LG had warned in the GSM World Congress in 2010, many mobile under Android should get out. With the LG Optimus One, the Korean giant markets therefore an umpteenth Google Phone under Android 2.2. True novelty or seen, response in our test our the LG Optimus one.
At first glance, the LG Optimus One is a large classicism. Available in black or grey metallic, enhanced bluish siding, it is sanitized his cousin Optimus 7 design.
Just more rounded as an iPhone 4, but also shorter than this one, it won’t attract the gaze. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S or HTC Desire HD, its navigation keys are not tactile but well mechanical.
This distinction announced that the LG Optimus One aims a positioning tariff and more affordable than the two previously mentioned mobile range.
In practice, these “old school” buttons are similarly practical. To perform a search, to return home or a previous screen, or even display the shortcut menu, these mechanical keys offer more accuracy and robustness than their tactile counterparts. In addition, when the fingers are not impeccable hygiene, this avoids unpleasant traces on the screen.
On the right flank are the traditional two volume buttons. At the top of this LG, a standard jack plug for the handsfree or the listeners of better quality, and the start/stop button, exposed. The plastic is little qualitative. So far, nothing special to report.
The screen
Interest increases by turning on the device. While the capacitive screen is not very big (3.2 inches, or 8.2 cm) or advanced technology (AMOLED…) but it still offers a good color (to 262,000 grayscale) rendering while being fairly light. It is admittedly slightly towards yellow, but nothing well serious. The screen of the LG Optimus One (320 x 480 pixels) resolution is 800 x 480 pixels found on tenors current telephony under Android or not. Also, in mode portrait as in landscape mode, zoom in on the multipoint touch screen need to visit and read correctly the pages of your favorite sites.
For Web navigation, if the multipoint is therefore implemented, Flash does step and, despite Android 2.2. This feature appears to be too greedy for the configuration of the LG Optimus One.
Android 2.2
The manufacturer has had the intelligence to equip its Optimus One of the last version of Google Android. With Froyo (Android 2.2) is found here and there a few improvements. For example, Google Goggles allows searches from photos taken with the camera. Or even, Google Voice Search voice recognition software just substitute the uncomfortable virtual keyboard to enter the research.
Even if LG puts forward its application LG App Advisor, supposed to advise the best applications available on the Android Market, we did not saw the color on our test model (stamped Orange).
Multimedia
Like its forebear GT540, this mobile incorporates a 3 megapixel camera. If the definition of the sensor is not necessarily a quality corolaire, the sensor is very average here. Without flash, the noise is added to the lack of sharpness when the light fades. Damage, because the proposed shooting options were complete (smile, detection of faces, adjustment of white…). For the video capture resolution is limited to 640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps.
Like any good smartphone self-respecting, a multimedia player is integrated with the LG Optimus One. In addition to reading the H263 and H264, the difference with other mobile is its Divx licence. Therefore, it can read without problem this popular video compression format. Limited to 200 MB internal memory, therefore should accumulate photos, videos or music on a map memory microSD (2 GB delivered of original) format.
The absence of powerful processor (Qualcomm MSM 7227 to 600 MHz), a definition greater than 640 x 480 pixel movies are not legible. However, it is possible to read the HD videos streamed from YouTube for example even if the resolution of the screen of the LG Optimus One remains limited to the 320 x 480 pixels. For the games, the benefit is honest but not sensational, always due to the processor. Note that FM radio is also present.
Wireless and communication functions
Equipped with a chip HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, high speed internet surfing is not a problem. WiFi is otherwise possible. But the originality comes from its function as “tethering”. Behind this barbaric name hides an internet connection sharing solution. Sharing will be either the USB cable (with a computer, therefore) or wireless with up to 5 WiFi devices. A small novelty of Froyo. For GPS, nothing notable, found the Google Maps Navigation free navigation solution. In terms of voice communication, the reception is clear but little sensitive. The average user will hold a day. The fanatic of the mobile internet should instead turn around the half-day.
Without competing with the top high-end Android (Samsung Galaxy S, HTC Desire HD…), the LG Optimus One defends itself rather well thanks to Android 2.2. (Less than 250 euros) price is forgotten small gaps.
Plus : Very good value for money, Android 2.2, Google Voice Search (…) applications, connection WiFi sharing.
Less : Little powerful processor, classic design, little shiny material, no Flash (plug-in Adobe) despite Android 2.2, very average sensor of the camera and no flash.
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