LG Optimus 3D is one of the few consumer devices that lets you watch 3D content without any special glasses. This alone is enough to justify getting this smartphone and experience 3D-anywhere immediately.
Tri-Dual Technology
Besides the usual Android OS, the Optimus 3D claims to offer faster user experience with 1GHz dual-core, dual-channel, dual-memory. In reality, there is no remarkable difference. The phone exhibits the occasional lag typical of Android, and 3D apps actually take a little longer to load. But once loaded, the apps run smoothly. You can expand the internal 8GB memory with an external microSD card supporting up to 32GB.
It's 3D!
And the best part of all: no glasses needed! This is so liberating. I have come across many consumer cameras that already support capturing photos in 3D. However, the photos require a 3DTV to view. With Optimus 3D, you can experience your 3D footage on the screen! Till now I am still amazed at how this is possible. The following wiki page might help you (and I) understand how it is achieved.
To encourage 3D use, LG provides a dedicated 3D Hot Key for instant access to 3D content. I would prefer this button to be customisable to do other functions, like a camera shutter button. LG also throws in several 3D pre-loaded premium games like Asphalt 6, Let's Golf 2, and 3D video clips to help you impress your peers. Non-3D videos can also be simulated to display in 3D on the phone, and although not as impressive as 3D footage, it still manages to give some depth.
Be warned! 3D is not for everyone. I've shown the phone to many friends, and few of them experienced headache even after a few seconds of watching. Some may have difficulty "seeing" the 3D effect. Personally, I have no problems experiencing it. Therefore, if you are unable to see the effect, try not to blame the phone, ya?
Content-Friendly
Optimus 3D is one of the few Android devices that can play all my sample video files of varying encoded formats smoothly, from MP4 to MKV. On top of that, the phone can display 3D content, making the Optimus 3D a versatile multimedia device. In addition, the standard mini-HDMI port outputs the screen display onto HDTV.
Optimus 3D comes with a PC software called On-screen Phone, which mirrors the phone display on the PC. You can control the phone by using the mouse to mimic finger gestures. There are even on-screen buttons to adjust volume or turn off the phone.
Camera Quality
The 5-megapixel camera doesn't capture great 2D images, but gets away with 3D footage (maximum 3MP) because it uses less pixels to display on screen. I seriously doubt anyone would still shoot 2D with the Optimus 3D. A feature that I like for taking 2D photos is the continuous shot function, which fires 6 consecutive shots in 2MP sizes.
One disappointment is that LG did not include any video-editing apps that can let me trim or stitch 3D videos or 3D photos. While videos can be uploaded to YouTube which supports 3D content, 3D images do not have such luck as it is saved in JPS format. Tip: download freeware XnView and you can open JPS files to edit or crop.
Weight
With dual cameras and
special 4.3" LCD screen, one cannot expect the Optimus 3D to be
lightweight. But the phone feels solid, Battery life is average, and as you get all hyped about consuming lots of 3D content, the battery will drain faster.
Competition?
The only other 3D smartphone in the market is the HTC EVO 3D. I have never tried the HTC model, but here are some spec comparison:
LG is better for
- Full 1080p 2D video recording (HTC: 720p)
- 8GB internal memory (HTC: 1GB)
- HDMI connector (HTC: none)
HTC is better for
- 1.2 GHz dual processor (LG: 1GHz)
- Bluetooth 3.0 (LG: 2.1)
- 1730mAh battery (LG: 1540mAh)
Should I Buy 3D?
If you love 3D visuals - without glasses - then the Optimus 3D will wow your senses. The price is not much expensive compared to other top-end Android smartphones, and the Optimus 3D does come with equally impressive specs to make it worth the price. Even if not for 3D, the phone is a great video player that lets you playback many popular file formats smoothly, or even output the video via HDMI to any HDTV. With recording devices like Optimus 3D, you can start to create your memories in 3D.
Labels: Phone, Review
