It’s hard to think that LG, commonly associated with dishwashers and microwaves could be the maker of an Android phone that has everyone talking, and that even has many iOS fans wanting to cross over (I *might* be one of those).
And while many of the Android phones I’ve tried have been your standard and run-of-the-mill devices, the LG G2 stands out (and it’s not just for the “Beauty shot” feature that smoothes out skin when you take a selfie or pic – more about that later).
For starters, the power and volume buttons are on the back. This felt weird at first but eventually it has became quite “logical” and easy to hold the phone, type with my thumb, and then access the power or volume buttons with my index finger. The phone weighs 143g and measures at 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9mm, and it has taken a while to get used to a larger phone. I have medium-sized hands, and it’s taken a bit of adaptation – and learning – to hold the phone, and type with my thumb.
It has a glass front and plastic back, and while I don’t want to test this, apparently it’s quite durable. I’ve been told that LG tests their phones with a “drop and pick up” machine to test their sturdiness, so that’s good news for me for
if
when I drop it.Secondly, the screen quality is beautiful, and it’s only by experiencing this one, that I realise how “adequate” some of my previous screens and views have been. This G2 has a 5.2-inch display, and the colours are amazing. It has IPS (In Plane Switching) Display, which means the picture is brighter and sharper.
Thirdly, this phone is quick, and there is no lag-time when taking a picture, opening an app or waiting for Facebook status updates to appear. It runs on Snapdragon 800 and has 2G of RAM, and even while downloading about 12 apps at the same time, they still moved quickly, and I was able to do work at the same time (ie read Facebook and Twitter).
The battery life is superb. It has a 30000mAh battery and I got through a day and a half with quite heavy-duty usage before I had to recharge. One night, the battery was at 9%, and the next morning it was at 8%, and I could still check email and Twitter.
Every good phone needs a great camera, and this 13MP camera does its job adequately with features such as autofocus, optical image stabilisation (to take good night or stable shots), time catch shot, VR panorama and burst shot. The camera records in full HD, and has a cool audio zoom function; simply zoom into a person, and the audio will be strengthened from that area.
Perhaps my favourite feature is beauty shot, which promises to make skin look smoother and brighter – great for any selfie. I didn’t believe it worked until I compared a normal shot with the beauty shot, and saw a slight difference.
Normal shot
Beauty shot
Here’s an example of normal shot indoors, and normal shot outdoors:
There are loads of other functions too, and it seems like the more I play, the more I find. Some of my favourites include:
- Guest mode: This allows someone else to log into your phone (like your child) using a different unlock pattern, on a restricted basis (ie you can choose what apps or games they get to see or play with)
- KnockON: This feature lets you wake up or put the phone to sleep by tapping or knocking on the screen twice
- QuickRemote: You can use the phone as a remote for controlling your TV music and other electronic devices – Answer Me: You don’t have to press a button to answer a call. all you need to do is lift the phone to your ear while it’s ringing and you’ll automatically answer the call
- QSlide: You can have two different apps in different windows on the main screen
At GirlGuides, one of the common questions we receive is “Should I get an iPhone or a Samsung?”. I feel that pretty soon, the LG G2 will be entering the question – as soon as people start thinking of LG as a huge smartphone player, and not just the maker of kitchen appliances. My comment to them would probably be “The G2 is a keeper”.
Highs:
Large screen
Good battery life
Great camera and video functions
Lightweight
Good speed – no lag when buttons are pressed
Lows:
Only about 11G of usable and non-expandable storage
Quickie
Five words to describe the phone: Slim, smart, fast, impressive, must-have Would I buy this for myself? Yes (but only on contract) Would I recommend this to someone? Yes Best suited for…someone who wants a smart smartphone, and appreciates good performance and functionality (or who just wants to look “in”)
Price: R7,299.00, and around R340 per month on a contract
This review first appeared on GirlGuides
The post The LG G2 smartphone – why we are loving it appeared first on Rattle and Mum.