomo also added a couple of wearables to its winter lineup -- the new Samsung Galaxy Gear and a wrist device called "move band" that tracks steps, calorie consumption and sleep hours. All of them are slated to arrive on or after October 11th, though we should note that the Xperia Z1 mini won't arrive until the end of December. If you wish to find out more details on what the Japanese carrier has to offer this holiday season, go on and hit the source link below. Update: We've included a promo video of the Sony Xperia Z1 f below as well.
This week on gdgt: Logitech's Harmony Ultimate, the LG G2 and investing in a next-gen console
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Weekly Roundup: Apple iPhone 5s and 5c hands-on, LG G2 review, Moto X's Texas factory, and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Daily Roundup: LG G2 review, Lumia 625 review, Sony's new PS Vita, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
LG G2 review
There are a lot of smartphones out there now. You know this. To add to the confusion, many companies are now parading out multiple top-drawer phones: think Samsung's Galaxy S and Note series, or the Xperia Z and Z Ultra from Sony. Even LG, whose new G2 flagship I'm poring over this time around, has both the G and G Pro to tempt buyers. It's getting increasingly difficult to launch a smartphone with some standout feature, something more than just bigger screens and faster processors. For the G2, LG's decided to make a major change to the phone's physical layout -- in a bullet-point summary, it has buttons on the back. Three, in fact. LG reckons that as the size of smartphones has increased, at this point, the viability of buttons around the edges is now questionable. The new G model lands between last year's Optimus G and the Pro size-wise, breaking through the 5-inch screen barrier with a bright 5.2-inch, 1080p IPS screen. The rest of the feature set will seem familiar to anyone who's read a flagship Android phone review in the last 12 months. Optical image stabilization, remote control blaster, a mixed bag of proprietary software features and Android 4.2.2. There's also some new stuff, including 24-bit / 192kHz audio recording and playback, and it could well be the first Snapdragon 800-powered smartphone to reach US stores -- that's Qualcomm's most potent mobile processor yet. But with IFA just finished and the Galaxy Note 3 now official, is a button transplant going to be enough? In fact, that's a red herring, because there's actually a far better reason to buy the G2 -- and it's none of the above.
T-Mobile to launch LG G2 in stores on September 25th, sells Optimus F6 today (update 2: AT&T and Verizon)
At last, the LG G2 has a US release date: T-Mobile is shipping the Android flagship to stores on September 25th, with online availability starting September 18th. The 5.2-inch smartphone will require a $100 initial spend on a downpayment plan, and costs $630 outright. Both black and white colors will be available, although you'll have to order the white version online; thankfully, you can pre-order either model today. Too expensive for your tastes? You can buy the newly available Optimus F6 instead. The 4.5-inch budget smartphone is now selling online for $50 on a downpayment plan, or $290 at full price. Those who'd prefer a walk-in purchase can pick up the F6 at a retail store on September 11th. Update: Verizon has since provided its G2 launch details, and it's beating T-Mobile to the punch. It will release its logo-laden variant on September 12th for $200 on a two-year contract. Update 2: AT&T has chimed in as well: it will sell the G2 on September 13th for the same $200 on contract as Verizon, or $27 per month on Next.
LG Korea launches G2 with ill-advised marketing stunt, injures 20 (video)
It's a fine line that gadget fans have to walk, moderating our techno-lust just enough that we don't start hurting people. It's a lesson that LG Korea has just learned the hard way after a promotional event for the new G2 caused 20 people to be injured. The "G in the cloud" event in Seoul involved launching hundreds of helium balloons into the air, carrying vouchers for free handsets -- which some members of the crowd tried to shoot down using BB guns. The company has already apologized to those who were inadvertently shot and will cover the cost of their medical care, while subsequent events have been called off. What's wrong with a raffle?
LG G2 confirmed to arrive on Three and O2 in the UK (updated)
Following the formal reveal of the LG G2 yesterday, UK network Three was quick to report its plan to offer the handset "soon," so we thought we'd follow up with all the other major providers to see where else you'll eventually be able to find one. O2 is also on board, although it would only commit to a vague release window of "later this year." Vodafone said it currently has no plans to offer the G2, and while EE has "nothing to announce," we couldn't get any assurance that it wouldn't show up on its 4G network, or on the Orange or T-Mobile brands. Retailer Carphone Warehouse has put a tentative October arrival date on its website, and although we're still waiting on a response from Phones 4U, you'll more than likely be able to find it there, too. So, if you've developed a particular taste for the slim bezel design and quirky button placement, you'll have at least a few options come launch time. Update: We assumed wrong -- Phones 4U has gotten back to us to say it won't be stocking the G2.
The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 4PM ET!
We're back this week, and again there's no shortage of mobile news to keep our mouths talking -- not that this has ever been a problem for us in the past, right? This time our thoughts are primarily focused on the LG G2 and the Moto X, two flagships that we're going to be seeing a lot more of this fall. Join us at 4pm ET and we'll give you the scoop on the latest! August 7, 2013 4:00:00 PM EDT
The Engadget Interview: LG Mobile's Dr. Ram-chan Woo on the G2 design and features
Today at LG's G2 launch event in New York City, we had the chance to speak with Dr. Ram-chan Woo -- LG Mobile's head of LTE product planning -- about the company's new flagship. He walked us through the handset's design with its signature back-mounted volume rocker and power button. We discussed the ultra-thin bezel surrounding the 5.2-inch 1080p GRAM-equipped IPS panel and how the combination of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 SoC and a pyramid-shaped 3,000mAh Li-poly cell helps balance performance and battery life. Next we talked about the 13MP camera which packs OIS, 9-point AF and software-enhanced digital zoom. Finally, Dr. Woo shared his excitement about Hi-fi audio and the phone's ability to playback 24bit / 192KHz FLAC and WAV files right out of the box -- a feature we're rather fond of ourselves. Hit the break for our video interview and be sure to read our hands-on.
LG piles on the software features for latest flagship, including 'Answer Me' and Guest Mode
No non-Nexus Android phone is complete without a pile of obnoxious helpful unique software features. LG's G2 is no different; it adds a bunch more customizations and apps to the company's existing suite. Plug & Pop automatically suggests apps and tasks when you plug in headphones or a USB cable, while Slide Aside lets you quickly dismiss running apps with a simple three-finger swipe. KnockON isn't exactly new, but it's definitely one of the more intriguing and simple twists on the standard Android UI: instead of hitting a power button you simply tap twice on the display to wake the G2 from its sleep. It's a nice convenience that goes hand-in-hand with Answer Me, which automatically answers calls when you put the phone to your ear, just like an old-school wired telephone. There's even QuickRemote, which can not only control home entertainment systems, but a whole range of devices, thanks to its ability to "learn" from standard IR remotes. There's also a guest mode, for when you want to hand the phone over to a friend or your child, though, Guest Mode does nothing to stop their sticky little fingers from leaving goo on your screen.%Gallery-195588%
LG G2 hands-on (video)
We've just met the follow-up to LG's Optimus G flagship, the much-anticipated LG G2. That "much anticipated" comes with a caveat, though: while there's plenty to love about LG's recent premium handsets, they haven't achieved anywhere near the same market clout as, say, Samsung and HTC. With the G2 -- correct, no "Optimus" here -- does LG finally have a crowd pleaser on its hands? Let's dive in, shall we? %Gallery-195565%
LG G2 vs. the competition: flagship Android smartphones square off
Now that the LG G2 is official, the battle between mid-2013 Android flagships is fully underway. But which wins the war? We've pitted the new smartphone against its biggest competitors in the US -- Samsung's Galaxy S 4, the HTC One and the Motorola Moto X -- to understand which device most deserves a place in your pocket. Based purely on the spec sheet, the G2 is the frontrunner. Its larger 5.2-inch screen, quicker 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 and image-stabilized 13-megapixel rear camera will please those who want a media powerhouse. Its extra-large battery and 24-bit / 192KHz audio are also unique in a category where longevity and sound quality tend to play second fiddle. If all you want is the most technically capable device, look no further. Yet each of the G2's competitors has an advantage that's harder to quantify. The GS4 has a full set of hardware nav keys (for those who prefer them), air gestures and a slightly tougher plastic build. The One claims superior low-light photography and dual speakers. And the Moto X partly makes up for its lackluster speed through design customization and helpful tricks like Touchless Control. To us, that puts LG in an awkward middle. While the G2's performance is almost beyond compare, many of its software features aren't all that unique -- those who aren't sold on its performance could easily be lured away.
