Prada
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Apple iPhone vs HTC Touch vs LG Prada: battle royale
Want to argue about which of among trio of sparsely-buttoned large-touchscreen devices takes the cake? Now's your chance. The contestants: Apple iPhone, HTC Touch, LG Prada. Rumble on. %Poll-1696% %Gallery-4437%
Apple iPhone vs LG Prada: separated at birth? (part 2)
The shot we've waited six months to take. (For the uninitiated, the LG Prada came first.) One more shot after the break.
LG KE850 Prada reviewed
The original iPhone clone (or not-clone, depending on what you read) has been reviewed by PC Magazine with no real surprise in the outcome. As we've mentioned in the past, it's pretty and the screen is grand, but the UI does have some shortcomings -- most notably the input system for texting, mailing, and the like. Positives include the aforementioned screen, luxury brand and feel (though we disagree here, we felt it was a bit cheap) great music and video playback, and surprisingly long talk time. Of course there are cons too, and the gripes include no 3G, quiet earpiece, and poor PC support software (there are no Mac tools at all). The review concludes that the Prada really is a higher end fashion phone and will be competing with the likes of the Nokia 8801 and while it isn't an iPhone, it's stable and beautiful.
Verizon prepping iPhone killers from Motorola and LG?
When Verizon passed on the iPhone, was it a bad business decision or was it a part of a much larger idea for The Network to bring a next-generation music device to market? Enter Motorola and what is being described as an "iPhone Killer" by employees of both companies. Code named the "M" and designed for the mediacentric user, it's likely to impress (if they really want to kill the iPhone, anyway). Details are on the slim side, but reports suggest a 3 megapixel shooter with a large QVGA display and lots of internal storage. In addition to the M, word is that LG is preparing a CDMA version of the popular -- but -- expensive KE850 (aka Prada) for release sometime in the 3rd quarter (this one's also a potential iPhone nemesis, if you ask us). Make sure you keep a lookout for more deets![Thanks, Roc a fella]
LG Prada sees Asian debut
After what was apparently a tremendously successful launch in Europe, LG's KE850 Prada phone is heading east to grace some Asian territories with its pricey, high-fashion wiles. Specifically, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan were tapped as KE850 destinations at a launch event at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong hotel last week, with LG confidently spouting that it "would be as popular" there as it was in Europe. The phone and its nifty touch interface are about as trick as anything on the market right now, but with a frightening price point -- not to mention Prada's retail police making the rounds -- we're stopping short of sharing LG's optimism for the moment. [Warning: subscription required]
LG and Prada present potential retailers with long list of demands
It's encouraging to see LG and Prada upholding the stereotype of the haute couture fashionista by providing potential LG Prada phone retailers with a hysterical list of "retail space" demands. In order to be deemed worthy, retailers apparently need to submit both indoor and outdoor shots of the store and follow an eleven-page document (supplied by LG and Prada, naturally) to the letter to ensure that all is laid out to spec. Said document details the 17 "LG Prada Phone" commandments (calling it the "LG Prada phone" is actually one of them) including details about font sizes in your signage and background color -- "black (preferably), white, or 60-70% black (grey)". We love this attention to minutiae and are really hoping LG will have an elite group of Prada Phone Police wearing severe leather outfits ready to hand out citations to any careless shopkeeper.
LG's Prada, now with DMB TV
We heard it was coming, now sure enough LG announces their DMB-packin' Prada phone looking every bit like that hasty mockup we rendered back in January. Besides a big floppy antenna to snag digital TV from the air, the new LG-SB310/LB3100 packs the same 3-inch touchscreen we know and love(ish) as well as the original's 2 megapixel camera and 12-mm thinness so in-ness these days. Yup, S.Korea first as these DMB handsets tend to go.
Video: LG Prada phone complete interface walkthrough
We were lucky enough to get a little more extended look at LG Prada phone than your regular hands-on, and we have to say, we were actually pleasantly surprised. The smooth, glassy surface was far more reactive to our touch inputs than we might have thought, although if this is what the iPhone experience is going to be like, we might still shy away from the QWERTY input -- too messy. Still, we did a top-to-bottom interface walkthrough of this thing, so if you've ever wondered about the inner workings of the Prada phone, now's your chance to see it in action. Trust us, you won't be disappointed.[MP4] Download in wide VGA, 68MB[MP4] Download in wide QVGA, 45MB[AVI] Download in wide VGA, 95MB[AVI] Download in wide QVGA, 42MB
LG's KS20: Chocolate / Prada / whatever with WM6
As expected, this slick little Windows Mobile 6 Professional device could very well stand to be the first to benefit from LG's newfound relationship with Microsoft. Whether it'll get slapped with Prada branding remains to be seen, but the KS20's resemblance to its proprietary stablemate can't be overlooked; the Windows Mobile variant gets a thumb stick near the bottom in place of the KE850's buttons, but that's the only major change we see up front. The guts are just as pretty as the outside, too, with WiFi, Bluetooth, the obligatory microSD slot, HSDPA and (possibly) HSUPA, FM radio, TV out, and a 2 megapixel shooter. Needless to say, we're pulling for a radio that can suck down some American 3G, but we're not getting our hopes up. As soon as we catch wind of a release date, price, or any other solid 411, we'll pass it right along.[Via Slashphone]
Hands-on with the LG Prada
At the O2 booth at CeBIT we had an opportunity to go hands-on with much-loved but not often touched LG KE-850-based Prada. We have been diggin' this phone since we first laid eyes on it, but now that we have finally had a chance to use it a bit, we can't help but feel fairly underwhelmed. The build quality looks top-shelf, but feels like inexpensive plastic, and while the idea behind the touch interface is grand, typing an address in a browser was nasty. That being said, the lovely PR type from O2 told us that it was most definitely her fav handset and that she was hoping to take one home, so what do we know? We won't bore you with the specs again, but we will share the pics!%Gallery-2122%
RFID Limited unveils designer BagChip luggage tags for the elite
It's not like we haven't seen RFID in luggage before, but a highly focused company is looking to make that niche blossom into a thriving industry with its latest BagChip system. RFID Limited is currently marketing its chipped luggage tags to airline industries as a means of reducing human error and decreasing the amount of luggage lost in transit. Additionally, the company is adding a dash of glitz and glamor to its BagChipElite lineup, which will reportedly be designed to match luggage crafted by the likes of "Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton." Of course, there's nothing like a little knockoff material to grace the side of your entirely overpriced luxury bag, but unless the company lands approval to use the branding of these high-end boutiques, we guess you'll end up with second rate pattern mismatches. Nevertheless, there's no hard details regarding when we can expect to see these hovering around in airport kiosks and travel shops, but until RFID Limited sweet talks the airlines into providing support, we doubt this gets very far.[Via BoyGeniusReport]
LG Prada v2 to include T-DMB mobile TV?
The scuttlebutt from Telecoms Korea says v2 of the LG Prada (KE850) is already in the works. Sorry US readers, they're not adding the 850MHz band just yet, the new version expected to hit in April will sport terrestrial DMB mobile television. Makes sense, since our friends on the Korean Peninsula loves 'em some mobile TV tech something fierce. But man, how did they convince the Prada execs to approve a design-mucking, telescoping antenna typically needed for T-DMB reception in Korea? By the way, that's our rendering pictured up there -- not LG's -- but we'll bet it's not far off from the final product. Anyway, with the US in the throws of a Qualcomm FLO fest, our apparently pedestrian tastes look even less likely to be fed anytime soon. Well, until June anyway.Read -- Telecoms Korea (subscription required)
LG officially calling Apple's iPhone a copycat?
One doesn't need look hard look at Apple's iPhone to see the similarities between it and LG's Prada (KE850), but now the momentous whispers have finally gotten to the head of LG Mobile Handset R&D Center, and it's on. While Apple fights its meager battles with trademarks, and we're left to wonder just how much loot Jobs and friends stand to make off this thing, Woo-Young Kwak has reportedly dubbed the iPhone an outright "copycat" of the device that won the International Forum Design Product Design Award. Of course, there are those out there trying to maintain the peace, as Mr. Kang-Heui Cha, Senior Manager of MC Design Research Lab, has stated that LG's handset "focused on interfaces," while Cupertino's pride and joy "emphasized a music phone concept" -- but even that seems like a weak argument at best. But hey, Steve's already voiced his opinion on the highly controversial "to DRM or not to DRM" issue, so we expect hope a rebuttal is already in the works, as this one's got the makings of a real catfight. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
LG has two Windows Mobile 6 devices slated, one similar to the Prada
We don't have much information yet, but as you may have noticed, LG is now on Microsoft's official list for Windows Mobile licensees. We have it on authority that they've got two devices planned, one of which being a Windows Mobile take on their KE850 Prada Phone. Being that Microsoft mandates Windows Mobile devices require a certain minimum of hard buttons to operate, LG is working on a specially tweaked WM6 Pro interface to make their device actually usable without all those cluttering buttons. The other device LG's working on, as we understand, is something a little more Chocolate-like. More, of course, as we get it.
LG's KE850 Prada struts its stuff for YouTube
We think there are a lot of people out there that still can't make up their mind on whether or not to wait it out for the iPhone or to save themselves the aggravation and buy its distant cousin, the LG KE850 Prada. Hopefully our friends over at YouTube can convince you one way or another with the latest video of the KE850 running through the motions. By the looks of it, the LG runs the Macromedia Flash-based UI effortlessly. If you finally made up your mind to buy the LG, lets make sure you won't need any GSM 850 coverage in your neck of the woods first.
LG's KE850 PRADA official: iPhone says, wha?
Check it Apple, LG just went official with their iPhone look-a-like LG KE850 Prada phone which they proudly tout as the world's "first completely touch screen mobile phone." Er, unless you consider the ones from Motorola, HTC, and others. Still, this is more than likely a dig at the iPhone which they can rightly make since the KE850 will hit select mobile shops and PRADA stores in the UK, France, Germany and Italy at the end of February and parts of Asia before March is through. Sadly, the KE850 is a non starter for the US market since this version is limited to tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 with EDGE data. It's smaller than its fruity peer at just 98.8 x 54 x 12-mm resulting in a more compact, 3.0-inch display presumably with that 240 x 400 resolution we heard about earlier. In case you're keeping track (and we know you are), the iPhone goes quad-band GSM with EDGE and WiFi in a 115 x 61 x 11.6-mm shell sporting a 3.5-inch, 320 x 480 display. Also, the KE850 seems to lack any significant on-board storage opting instead for microSD to boost capacity. Like the iPhone, it packs a 2 megapixel camera (with Schneider-Kreuznach lens and LED flash) and Bluetooth 2.0. However, there's no mention of multi-touch capabilities, an on-screen keyboard, or the accelerometer and proximity sensors found on the iPhone. The KE850 PRADA's UI is Macromedia Flash-based and opts for a minimalist, white-on-black display as opposed to the more, shall we say, OS Xish GUI we've already seen floated. Feature-wise, the KE850 comes with a video player supporting MPEG-4, H.264, and oddly, H.263 normally used for video conferencing; a document viewer supporting Microsoft's PPT, DOC, XLS formats, PDF and TXT; an audio player with support for MP3/ACC/ACC+/WMA/RA formats; and a "music multitasking function for messaging," whatever that is. How much? €600/$778... that's how much. Still, a compelling choice for those who can't wait for the iPhone's Q4 European introduction or 2008 Asia launch. Click-on for more pics.[Via AVING] digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/apple/LG_s_KE850_PRADA_official_iPhone_says_wha';
First pics of the LG KE850-based Prada cellphone
While it was but a week ago that we got word of a forthcoming mobile from LG and Prada, the first round of "official photos" (read: blurred almost beyond recognition) have already surfaced, and it will purportedly be based on the mysterious LG KE850. Foregoing the typical LG-branding, this black beauty looks to have Prada's fingerprints all over it, and instead of the typical keypad, it'll reportedly sport a touchscreen display that "changes based on the application being used." Moreover, the handset will feature a predictable minimalist design, boasting an all black color scheme and a simple black / white contrasting interface. Although we don't know a great deal about the feature set just yet, it supposedly only has a minimal amount of onboard memory, and while prices have "yet to be confirmed," we're led to believe the pricetag will be quite a bit lower than we're all secretly expecting when it hits "five European countries" in March / April of next year.
Prada teams with LG to develop "new iconic phone"
While many of us might be satisfied with the low-end cellies that just handle the basics, there's apparently a hefty chunk of consumers on the other extreme, too. Joining D&G, Hulger, and Gresso (just to name a few) in the avant-garde phone realm, Prada is teaming up with LG Electronics to unveil a brand new (read: not rebranded) mobile in 2007. Although neither firm has leaked any prototype snapshots of the presumably pricey handset, we do know to expect a "unique, sophisticated and elegant phone" that'll sport an "advanced touch interface" to eliminate the traditional keypad. Moreover, the Prada touch doesn't end at the outside motif, as we'll see a dash of luxury in the packaging, software, user interface, music functionality, and overall design. As expected, this gem is slated to launch in Europe first ("early 2007"), while Asia / Korea should expect it shortly thereafter; unfortunately, there's no set date for an American release, but even we know it can't resist Hollywood for too long.[Via Textually]
