LG Optimus Vu II hands-on
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Just like its predecessor, the LG Optimus Vu II still doesn’t have the same appeal for a handset that’s sporting a very different form factor from most things out there. In fact, it looks and feels very much like the Optimus Vu – so there’s not much of an initial attraction with it. Donning an all-plastic body, it’s easily dirtied right away due to its glossy finish. Additionally, the wide figure of the handset once again makes it extremely difficult to comfortably grasp with a single hand – so if you have small ones, just expect two-handed operation frequently.
In an age where 1080p displays are commonly becoming the standard amongst top tiered devices, it’s rather underwhelming to know that the Optimus Vu is featuring a 5-inch XGA (768 x 1024) IPS LCD panel. To its credit, it’s still detailed enough to make out fine text, but it doesn’t have that level of extreme sharpness found with 1080p displays. However, it’s still boasting the same natural color reproduction and wide viewing angles as before – mainly because of the IPS LCD technology it’s using.
Positioned as a note-taking device, the stylus that comes along with it (called the Rubberdium), is still something that can not be tucked away discretely into the handset. Rather, we notice that it can be rested in the 3.5mm headset jack. Yes, it’s strange, but at least it’s there within reach. Unfortunately, this device is running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with the Optimus skin – so yeah, it’s nothing to drool over. However, the new handset has this cool feature called LG Vu Talk, which allows two LG Optimus Vu II handsets to share notes with one another. Specifically, you write something on one phone, it’ll show up on the other – and vice versa. So if you want a quick game of tic-tac-toe, you can definitely do it with this.
Overall though, this handset is far from a super spec’d thing, and knowing that, it’s something that most people will overlook for other more favorable devices in the same category – like the existing Samsung Galaxy Note II, or upcoming Huawei Ascend Mate.
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LG Optimus Vu II
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21 Comments
1. zazori08 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 02:04 2 0
i dont like this. vu users, if there are any. dont upgrade. its not worth it
6. Topcat488 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 02:43 3 2
I own the Original Galaxy Note, and didn't upgrade because i love the 16:10 ratio over the 16:9 Note II. But that was easy, because updates will keep me on par with the newer Note...
But this Vu II is the exact same as its predecessor, still with ICS, same ugly (uLGy) design, a square hahahaha...
The Note is a Beautiful S-Pen & Multi-Window College Smartphone... While the Vu took the Short Bus to school... "Put your helmets on kids... You too Vu". Said the bus driver. :/
12. OHaZZaR posted on 09 Jan 2013, 04:19 1 0
Also have the original Note, and I still think Samsung should've used a 16:10 display. It should be mainstream on everything, a perfect level of horizontal and vertical ratio for work. It's not optimal for movie viewing, but you're not gonna do that on your phone. Admittedly though, I watch a lot of movies on my Note xD
16. JGuinan007 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 11:29 0 0
Updates? N7000, or I717? The I717 won't get JB til march with AT&T if it gets updated at all, and the N7000 won't get JB til Feb and that's it you won't see Key Lime pie unless you go XDA and get AOSP and then you lose all the TW features of the Note like use of the S-pen.
18. OHaZZaR posted on 09 Jan 2013, 15:34 0 0
That's fine. Samsung's already doing more than enough with Jelly Bean. I remember when my Note was a slow mess back with gingerbread, but now (yeah I do use Jelly Bean, albeit the leaked stable version) it runs beautifully, if you can handle a few bugs that were ALWAYS there xD. It's beautiful and it's only a leaked version.
19. JGuinan007 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 18:00 0 0
A leaked JB for I717 or international N700?
2. nard0207 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 02:05 1 0
Ugly and its nearly square shape will make it difficult to hold.
3. abdane posted on 09 Jan 2013, 02:13 0 0
yea it is ugly... and ICS ??? WHY ? i thought there will be a competitor to the note... apparently not...
4. tiara6918 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 02:17 0 0
The vu2 is so wide, some users might like that for their viewing experiences but it won't be much easy to operate with your hand compared to droid dna/s3
5. g2a5b0e posted on 09 Jan 2013, 02:23 0 0
Garbage. This phone hardly seems to have any improvements over the original. DOA for sure.
7. MusicianMod posted on 09 Jan 2013, 03:16 1 1
Guys, you don't know what you are talking about…
I just switched to this phone from the Galaxy S3 after a lot of consideration! I live in Korea now, where all models are readily available. They sold about 2 million of these here already, it's very popular with guys (also women like it), but I think it's pretty guyish compared to the Note II.
The version here comes with a beautiful textured back, the screen is wonderful, and the colors are much better, than on the Note. We get it on high-speed LTE here, and in Korea that means an average DL/UL speed of 38Mbps/26Mbps.
I have two phones at any given time (get iPhones from work, Android for personal), and I have experience with more phones, than I care to admit… I just love this phone.
8. Topcat488 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 03:32 3 0
Good that you like it Dude... But don't say we don't know what we're talking about, because WE can see that it's a UGLY phablet... Because you live in Korea maybe you want to support it, but DUDE, it's a square... lol.
13. a961009 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 08:45 0 1
I am using optimus lte2 and I think the design of the phone is hundred times better than galaxy s3 and note 2. the problem of vu 2 is not square. and I don't even support LG although I am Korean. I only like HTC
9. redmd posted on 09 Jan 2013, 03:47 1 0
This is very popular in Korea, I see it as much as I see Samsung Galaxies. I dont really get the hate. Anyway I hope they release jellybean already.
14. a961009 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 08:48 0 0
since optimus g 's jellybean is leaked it won't take long time to see vu 2 with jb
15. cncrim posted on 09 Jan 2013, 11:19 0 0
Ugly phone, maybe Korean see something but the rest of the world find it strange.
17. jaytai0106 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 11:42 0 0
It's too wide I think... It will be hard to hold for average users.
21. InspectorGadget80 posted on 09 Jan 2013, 20:27 0 0
I prefer THE LG NEXUS. This one is FUGLY
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