LG Optimus 3D Max launches in Europe, not coming to the UK

LG has some good news for 3D buffs - the LG Optimus 3D Max, their second generation Android phone with glasses-free 3D screen is launching across Europe. There's some bad news too - the Optimus 3D Max won't be coming to the UK for now.

Anyway, the 3D Max brings updates over the original Optimus 3D in several key areas - the dual-core CPU is now clocked at 1.2GHz (it still uses a TI OMAP 4430 chipset though), it has 1GB of RAM (up from 512MB), it's 2mm thinner, 20g lighter and comes with NFC connectivity.

Also, the HDMI port has given way to a MHL-enabled USB port, which can do up to 1080p video output (in both 2D and 3D modes). LG will release a tool that upscales Android apps to 1080p resolution as a maintenance release later on.

The dual-5MP camera hasn’t changed though and the screen is still a 4.3" WVGA LCD.

Another thing that will come as a maintenance release further down the line is the Range finder app that lets you measure distances to and the dimensions of objects by leveraging on the smartphone's two cameras and some clever math.

There's another feature that LG showed off at the MWC - the DSLR shot that uses similar distance measurements to add a DSLR-style shallow depth of field to regular photos from the camera. The press release makes no mention of that feature, so there's a chance it didn’t make the cut.

What is included with the Optimus 3D Max is a 3D converter tool that takes 2D apps (as in non-stereoscopic) and converts them to stereoscopic 3D. That's good, because there aren’t that many stereoscopic apps out there.

Amazon.de has the LG Optimus 3D Max available for €515 (including VAT), while some of the retailers over at Guenstiger.de offer it for €440. Amazon.at (Austria) also have the smartphone available for €515. That's all the online stores we found to sell the 3D Max, but availability should expand quite quickly.

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Krait-powered LG D1L to come in May with a 4.7 and LTE

Krait-powered LG D1L to come in May with a 4.7 and LTE

It appears then LG isn't going to be happy with Samsung stealing all the spotlight in May. All the latest rumors suggest the Galaxy S III will launch in a few weeks, and we now hear that LG is preparing to launch a similarly powerful smartphone next month.

The upcoming LG flagship is reportedly going to be called D1L and is built around a 4.7-inch HD display. It should be powered by the Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset (dual-core 1.5GHz Krait CPU, Adreno 225 GPU) and feature LTE connectivity.



The D1L should become the first LG device to run the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, when it launches in the a 3 to 4 weeks' time.

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LG Optimus 4X HD benchmarked early, does well

LG Optimus 4X HD benchmarked early, does well

Greek site, TechBlog, got an early build of LG's top dog droid - the Optimus 4X HD.

Without much hesitation the guys over ran a few benchmarks to test the quad-core Cortex-A9 processor clocked at 1.5 GHz and the ULP GeForce GPU.



LG Optimus 4X benchmarks

The ICS-running LG Optimus 4X HD did quite well in Quadrant, AnTuTu and NenaMark2. We decided to do a little comparison with the HTC One X - it uses the same chipset, deals with the same amount of pixels but it turns out that Sense 4.0 is a little heavier than the UI the Optimus 4X HD is running because the One X came on top only in NenaMark2.



HTC One X benchmarks

The Optimus 4X HD on the other hand got better results in both Quadrant and AnTuTu, which is quite promising given that it's only a pre-relese unit.

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Verizon announces the LG Lucid 4G, starts shipping March 29

Inevitably after it's leak a few days ago, Verizon officially announced the LG Lucid 4G. Under the hood, this mid-ranger is featuring a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, handling Android 2.3 without any hesitation. Additionally, Verizon promises Ice Cream Sandwich update in the near future.

The LG Lucid 4G is built around a 4-inch NOVA IPS-LCD display rocking a 480x800 resolution and Gorilla glass for extra protection. LG has given it 8GB of built-in storage with an microSD card slot, unfortunately, missing. At the back, there's a 5MP 1080p HD video recording camera.

Naturally, the device comes with LTE connectivity and is able to share its fast connection with up to 10 devices. Wi-Fi n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 2.0 are on board as well. Measurements aren't bad either at 119.1 x 62.2 x 11.4 mm and weight of 142 grams with a 1700mAh battery under the back cover.

The Lucid 4G will launch on March 29 with a price tag of $80 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year contract. Verizon will give you your rebate in the form of a debit card after you show them a receipt, which seems kind of an inconvenience.

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Specs for Verizon-bound LG Lucid 4G droid leak

The leaked specs of the LG Lucid 4G mark the second LTE-enabled LG phone rumor for the day. TheLucid 4G (also known as Cayman) is a Gingerbread droid of the mid-range variety that is heading to Verizon.

It has a 4" NOVA IPS-LCD display with 480x800 and Gorilla glass protection. There's a 1.2GHz dual-core processor powering the LG Lucid 4G (the chipset isn't clear yet). There's also 8GB of built-in memory.

The connectivity side is well covered - LTE is present (obviously) and you can share that data connection with up to 10 other devices, EVDO Rev. A as fallback, then there's Wi-Fi b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct support, Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 2.0.

The LG Lucid 4G measures 119.1 x 62.2 x 11.4 mm and weighs 142 g. Its 1700mAh battery is good for up to 350 hours of standby and up to 8 hours of usage.

The Lucid 4G might launch next Thursday (March 29) in the sub $200 price range, but as usual with rumors this isn't set in stone.

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LG Optimus LTE P936 previewed before announcement

What we have here is yet another member of LG's ever-expanding Optimus LTE family. Called LG Optimus LTE P936, the smartphone isn't officially announced yet, but already got its first preview thanks to the guys from GSM Dome.

The LG Optimus LTE P936 is almost identical to the Korea-bound LG Optimus LTE SU640 in terms of both specs and design. You get the hot 720p AH-IPS LCD at the front, a Snapdragon chipset featuring 1.5GHz dual-core CPU inside and a 1080p video-capable 8 megapixel shooter at the back.

   
LG Optimus LTE P936 live shots

What's more interesting here is the target market of the Optimus LTE P936. The model number is close to that of the AT&T-bound LG Nitro HD (P930), so we'd guess the P936 is also headed to the US. Verizon also has an Optimus LTE version - the LG Spectrum, which leaves Sprint as the most probable carrier to get it. Sprint is just a few months away from launching its LTE network and LG might want to be prepared for when the time comes.

Another theory says that the Optimus LTE P936 is the international version of the Optimus LTE. The European market is still to receive some LTE attention from LG and this might be the device.

Anyway, check out the LG Optimus LTE P936 on video:

We're looking forward to the official announcement, which should answer our remaining question.

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