We’ve been supplied with a fresh LG Optimus One courtesy of UK network Three, which is currently selling the phone including a free a car mount and charger kit on some very decent monthly tariffs.
So here’s a look at LG’s new Android phone and slightly tweaked Android 2.2 user interface, along with screenshots of anything else we stumbled across that looks of interest. This is a bit like a proper review. Are one million people currently very happy? Let’s find out.
The Optimus One features Android 2.2 and LG has only done a little bit of design work on it. The dock’s been altered to feature four icons and the app drawer launcher, freeing up a bit more Home screen space for everything else.
LG’s other significant tweak is the chance to organise your phone’s apps into “Categories” – which separates the app drawer into user-definable groups of icons. It’s nice to be able to put stuff you like at the top, at least.
Three UK has installed a few little apps, but nothing too intrusive. Wi-fi hotspot mode is IN, and the only Three-branded things we can find are a few web bookmarks and Three’s own Bookmarks app. Nothing too oppressive.
The Optimus One’s screen resolution is 320×480 – very much the norm at the cheaper/mid end of the Android phone range. The screen is capacitive, nice and sensitive and seems accurate enough.
That’s the default Android 2.2 keyboard on the left and LG’s slightly customised “LG Keyboard” to the right. There’s not much difference between the two. Both still insist on busting out the numbers to a separate screen. Which is madness. But you can have a numeric keypad, if you prefer.
Web browsing is the stock Android 2.2 experience with zero modifications. You do get multitouch support in the LG Optimus, so pinch-to-zoom scrolling is possible. Zooming isn’t buttery smooth, with the odd crunch when getting around – as you’d expect from a phone a 600MHz processor.
Text also looks a bit rough until you zoom in on it, although everything’s perfectly readable. We’re probably just a bit spoilt from spending too much time using our higher-res HTC Desire screen. Oh, and there’s NO FLASH PLAYER, due to processor limitations.
Same old rather clunky Android default text highlighting options. Not ideal for people who make a living from copying & pasting things off the internet.
But we’ve been enjoying using it so far, nonetheless. Tomorrow we’ll fire up the camera and take some picture samples for you. If you’ve got any burning questions about the LG Optimus One, pop up a comment or social network it to us somehow and we’ll attempt an answer.
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Aslam
/ November 19, 2010Hows the LG optimus one gps??
Gary C
/ November 19, 2010It works. I’m never sure what other criteria to apply when reviewing GPS. Do you want me to stand in a field with a video camera?
Aslum
/ November 20, 2010:) ..Time of acquiring the lock…in a location
Gary C
/ November 20, 2010OK!
Aslam
/ November 22, 2010Gary, How much time takes for a GPS lock? pls let me know
Gary C
/ November 22, 2010I’m going to go outside NOW and time it for you. You have to love web 2.0 user interaction.
logan
/ December 9, 2010good review. i like my new optimus. touch screen is responsive, processor is faster than my old phone. the apps are great for me and the kids and the keys on the bottom are easy to push. the email and gps are great for my business and they are way better than my old unlocked cell phones i hate qwerty phones now that i used this. it has a good feel and fits in my pocket well. web browser is good for my fantasy football team and games keep me occupied on long rides. also got my lg unlocking and cell phone unlock codes for free! got my last couple lg’s at unlockthatphone.com 2 thumbs way up
Carlos
/ January 6, 2011I have had the Optimus One for a month.Nice phone but some problems need to be resolved.(1)Occasionally with incoming calls an excuse message screen appears on the screen before you can take the call so in fact you loose the call as it goes to voicemail. There are no switches to cancel option in the menu hence you are stuck with that function. Sometimes when you end a call the call can’t be ended and if you go to the notification bar to try to cancel it from that mode a blank screen appears and then oops reboot required. Ask support and they can’t help. It’s not a one off problem with my phone because my wife has the same problem. Tried to get it fixed whilst on warranty and was told to try the return key function. That did not work. Then after one month I thought redemption had come when the LG suite on my computer blinked telling me there was finally a phone upgrade. I tried to do the upgrade and it reached 5% of the install when it bricked my phone. I rang customer support they had no knowledge of this new upgrade till they looked at their own site to confirm this. They ran a test whilst I waited on line and then asked me to mail it out for repairs. This is a good phone but software is a bit buggy hope they can resolve this cause I’m on a two year plan.
Oliver
/ May 1, 2011Is the screen big enough? I know it’s a 3.2 but is it a decent size for web browsing etc? And also does anybody have the dock for it and is it worth buying?