Though I heard about the Vu back in February as the "phablet" that was LG's presumed answer to the Samsung Galaxy Note, I never saw it until it was sent to our offices for this review. At first sight, I asked myself the same question everyone else asked when I showed the device to them: "Is that really a phone?"
It may be difficult to believe due its large, squarish frame, but yes, the Vu does make calls. Just expect a lot of sneers from other people when you do so in public because this handset will stand out in a crowd.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, for those of you in North America who actually want it), the Optimus Vu won't arrive at a U.S. or Canadian carrier anytime soon. It is exclusively available in Korea now, for an eyebrow-raising $900. And given that huge phones, including the Note, are appearing in K-dramas (screenshot by CNET), its oversized body might not be considered as daft as we think.
At 5.5 inches tall, 3.5 inches wide, 0.33 inch thick, and weighing in at 6.08 ounces, the LG Optimus Vu is huge for a smartphone. But for its size, it's quite lightweight and slender in the hand. Though it does fit in my palm, most of the time I needed two hands to operate it. For example, dialing the number pad while holding it with one hand and using my thumb was near impossible. In fact, I dropped the Vu a couple of times while trying to make a call.
You can fit the handset in a front or back pocket, but it won't be comfortable at all. I found about 2 inches of the Vu would remain above the seem, and it felt bulky when I was carrying it around.
On top are a 3.5mm headphone jack, a shortcut key called QuickClip for QuickMemo (more on that in a while), a Micro-USB port that can be covered with a slick little sliding door, a sleep/power button, and an embedded antenna that can collapse into the phone (more on that later too). To the right is a volume rocker.
The plastic back of the Vu is textured with a grainy design that resembles leather. Though I'm sure this material keeps the phone light, it gives it a cheap sort of feel, and it's definitely less luxurious-feeling than the Note. On its left corner is an LED-flash-supported 8-megapixel camera. To the right is a covered slot for the mini-SIM card. Below that are two small slits for the output speaker. Unlike other devices, it doesn't have a slot for prying the back off with your fingernail. Instead, two screws at the bottom keep the back plate secure.
0 comments:
Post a Comment