LG KU990 Viewty

With 5 Megapixel camera, 3G video calling, high quality video camera, MP3 player, FM radio, HSDPA for broadband internet speeds and bags of memory, this is probably LG's best phone so far.

If you liked the LG Prada or are considering an iPhone, then the LG Viewty should definitely be top of your list of phones to check out first. Touchscreen phones are the hot product of 2007/2008 and LG have a proven track record in this area with the LG Prada. The Viewty is basically a souped-up Prada without the designer logo, and it's a very accomplished product. I loved the Prada's touchscreen user interface, and the Viewty retains the best features of the Prada, but with the addition of 3G, a 5 megapixel camera, an uprated video camera, more memory and longer battery life.

Key Features

• 5.1 Megapixel Camera with Xenon Flash & Auto Focus
• Video Record
• 3 Inch TFT LCD 262k Touch Screen (240 x 400 Pixels)
• FM Radio RDS
• 100 Mbytes Memory plus MicroSD™ Memory Card Support
• 3G HSDPA Technology

The LG KU990 Viewty is a touchscreen 3G mobile phone which comes with a high quality camera & imaging features. The Viewty is a member of the LG family & pays significant resemblance to the popular LG Prada which is also a fashion conscious touchscreen mobile phone. The Viewty is a solid design with no fancy opening systems which weighs 112 gram & the overall measurements of the handset make it easy for the user to use & carry whether the handset is in the users pocket when carrying or in the users hand when in use. The height of the Viewty is 103.5mm by 54.4mm wide by 14.8mm deep which is a good size for a 3G touchscreen phone. The handset comes with a large 3 Inch TFT LCD touchscreen which has a 240 x 400 pixel screen resolution & can display up to two hundred & sixty two colours. The touchscreen comes with touch feedback which allows the user to actually feel the response from the touchscreen with a subtle buzz on their fingertips. The user can either use their finger to control their touchscreen or the LG KU990 Viewty comes with a stylus if the user prefers to use it. The user can view & use the keypad which is displayed clearly on the beautiful touchscreen.
The Viewty is an imaging focused 3G phone comes with a 5.1 megapixel digital camera feature. The user will be amazed at the imaging qualities as the camera comes with a Schneider kreuznach lens, auto focus, image stabiliser & a xenon flash. The LG KU990 Viewty comes with dedicated camera buttons which are situated on the side of the handset which also allows the user to select the camera or video settings. The phone comes with video capabilities which allow the user to record video at 120 frames per second, edit video & playback video footage. The Viewty has a voice recorder which allows the user to record voice clips which can be added to multimedia messages. The phone has a built in music player which allows the user to enjoy music playback on their phone whenever they feel the need for sound. It has a FM radio complete with RDS which allows the user to view information whilst listening to their preferred radio station.

The Viewty's music player is nice and easy to use and can handle virtually every music format: MP3/AAC/AAC+/AAC++/WMA. There's also an FM radio built in. Stereo headphones are supplied in the box, and you can use optional mono or stereo Bluetooth headphones if you prefer. The Viewty's memory is very generous, with 90 Mbytes of internal memory and up to 2 Gbytes of additional memory (microSD memory card).

I've already mentioned that the Viewty is a 3G phone. In fact it's 3.5G, i.e. it supports extra fast 3G connections using HSDPA which enables download speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps. Bluetooth and USB connectivity are available, and a USB cable is supplied in the box. The Viewty supports web browsing and email, and there's a useful document viewer that can handle all common file formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF).

It works on a tri band network which covers GSM 900, 1800 & 1900 which provides the user of the Viewty with coverage in Europe & the majority of the US, this is dependent on the network provider. The phone comes with 100 Mbytes of internal memory onboard & the phone comes with a MicroSD™ memory card option which allows the user to extend their memory capabilities up to 2 Gbytes. The LG KU990 Viewty comes with the latest high speed technology including 3G technology, HSDPA which is high speed download packet access, Bluetooth® wireless connectivity, EDGE technology & USB connection. The user can connect their phone to other compatible devices using either a Bluetooth® wireless connection or a USB cable connection. It comes with a TV output connection which allows the user to connect the Viewty to a TV to view their video creations. The phone comes with high speed Internet access with the help of the 3G HSDPA technology. The user can access a XHTML browser & enjoy a broadband speed connection on their mobile phone.

If I have to find a fault with the Viewty it would be the battery life. The huge touchscreen eats battery juice and I frankly can't believe the official battery life figures from the manufacturer. Still, the Viewty is better than the Prada and no worse than the iPhone when it comes to battery life, and it shouldn't be a problem for most people.

I love the Viewty. It's received a tiny fraction of the hype of the iPhone, yet in so many ways this is the phone that the iPhone wants to be. The touchscreen user interface is much more than just a novelty, and unlike the iPhone the Viewty brings the very latest technology too. I love it!