LG INCITE Review

Introduction:

LG has been producing beautiful devices such as the Chocolate, Shine, and Prada for quite some time now. But they’ve never really create a true smart phone that can handle all the needs of a business professional.  AT&T is lucky to be the first U.S. carrier to offer their Windows Mobile powered phone. The LG INCITE incorporates a ton of features that we’ve been accustomed to seeing in a design that has been the norm.  Primarily focused to business users, the incorporation of various Microsoft applications will aid the mobile user to work on the go. But the biggest question left to answer is if LG can provide a worthy device that is functional and intuitive when going against the current offerings.

The package contains:

• LG INCITE
• Charger
• User Manual
• Stylus
• USB data cable

Design:

The slate form factor has become synonymous with the Windows Mobile Professional platform. At first glance one would think that a metallic material was used for the INCITE, but it's in fact plastic with a mirror like finish to it. You definitely get that plastic feel when you place it in your hand. We were expecting a little more durable type of material because of the amount of scratches that happened when taking it out from our pockets. Granted the only positive about the material used is that the device feels very light (4.23 oz). It’s sleek enough to hold in your hand without having it feeling too bulky or wide in the pockets.




The first thing to catch your eyes is the 3.0” screen that dominates the face with two buttons located beneath it. We were disappointed with the standard resolution display (240 x 400 pixels) that LG decided to go with instead of the high-res WVGA 480x800 newer phones have. You can definitely see the difference in text clarity when you pit it against something like the HTC Touch Diamond. Pressing the screen is accompanied with a vibration that can be changed in the settings. We preferred using our fingernails when making selections on screen rather than pressing with a finger. Some will probably end up using the stylus instead, but we don’t like the fact that it is tethered to a lanyard instead of finding it hidden somewhere in the phone. The unresponsive screen became troublesome because there were numerous occasions when we had to press on the screen for the device to recognize a selection. Colors on screen came out quite accurate while brightness was a problem at times even when manually placing it on the highest setting. You’ll need to shield the phone with your hand if you plan on viewing it in direct sunlight.


The send and end keys on the front look flush with the surface but are slightly raised to give it a button distinction. The left side has the volume rocker appropriately placed in the center while the much loved microUSB port is towards the top. Sometimes navigating or scrolling can become a nuisance especially if the device does not register your touch. The dedicated camera and lock buttons are found on the right side with a jog dial incorporated to make scrolling a bit easier. You can even press the button into the phone to make a selection which comes in handy with one handed operation.   Swapping microSD cards are no problem with it conveniently located next to the jog dial. Remove the cover, place your memory card, and you’re ready to start saving files without any hassle. All the buttons on the device are well sized with good feedback quality. Music fans will also be glad to find a 3.5mm jack on the top without having to worry about using an adapter to enable them to use their pair of headphones. Finally, the back houses the battery (1300 mAh) with the auto-focusing 3-megapixel camera.