LG Phone Jumps Into Mass Market Arena

LG’s Arena smartphone looks like it will give its competitors a run for its money.

LG Electronics ARENA (LG-KM900) multimedia phone’s new multimedia features include a totally new 3D S-Class User Interface (UI), and has some pundits believing it could rival the iPhone for functionality.

It is also claimed to be the first multimedia phone for the global market to use Dolby Mobile from Dolby Laboratories to deliver surround sound experience for video content and enhance the sound of music content.

Intuitive and life-like touch-based 3D menus take the fuss out of searching through contacts and multimedia content. Reel Scrolling lays out menus as if they were on a film reel, providing icons for each choice. Dragging a finger across the S-Class UI’s 3D reels allows users to scroll through entertainment options.

In ARENA’s camera mode, an on-screen dial, similar to those found on many high-end standalone cameras, makes it easy to customize shot settings for picture-perfect results.
At its core, the Arena’s S-Class UI is a cube layout that provides four customisable home screens that provide access to all features by flipping the cube with the flick of a finger. With multiple faces, the cube allows for four times more shortcuts than a single screen, making menus easier to access.

Also created with fast access in mind are ARENA’s Elastic Lists, which make it easier to browse through contacts and other catalogued information. When touched, list items stretch like a rubber band to provide more detailed information, options or easy editing.
Fast yet smooth 3D transitions between menus are made possible by the perfect pairing of LG’s S-Class UI and an AMD processor.

Colourful graphics give ARENA a sense of dynamism and fun found in no other phone. ARENA’s dynamic graphics are evident in the phone’s Floating Image Gallery. When held upright, the phone displays photos neatly in rows. But turn the phone on its side and the photos cascade off the screen and reappear much larger.

Going one step further, its Tactile Analogue Alarm Clock and Radio Tuner make it almost feel like moving a clock’s hands or turning an actual dial.

The Dolby Mobile surround sound has a range of equaliser presets to fit all genres and individual tastes make the experience even better. A built-in FM transmitter means ARENA can play music wirelessly through a car or home stereo. A standard 3.5 mm audio jack means ARENA can be paired with any headphones.

LG ARENA’s large 3.0-inch full touchscreen display has WVGA resolution, which is four times sharper than QVGA. With the clearest LCD screen available on a mobile phone, ARENA is ideal for watching DVD quality DivX or Xvid movies on-the-go.
D1 recording capability captures DVD-resolution video that looks great even when played back on a large TV. For added fun, ARENA can record 120 frames per second slow motion video to catch every detail.

ARENA can handle hundreds of music and movie files with 8GB of internal memory and 16GB of external memory. The battery provides up to 30 hours of MP3 playtime and 300 hours of standby time.

It also comes with a five megapixel camera. The unit’s audio, video and photos can be shared on social networking sites, due to 3G HSDPA 7.2 networks and Wi-Fi. The phone also supports Google Mobile Service which includes Google search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube and Google Blogs. A-GPS and geo-tagging are also possible. ARENA’s multi-touch capabilities enhance the web surfing experience.

All of these features are packed in ARENA’s sleek and refined metal body, sized to grab and go at 105.9 x 55.3 x 11.95 mm. Tempered glass over the touchscreen ensures long-lasting durability to keep the phone looking sophisticated and clean, claims LG. ARENA will be available in silver and black titanium colour schemes.

RRP: $799