LG Optimus 7 E900
The LG Optimus 7 E900 is the latest addition to the growing line-up of smartphones out there, and it is one of the first available in Hong Kong to use Microsoft's new platform, Windows Phone 7.
Obviously, the biggest difference with the Optimus 7 is the new operating system which, instead of the previous and cumbersome PC-inspired Windows Mobile, adopts a 'tile' format that is more akin to Microsoft's music player, Zune.
Applications are accessed through these 'tiles' - icons inside square boxes that line up against one another. The new platform also introduces so-called 'hubs', so groups of application tiles can be arranged together to facilitate access. These hubs are customisable, so you can have a hub for 'games' and a hub for 'people' - for social networking - for example.
The Windows Phone 7 platform also comes integrated with the Xbox Live online game portal, as well as Microsoft's Zune services.
In addition to those features, there are some unique applications bundled in with the platform, including support for DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), which allows the phone to play media on other DLNA-enabled devices such as televisions. There is also a voice-to-text feature that allows you to compose text messages by simply speaking into the phone.
The device comes with a 1GHz Snapdragon chip from Qualcomm, 16GB of memory, and a 5-megapixel camera on the back. You also get 3G and HSPA, as well as Wi-fi and Bluetooth.
The LG Optimus 7 E900 is priced at HK$4,980.
Pros: sleek design, Windows Phone 7 features, Xbox Live and Zune integration
Cons: brand new platform
