LG Spectrum Review

Interface:

Expectedly so, the LG Spectrum features the same-old Optimus 2.0 skin that’s been synonymous with LG’s line of smartphones for the last year. Beneath it, however, the handset runs Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, not ICS. The custom UI adds some LG flavor to the interface graphics, as well as some additional tweaks here and there, and it also comes with a number of new widgets to enhance your homescreen.


While this is all good, it's still a bit underwhelming to see new Android smartphones shipping with Gingerbread, instead of the latest OS version. Currently, an update to Android 4 ICS is expected to arrive sometime in June, according to Verizon.


Functionality:

Another feature that the Optimus UI 2.0 delivers is the implementation of motion gestures. Since the LG Optimus 2X, tapping on the sides of the device can move the cursor when typing or browsing through the image gallery. Moreover, you can use motion gestures to turn off your alarm clock or to mute an incoming call by flipping the phone over. We can argue how useful these motion gestures can be in real life because the idea of physically hitting a pricy device, no matter how lightly you do it, can always cause an accidental drop if you are not being careful enough. Luckily, some or all of the motion gestures can be turned off through the Settings menu.

Thankfully, the combination of having a large display and speedy processor enables us to easily type messages with the handset’s available keyboards with minimal mistakes. Using either the LG or Swype keyboards, their layouts are ample enough to accommodate even the largest of fingers, while the responsiveness they offer enable us to input text at a consistent rate.


Being the Android powered device it is, the LG Spectrum delivers the good old fashion Gmail experience we’re so used to seeing at this point, but equally as usable, the LG Email app is also quite useful on its own. too As for setting up accounts, it’s your typical process of providing an email address and password for automatic set up. However, you might be asked to input additional pieces of information before it’s able to correctly complete.



Processor and Memory:

Of course, this wouldn’t be deemed as a second-generation 4G LTE smartphone if it doesn’t include a dual-core processor of some sort. Specifically, a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor with 1GB of RAM helps power this beastly phone, which is undoubtedly warranted since it packs a pixel pushing 720p display. Honestly, it gets the job done by executing most basic tasks with minimal effort, though, some levels of choppiness are evident with more processor intensive tasks. Certainly, this isn’t the peppiest thing we’ve seen, especially after checking out the Asus Transformer Prime, but its performance is pretty much indicative of any other dual-core packing smartphone out there.

Preloaded with a 16GB microSD card, it actually supplements the handset’s internal 1.69GB of storage  that’s reserved for strictly apps. Then again, if that’s not enough, you can always replace the microSD card with a 32GB one instead.


Internet and Connectivity:

Data speeds are undoubtedly fast with this one, as we’re able to obtain maximum download and upload speeds of 33Mbps and 9Mbps in a relatively good 4G LTE location. As for its actual web browsing performance, it’s very much tolerable with its accurate rendering and decent response, however, it tends to be on the choppy side with its navigational control. Regardless of that, it’s equipped in dealing with heavy Flash content without many problems – so we’re accepting of its overall prowess.


Much like other 4G LTE smartphones in Big Red’s stable, it’s a CDMA device that will only work domestically on the carrier’s network – so this won’t help you abroad. Nevertheless, it’s a great candidate if you happen to live in a good 4G LTE area, even more when it posts some awesome data speeds in our testing. Obviously, it features all of the usual set of connectivity items you’d expect on a modern smartphone – such as aGPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and mobile hotspot functionality.