LG Optimus Pro, LG Optimus Net introduced: affordable Gingerbread to the masses

The LG Optimus Pro and the LG Optimus Net are two of the most affordable Gingerbread handsets out there, widening LG's smartphone portfolio and bringing the power of full QWERTY with the Pro and social features galore with the Net.

The LG Optimus Pro is a 2.8-inch portrait QWERTY phone with a touchscreen and dedicated hotkeys for email and scheduler. The BlackBerry-esque combination looks very powerful when you add Gingerbread on top. An 800MHz chip and 256MB of RAM power Android 2.3.3, but the phone also has a rich connectivity package including HSDPA 3.6, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth, FM radio and GPS. There is also a 3-megapixel camera on the back. It will launch in a white, titan and black versions. With a price of nearly $249 (179 euro), the phone could end up in a lot of pockets.

The LG Optimus Net on the other hand features a larger 3.2” HVGA (320 x 480) screen, with the Social+ Facebook/Twitter aggregator application, one-tap photo sharing and DLNA support. When it comes to the processing muscle, the 800MHz Qualcomm MSM 7227T chip and 512MB of RAM are responsible for the running Gingerbread 2.3.3. Connectivity is well covered with HSPA and Wi-Fi, along with a memory card slot supporting up to 32GB cards. A 3.2MP camera rounds up the package, which is expected to set you back $281 (199 euro) off contract. Curiously, the LG states that "specifications for the Optimus Net will vary market by market. Depending on the carrier, some of the phones in Europe will be Near Field Communication (NFC) capable for mobile payments." The US version in particular is expected with a physical QWERTY keyboard.

Those devices might not pack dual-core muscle or supersized screens, but they aim to strike a balance between price and functions: “And that’s precisely what we’ve done with Optimus Pro and Optimus Net, two completely new devices which enhance LG’s reputation as the company with an Android smartphone suitable for everyone,” LG's CEO, Jong-seok Park, said.

source: LG