Benevolence – it’s a wonderful thing. And although many say it’s better to give than receive, if we’re truly honest, it’s much nicer to be the recipient of somebody else’s altruism. You can imagine my elation when it was announced that every attendant of the LG Optimus One launch would be presented with their own unit of the very special handset. But don’t get me wrong – I’m not the type to lust after freebies, I’m simply happy that I have a longer period in which to really experience and immerse myself in the capabilities of the the phone, rather than being loaned a model for review only to have it painfully stripped from my possession a short while later.
“Now what’s all this Optimus stuff?” you ask. Don’t be fooled by the name as the MC at the launch was – the LG isn’t one of those paranormal items that magically morph into cars and other mechanical monstrosities. Optimus refers to the range of LG smart devices, geared at professionals who seek to go about their business while on the move and those with insatiable appetite for accessing information 24/7. Essentially, it’s the perfect device for the information age, a product allowing one to keep abreast of the unrelenting pace at which information is disseminated. According to LG South Africa Marketing Director, Dr. Michelle Potgieter, the brief is to appease the need for speedy info with the Optimus series. “LG and Google share a similar vision of helping people access information fast and easily, no matter where they are. We believe the Optimus series will play a significant role in accomplishing this vision,” says Potgieter.
You needn’t be an observer of esoteric technology magazines to notice that smartphones have become pretty ubiquitous these days. Every manufacturer has its own take on what the ultimate multi-tasking mobile is supposed to be. But what sets the LG Optimus One apart from competitors is that it runs on a later, more advanced platform developed by Google, yet to be brought to the smart phone mainstream – known as Android 2.2 or “Froyo” in nerd-speak. The LG was designed especially for the Froyo running system.
This basically means that the user is bestowed with an insane amount of tools and applications to aid him or her while mobile, whether it’s finding proper directions (Google Maps), or keeping an appointment (Outlook Calendar) to even browsing around stores of goodies without having to get lost in aisles, or wait in queues, thanks to Google Shopper. Despite being laden with features, the Optimus One doesn’t look intimidating at all – with an uncluttered face bearing few buttons. Utmost user friendliness is promised through a touch screen interface and for that added fun factor, the LG App Advisor suggests 10 of the most popular applications to the user every fortnight.
The LG Optimus One is available from this month, and should have a price tag of R2 499. Expect a thorough review of this smartphone in Sports Focus soon.
