Performance-wise, the budget Android smartphone LG Optimus one P500 offers a few pleasant surprises, writes NOOR KHAN
AS the competition heats up, manufacturers are shifting their focus to cater to budget smartphone users. these budget smartphones generally perform like their more expensive cousins but with fewer features.
The LG Optimus one LG P500 is an exception, as it has all the features one would expect from higher range smartphones and more.
Sporting a candy bar design, the LG P500 has a solid quality and soft rubbery material, making it easy and comfortable to hold. The 3.2-inch HVGA touch screen display provides good image quality and is easy to view even under bright environments. The four physical buttons at the bottom of the display screen provide the basic Home, back, Menu and Search keys functions and is a welcome change from the touch-sensitive, on-screen buttons favoured by many smartphones manufacturers today.
The LG P500 runs on the latest Android 2.2 operating system and is very simple and intuitive. Up to seven customisable menu screens can be configured to let users access their most frequently used applications. The Home and back buttons are useful as they allowed easy navigation between the various applications and functions. The keys on the Qwerty touch screen keyboard is a little small, and I have a problem using it. but there is an option to switch to Phone style keyboard, if you are more comfortable with the old style phone buttons.
The smartphone has the usual connectivity options — Bluetooth 3.0, micro-USB (for synchronising and phone charging) and WiFi. The internal memory is limited, so adding the micro-SD memory card is a necessity, especially if you want to take pictures or videos and to store music.
The phone comes loaded with several useful applications, including Facebook and Twitter, Internet browsing, Maps and Navigation. you can manually set up your e-mail account or, if you are using G-mail, an application is available for you to sign into your account. several other useful applications can be downloaded using the LG App Advisor application and Android’s Market Place.
The three-megapixel camera at the back provides decent quality photos and videos. There is no physical camera button on the side, so trying to take pictures by pressing the touch screen button on the display proves to be a little challenging. The phone also requires a micro SD memory card to be inserted to save photos and videos taken by the camera.
The LG P500 smartphone performs well and has the features usually found in the mid- to upper range smartphones. With the relatively low price, it is worth considering, even for the non-budget-conscious user.
Product: LG Optimus one P500 Smartphone Manufacturer: LG Details: lg.com/my Price: RM899 SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions: 113.5 x 59 x 13.3mm Weight: 129g display: 3.2-inch HVGA (320 x 480), 256K Battery: 7.5 hours Talktime/550 hours Standby (3G) OS: Android 2.2 Memory: 170MB (internal), up to 32GB (Micro SD) Features: 3MP camera, latest Android platform, 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, LG’s App Advisor our verdict HHH Physical design HHHH Documentation HHH User-friendliness HHH Performance HHHH