LG’s G2: The phondleslab that wants you to TOUCH ITS BEHIND For all the variation in screen size and the occasional BlackBerry with a keyboard, the design of modern smartphones is remarkably similar: an oblong lump with some sort of button arrangement below the screen and the power and volume controls scattered around the edge. LG G2 LG’s G2: not large in the hand But no longer. …
My mate's G2 came with a slim 'wallet' case, has a cut-out over the screen so that time, date and notifications can be read when it is closed. Most phone cases are tailored to individual models, no? There's no belt-clip, but you can always use a blob of SikaFlex to attach your own.
He doesn't find the back buttons tricky, but often just taps the screen to wake it up and uses the notification bar to change volume.
The IR blaster is pretty handy, since five remote controls (TV, Freeview, BluRay, AV Receiver, WD Media Streamer) is just getting silly. This should be a feature, like Sony's waterproofing, that every phone should have as standard.
>That's about three hours' worth, then?
Only if all things are equal, and the G2 is younger than its rivals from Samsung, Sony and HTC.
Anandtech's benchmarks for battery life for web-browsing are 8.5 and 10.7 hours on 3G/4G and WiFi. Talktime is 23.5 hours. It would seem that battery life is the main reason that someone would consider this phone over the much cheaper Nexus 5
"The LG G2 battery life is shockingly good through our tests, and in subjective use... ...The G2 also charges very fast for its battery size... ... LG's battery size is large, and the battery life tests back up the subjectively long longevity that I've noticed. Obviously the process improvements from 28nm HPM and power saving features in the G2 like GRAM/PSR make an improvement here. It seems like with Snapdragon 800 we may be ushering in a new generation of battery performance, despite the lack of a traditional process node shrink. It just goes to show you that there can be benefits other than more performance from using a high-end phone. The G2 is the first device we've seen with 28nm HPM silicon inside, which Qualcomm will be on for while.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7251/lg-g2-and-msm8974-snapdragon-800-a-quick-look/3
Usually I can live with those. What I can't and won't live with is that the higher storage capacity models are often simply not available, through ordinary channels. With my Samsung S3, for example, I believe in the 32gb model about as much as I believe in the tooth fairy (but at least I can stick an SD card in it)!
At least Apple and Google make different storage capacities available (and Google doesn't screw you).
The 32GB version of this handset can be found online for only £379, a mere £40 more than the Nexus 5 over which it has a larger battery and screen. An Android 4.4 update is rumoured for release in December (seeing as LG also made the Nexus 5 and had early access to 4.4, this seems quite feasible).
I have had the handset for over a week now and couldn't be happier. The button placement is now second nature, the knock-on feature is invaluable (I find myself double tapping on any phone or tablet now) and the battery life has to be experienced to be believed on a modern smartphone and the LG software is actually very usable and offers more features than bare android.
BTW the processor is Snapdragon 800 not 600.
http://www.digitalrev.com/product/lg-g2-32gb-d802/MTEwMjg3Mw_A_A
I've had it for two weeks now, and *could* be happier.
It's the best (of 5) Android handset I've owner, and I even like what LG have done in terms of overlay, having been a Cyanogenmod user before, but they've made one massive fail: The cheapness of the screen lens.
Mine accidentally slid face down across a wooden floor, and immediately had scratches along two edges of the screen; something I haven't seen since Gorilla Glass become standard in other phones. I immediately bought the "smart" case, which is excellent.
Then, a few days ago, I dropped it from my hand (~1m) and the glass shattered, damaging the digitizer.
I've sent it off for repair, but I really feel that they've skimped on the lens in order to make it that little bit thinner.
'Now it's all possible' is the ad slogan here in the UK, and it's referring to...having the volume control on the back not the side. Great. Am I the only person that saw photos of this and thought the rear controls were a sliding cover over the camera? I would actually have been up for that.
Finally, YouTube informs me this is the default ringtone. Anyone used it who knows if it's really this bad?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQKLGrHje3s
>Does sapphire stop the lens from getting mucky?
No it doesn't. However, you can clean the lens by wiping it on your shirt without fear of scrathing it - something that is not recommended for conventional lenses. For those there is a handy thing called a Lens Pen, which has a retractable brush at one end and a carbon cleaning pad at the other. Only complaint is that the lids tend to fall off them.
Just renewed my contract and have spent the past few weeks reading reviews, going into phone shops and trying to make a choice between the LG, S4, and Xperia Z1. Coming form a Galaxy s2 i wanted something with a bit of punch.
For me the Xperia wasn't comfortable in the hand at all, those angular edges i just couldn't get on with.
The S4 was nice but sitting next to the LG it just couldn't compare. The LG looks like it means business with its near edge to edge 5.2" piece of real estate.
The LG is easily the best phone i have ever used / owned and I've had a few, working it I.T we have had pretty much every phone ever made pass through the office. The screen is incredible, also the camera is amazing the best I've seen in a phone to date (apart from Nokia's 40mp beast) id say the images were better than the Sony even though that is higher resolution.
Its so fast, no lag in anything at all, the battery is INCREDIBLE, nearly 2 days on one charge and that's including plenty of surfing / social / calls / streaming Peppa Pig for the little one etc etc. Just peace of mind when your out and about that you've got a decent battery that will last. The knock on feature is great, not having to press a physical button to wake the phone up, use it all the time.
It is also now a remote control for most of the gadgets in my house, no more buying batteries !
The buttons on the rear, like the reviews states its just second nature after a short period - Great idea.
Very happy and thoroughly recommended if your after a new phone.
>>Using the rear controls becomes second nature very, very quickly - I'm talking about 20-odd minutes of use. After which time you wonder why the heck nobody has thought of doing this before.
How about the Sony TH55, OK, a PDA, not a smartphone, but their Jog Dial™ is exactly this sort of thing (Google images if you're interested)
the thing is, that i have just picked my phone up and held it as i would in a phone call, and i find that i have thumb on one side of phone, second/middle and to an extent 3rd and 4th fingers down the other side, with my index finger, pressing into the back (roughly where the apple logo is on an iphone (for reference)).
This is just how i hold a phone, mobile or otherwise. Maybe that's weird, i don't know.
i'am all for moving things around, and trying something new, but i think in this case i would find myself having to actively avoid the controls while just, using, my phone.
Horses for courses. There are times when your fingers will automatically be next to the controls you want to use: holding the phone to your ear and the side is probably better otherwise they can be fiddly to locate and having another set on the back would be an advantage. When using the camera then real buttons on the side/top are great.
Ericsson added lots of shortcuts to their buttons back in the day and I was a great fan. Now I've found the controls in the S4 Mini I'm happy that I can accept calls or decline calls with a fixed button and operate the camera with a fixed-button.
For some reason LG have done a deal with Verizon so onlty their version gets in-built Qi charging. now 4 months ago I'd not have thoguht about this, but since then I've been using a Qi charger with my Nexus 4 and now can not do without it.
Sure LG have said there will be an accessory, but having to use a specific add-on (almost cerainly a case) does part defeat the object
"...though the gallery app, like all of its kind, is being rendered obsolete by Google’s new Photos app."
I sometimes think that people overreact a bit about having Google slurp all their data, but this Photos app was a step to far for me. Agree to the terms of service, just for a glorified gallery app, share all your snaps with Google, no thank you! </rant>
By the way, this looks like a great phone, especially for blindies like me who need a massive screen.
Why they didn't use a trackpad system like the Steam controller, I just don't know.
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/
If you're holding the darn thing in your hand, at least one finger could be helping since it's there already.
If you can tap and swipe without looking, certainly you can use this.
Their biggest mistake was putting it to close to the camera, making it probable that your finger would get in the way with a camera apps.
I've had a 16 GB phone for a while and not felt the need to have more. I appreciate that storing a lot of stuff on your phone is...no, hang on, it's pointless. Download stuff to your computer occasionally. 16 GB is plenty.
A non-removable battery: horror. Mind you, I've had a phone for a couple of years that lasts about a day, depending on use; usually rather less. I don't have a spare battery for it, and if I did I wouldn't carry it around. So...for some a removable battery may be a deal breaker, a SD slot may be a deal breaker, but for most it remains theoretical.
In an ideal world would i like a removable battery and a SD slot? Yeah. Also I'd like it to be waterproof, shockproof (from 100m) and able to telepathically understand my commands. Hmm. Bit much?
I'm sure a lot of power users are disappointed by the limitations, but most people seriously will never notice.
Well, I say they will never notice: some people will not download to computer and will run into memory difficulty, or will download a stupid number of apps and never delete the ones that they do not use. Some people will be disappointed by the battery, but as far as I know it lasts longer than almost every other smart phone out there at the moment. Certainly more than my current one.
I'm a bit puzzled by the android update lag, but other than that it seems peachy.
No SD card and fixed battery? Well, my HTC one X is the same and it has only been problematic a few times, so I would buy another sealed-case device if it was the only one with some cool features or was really cheap.
Built by LG? No sale! Run away! I paid money for an LG Renoir and will not be risking that kind of error again.
Does anyone know what the policies are for old batteries? For phones that have user replaceable batteries, you just buy a new battery.
I know Apple has a swap option with their phones. If you live near an Apple store, you can get it swapped right there so there is no downtime.
I presume LG provides a similar option? Does LG have places you can take it to so you arn't without a phone for however many weeks it takes for the turnaround?
I DON'T want expandable memory. Many apps don't support it and I don't want to have to manage the 'Move to SD' thing. I've
Removable battery is different. The back of the phone is not exactly a masterpiece of design that would have been ruined by a removable cover.
That said, the phone and it's software is great. I got the 32gb for under £400 from a highly rated ebay seller and can't fault it. It is always snappy and the added features are well thought out..
I like the configurable mini launch bar when plugging earphones, the quick memo that you can access in one gesture from anywhere, the google search by sliding from the home button, the knock-on feature, starting the camera straight from sleep by long pressing the down volume button.... The phone is loud and clear, music sound better through my ear-buds than on my old GS3. It's a gem.
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