New LG Chocolate Shown On Video, Long Design Confirmed
Well, there goes the rest of LG’s annoyingly gradual tease campaign: the next generation LG Chocolate BL40, with a 4-inch, 800×344 (21:9!), multitouch screen has been revealed in full in this leaked promotional video.
On top of the display, we can see a few more of the rumored specs confirmed: LG’s in-house Active Flash UI, Wi-Fi, 7.2mbps HSDPA, a-gps, and a 5mp camera with flash all make appearances, and we get a healthy look at the phone’s software, glimpsing the onscreen keyboard, browser, Google Maps app, card-based contact system, scheduler and email app.
In terms of usability, the ultrawide screen is the obvious wildcard, but the OS will be a equally—if not more—important factor. In combination with the promise of a multitouch glass capacitive touchscreen, the simulated screen images in the video inspire confidence, exhibiting smoothness, thoughtful navigation and an eye-and-finger-friendly UI in most places, but at its heart the Chocolate will still be a dumbphone.
As for when we’ll actually find out if this thing has the wherewithal to match up with its ostentatious wackiness, all we get is a vague “coming soon.” [LG Chocolate via Engadget]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
so many people calling it a dumb phone...but how is this different from the iphone OS wise?
the iphone doesnt have a "smart" os either
EncNone
Look in the email list: "Billy Joel", "John Frusciante". Seriously, what are LG up to?
(John Frusciante is the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, and Billy Joel is… ummm… someone).
jbuk2k7
this is actually a surprisingly attractive phone, I want to get an iphone next year but a 21:9 screen is too cool to pass up, plus it looks really thin, any dimensions?
Looks sexy.
AaronC-T
i'm impressed can't wait to see it in the wild to see if it lives up to what it says
Hooooly shit! I'm sold on this! That thing looks friggin wicked. All those specs : )
nerve11
This long LG phone makes me wonder what happened to Intels' atom based phone. I really thought that was a really slick concept, I wish it would have come to fruition.
@surfer88: Yup, I feel the same way. When Apple first introduced the iPhone, Steve Jobs was quoted as saying "The iPhone is 5 years ahead of anything in the market right now". Well, he was right AND wrong. It was ahead, but not 5 years ahead. Phones like this new LG Chocolate are testament to that assertion. The other guys are catching up. It's time for Apple to step up their game again or get crushed.
*Looks down at recently bought LG secret.* *weeps silently.*
TheCrudMan
@TheSonOfKrypton: What's funny is I was thinking the same thing while watching this video. Granted the new Chocolate is not the iPhone, but the similarities in the UI and general flow are unmistakable. I love my iPhone, but it also gets me excited to see other companies making products like this, only because Apple will have to continue to work hard to keep their handset on the top of the heap. Healthy competition is good, I just hope this Chocolate is up to the task.
Wow! But what ever happened to the original design of the chocolate??
@bobjase:
can't remember something that never existed.
kind of hate those red ''details''.
btw i had a LG shine some years ago, and it wasnt really good.
martinS60
"Is that an LG Chocolate in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
:D
enthdegree
Ahhhh, how the iPhone has raised the bar. Seriously, question to all: Do any of you TRULY think that phones would look even REMOTELY CLOSE to this leaked Chocolate's UI if the iPhone wasn't released and Apple just stayed the fuck out of the smartphone game?
@weatherman: Yet a phone like this probably will.
Smart phones and dumbphones are getting blurred more and more. Everyone has an app store...
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/07/13/lg-launches-app-store-in-asia-looks-to-g.../
tande04
@jonaswan2: Its not going to be a VZW phone.
None of the "black label" phones even came to the US. Different versions of them did but never the original high end phones.
tande04
@ihaveabu:
How did you set up 2 exchange accounts?
Remember when everyone was afraid to do Multitouch because of Apple "patents?"
Fun times.
copy and paste?
Pwnerjam3.0
Now if only it could be that fluid...
Is anyone else concerned with this thing's durability? Given its slim form factor and its almost comical length...
@SashaM: Exactly what I was thinking.
Gonna have to wait and see if it suffers from stretch marks. Maybe it should be called the taffy.
sharkync
They're clearly pushing iPhone-like UI. Most iPhone users will prob eat this up only cuz most iPhone users don't actualy use it's smartphone features. I doubt this phone can handle 7 emails, 2 Exchange accounts like my iPhone does so flawlessly
The phone itself looks ok, but I'd love to smack whoever thought that "music" was a good idea. Ugh.
This better be worth the wait. Its gonna be on verizon, Right?
Dilpickle1
How many times do I have to link to moorestown until one of you guys remembers it?
Also, your new commenting system doesn't work at all in IE8. I click in the comment box and nothing happens and I can't type.
bobjase
@dallasmay2: I think you're selling the consuming public short. While most folks may not have casual conversations about the comparative benefits and multitasking abilities of the various operating systems, people care about content and apps, and know well enough that a phone with a pretty screen does not necessarily bring either.
I like! If they can get the UI running as smoothly in the video, it looks like a nice enough 'smartphone'.
"although without a proper smartphone OS, the Chocolate will still be a dumbphone at heart."
Most of the time, most people don't really care about geeky things like what OS their running. But when comparing a Flash OS to a real OS, they ca tell the difference.
dallasmay2
They didn't mention any sort of App Store... I don't think I could go back to a phone like that.
Looks good
Ultraorange
LG are using their own UI called S-Class (no it's not a Mercedes) on their new touchscreen phones. The LG Arena and Crystal both have it and it is as smooth as it shows in the video as they've moved to using hardware 3D chips now so it takes a load off their main CPU.
Still don't think I'd buy that over the 3GS though, it's pretty but, well it's an LG!
themaxmethod
It sure looks fancy in this video!
This is going to be gimped so super hard and so throughly by Verizon Wireless that the little video there should be constituted as "false advertising."
Though that is a great looking phone, LG!
It seems very, very cool. This, the new SE UI... I really don't know what to buy anymore :/
It looks really delicious...
But am I wrong, or does the onscreen keyboard looks like iphones? Or the browser buttons? I know that in small design it is hard to escape from similarities, but I see no point in that. The keyborad should be at least different colours than apples :P P.S. Hey hey, new comment layout, pretty sweet!
@cymbalrocks: Your small wiener? My small wiener?
D.E.P.C. is on a Sexpedition
LG appears to be quite obviously compensating for something here...
cymbalrocks
Not really impressed. Looks like a smarter dumbphone. However, the screen looks a little awkward for most smartphone like tasks, but if done right it could be one of the better web browser phones (more vertical space to view pages).
Alternate
It looks really good. For some reason I imagined LG, Motorola, Nokia, etc. would stop improving on their phones. I don't know why really, they just seemed so behind; they still are, but are catching up apparently. Imitating always takes less time and money than innovating.
D.E.P.C. is on a Sexpedition
@Kirioth: lol
Neverhitboxes
Wow yeah thats a real flashy interface they got there XD
I like it.
Neverhitboxes
@armendni: and how would you go about typing on the thing? we don't have ridiculously long thumbs you know
@ten10: What?
Kirioth
looks interesting! lol it'd stick out of your pocket though
@Kirioth: what else did you expect? Mind control?
ten10
It does look good but... I just watched that UI showcase simply thinking "Oh good. More iPhone-esque spinning and flipping". Seriously, have designers forgotten how to do anything else?
Kirioth
Wow, I am very impressed. This is pretty awesome looking. Great video presentation, and just over all the aesthetic appeal of it is just nice. Just hope it's WM or Andriod instead of a closed platform.
Totalfixation
@tande04: You can build an app store for a dumb phone. True. My old free Nokia I had a year ago before my 3G had an App store where you could buy Brick-Break or a ringtone. But it does not even come close to comparing to what the iPhone can do. That was why the iPhone blew everyone away when it was announced. Yet, the fact that it could only do web-apps was appalling. People could tell the difference. People new it had more potential.
This is the same way. You can color the phone up with animations and eye candy all day, but you will still just have a phone running flash.
dallasmay2
ok.. ill sell my iphone to get that bad boy.... because the UI on the iphone has gotten boring.... and i've been liking what LG's been doing recently...
anyone with me?? (maybe even as a second phone?)
KingKash
could I chnage the flashUI? with one home developed?
But is the Headphone jack 3.5?
Better be..
mastermatoro
the video make this thing look like one of those movie cellphones. they do stuff that normal phones cant do. and look very futuristic. lets just hope that lg actually lives up to that promise.
@Katoejoe: *Puts phone in water.
There you go! ; )
Identity: Secret since 2008
@Andrew King: I really, really like the new Android (from what I've seen), but I'm still giving it a while. I think all the major phone OS's have something great to offer. Android seems to be evolving the fastest, but I'm sold on a Pre this time 'round.
Identity: Secret since 2008
@Ninety-9: Um,... Ok? Is this middle school again? If so, I'd gladly play along. Your mom goes to college!! lolll
@everyone else: Excuse my language.
Identity: Secret since 2008
@jbuk2k7: I didn't catch that. Good find.
Identity: Secret since 2008
Huh, I would have liked a different choice in music personally. Oh well, that's why YouTube invented the mute button.
The UI looks pretty cool... if it can be that fast.
Identity: Secret since 2008
@Andrew King: I completely agree man, and that is what I was, in fact, arguing. Many different phones are now starting to approach the iPhone (and some may argue surpass) in terms of that "wow" factor. Apple either needs to step it up, or get smashed. Bottom line. The sheer number of phones that are coming out with Android should scare the shit outta Apple.
@Ninety-9: Awesome substantive reply their, friend.
Next time, try and be a little like Andrew King.
@TheSonOfKrypton:
While I do not combat this idea, I believe companies like Google (With the new Sense UI) are taking Apple's outlook on mobile computing and giving it the edge it needs. Sorry, but after owning an iPhone for 2 years and buying a G1, I believe Android will be the future OS X Mobile. After 2 years, Apple has evolved, yes, but in my honest opinion, other companies are evolving beyond them.
Andrew King
The video is gone already...
@TheSonOfKrypton: You've got a little something on your nose, there.
Ninety-9
@Identity: Now 100% more Pre.: :D the fluidity is wonderful!