In the quest for the so called iPhone killer, there were actually non that gets even close to being one. Previously, it was thought that the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music can do the job, but the small screen and cheap looking plastic casing fail to finish the job. Though it does looked promising as Nokia’s first touch screen phone offers a solid entertainment package including the nHD screen.
Like many iPhone-killer-category-mobile-phones, one of the most prominent features of the LG KM900 Arena is its big screen which measures 3″ across diagonally 480 x 800 pixels resolution. This is extremely important for video playbacks, image and internet browsing. Its titanium body weight only 105g and has a dimension of 105.9mm tall, 55.3mm wide and 11.95mm thick which fits nicely in the palm. However, the light weight leaves an impression of a cheaper phone than it is intended.
Physical
Other than a small power button on top, and also camera and sound toggle which is nicely design at the side, it has no other physical buttons. Even the Call/End buttons are located at the bottom of the screen that is of course, touch responsive. The mercury grey titanium backplate and sides with a combination of the silver outer frame and black inner frame on the front makes it look good. The tempered glass covering on the screen adds to the phone’s durability but, like others, it’s easy for Grissom to find the prints.
The phone is 3G with HSUPA to 7.2Mbps. There is a front camera for two-way video-calling. Web browsing on the large screen was satisfactory with full screen page renders, finger panning and pinch zooming. There was a bit of waiting around for zooming, but in general, performance was quite good.
Actually. this phone boasts its 3D navigation which is initiated upon touching the screen. First the cube will have 4 main categories which is Multimedia, Contact, Widget and Shortcuts. Click on the surface of the category and it will magnify and show the full available features. Have a look at the video.
The cube, well is pointless anyway. My best bet is LG doesn’t want to be looked as imitating iPhone’s page navigation too much and try to be a little creative and showed some originality. Because I can say, about 90% of the navigation reminds me of iPhone. Anyway, its fun anyway. But when you tried scrolling the media, just like it’s shown in the video, it started to slowdown depending on the number of medias you have. Well, it’s only logical and you cant expect a phone to cater a memory of a normal PC.
It has a TV out features which is great. Other than that, it has embedded GPS chip which of course also enables photo-geotagging - a popular features for upscale mobile phones. The phone is 3G with HSDPA to 7.2Mbps. There is a front camera for two-way video-calling (one over iPhone). Web browsing on the large screen was satisfactory with full screen page renders, finger panning and pinch zooming (told you it’s 90% carbon copy of the iPhone).
It has a mobile TV and also FM radio. The best thing about this phone which they should emphasis rather than the Cube navigation is the 5 megapixel camera with DVD quality video recording. This is a great feature as people will save the hassle of also carrying their camcoders (another big one over the iPhone).
Verdict
After waiting for the chosen one, to kill off the iPhone superiority, this is the closest that we have, so far. With multiple greatness over the iPhone like 2-way video cam for video calls and DVD quality video recording, while having all the features and grace of an iPhone, this does look promising. But deep down, I don’t think this is gonna be a big hit as it was LG who came up with this. No disrespect to LG, but with the launch of the iPhone OS 3.0 which enables most of iPhone short comings (but still can’t beat this LG KM900 Arena features) iPhone won in terms of product appeal and application developer support. Will I recommend a friend for this LG? Well, most definitely!
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I’ve had the chance to look at it the other day. Well, yeah it does look like some cheap China made mobile. Light and the chrome lining didn’t help either. But once you play around with, it’s not bad at all. I had problems with the virtual keyboard but the rest, is just like iPhone/HTC-like feel.
Haha. People keep calling many things the iPhone killer but in truth, none can actually did. An iPhone Nano rumours are now getting hotter come June 2009 (summer) as chipmakers are also leaking out some juicy news. Just like Windows will always be a step backward as compared to Mac OS, so will other phones as compared to iPhone.
@Brim - Haha, that’s a straight forward way of saying it. But I’d always first try to put things well, in a better way
@Jeev - Well yeay, that! Rumours of this iPhone Nano has been around yes, but Apple has officially quashes off the iPhone Nano and new Macbook rumours. Not sure whether they’d be an iPhone Nano though I believe iPhone HSUPA (if we may call it) will be released this summer.
Well, for once, I think this phone looked better than the iPhone! I mean, you can see that it has 2-way video calls, video recording (in DVD quality, wow!), I bet better digital camera than the lousy 2.0 that iPhone has, SatNavi, and also loads of apps (just like the iPhone). Well, yeah, they tried to look like the iPhone in the GUI department but other than that their greater than iPhone. IMHO.