Orange reveales this week that it will be the exclusive carrier of the eagerly anticipated wristwatch phone, the LG GD910, when it it is released to the public in August this year, complete with capactive touchscreen and integrated video calling.
The GD910 comes with integrated Bluetooth for use with a hands-free headset and also 3G UMTS connectivity. You can also use a built in speaker to activate the speaker phone option and all of this for the not inconsiderable cost of around £1000. This hefty price tag could however be due to the interesting fact that Orange are releasing this “phone” on PAYG tarriffs.

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Orange’s press release reads…

Watch Phone heralds new era of ‘future phones’ from Orange

Orange to launch Watch Phone exclusively in the UK this summer – one of several latest must-have multimedia devices from Orange to be announced over the forthcoming months

Orange today announced that the world’s first Touchscreen Watch Phone will hit UK stores in August. The LG Touchscreen Watch Phone will be one of several new innovative ‘future phones’ Orange will be ranging over the next 18 months, chosen specifically for their unique digital lifestyle benefits that allow users to make the most from the latest shifts in modern technology.

Available from Orange for a limited time period, the Watch Phone will be available at an exclusive price point on Orange pay as you go. The device features a compact and stylish design with a Bluetooth headset, in-built speaker and a full touch-screen interface, as well as 3G+ and video-calling capabilities.

The device heralds a new focus from Orange, to showcase the latest innovative, original, and high-end multimedia devices on the market, with at least three new market-leading devices to be unveiled by the end of the year.

Tom Alexander, CEO Orange UK said: “The Watch Phone is the must-have gadget of 2009. It’s handcrafted, exclusively limited, and will turn heads on the high street.

“Our ambition is to become the best loved communications brand in the UK, and the destination brand of choice for high-end mobile users in the market. To help us achieve this, we have secured some of the most original and innovative devices available.

“The Watch Phone is the first of these devices, all focused on bringing a 21st-century experience to our 21st century customers.

“Over time we also intend to match the power of these devices with bespoke multimedia packages, driving even more inspirational conversations and deeper connections for our customers.”

Mobile Multimedia

Orange has already begun integrating multimedia services into its animal packages, with the company now offering inclusive ‘sat nav’, mobile internet and email services on select pay-monthly price plans.

Furthermore, recent developments in device advancements, matched with the creation of price plans designed for multimedia usage have helped make it easier for consumers to access the content they want when on the move. On average 3.25 million monthly users now use Orange World (Orange’s mobile internet portal) and over one million Orange customers use their handset to access social networks every month.

For more information on all Orange’s price plans and current handset range, please see www.orange.co.uk

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LG confirmed this week that their ultra futuristic but very familiar (too many Bond films?) wristwatch phone, the DG910, will be hitting  Europe very shortly and will be possibly be in stores in the UK by July. Something of a concept phone of fantasy, the LG DG910 is of course has touchscreen capabilities and video call functionality and should be available via Orange and Carphone Warehouse at a price of around £1000…..yes you read that correctly, one thousand pounds.

Features

Be on the look out for LG’s latest touchscreen offering, the GC900 Viewty Smart. If rumours are correct then this phone should hit stores near the summer. We will post further announcements as and when we recieve them. See promo video in full post view.

News has reached Touchscreen Fones that both LG and Samsung, irrefutably two major players in the touchscreen phone market, have both reported sales of 20,000,000 touchscreen units each. This staggering figure is due in no small part to the excellent features and functionality of such models as the Samsung Tocco and the LG Arena, both of which are featured here on Touchscreen Fones. Read on!

Here at TSF we have never ever underestimated the value and potential of the touchscreen phone market, so it is of no surprise to us that such milestone sales figures have been reached and indeed surpassed. Of course the manufactures of these great products can also clearly see the potential, with most if not all mobile phone manufacturers now introducing touchscreen enabled phones into this ever growing market. Both LG and Samsung began exploring this niche around two years ago and are clearly reaping the rewards now. If you do the math, it becomes clear that such sales figures over a two year period equates to the sale of around 1.6million handsets per month.

With such demand it is little wonder why it is projected that 500 million handsets will be sold worldwide by 2012. Amazing! 

For more information or to buy LG or Samsung phones head over to Dial a Phone who have an excellent selection of phones on a wide variety of networks and tariffs.

The impressive LG Arena is set to be LG’s flagship mobile phone for 2009 and instead of debuting it at Mobile World Congress 2009, LG let it bask in the limelight a week or so before, so everyone could get a really good look without being sidetracked by something else shiny in the next booth. Was it worth it? Absolutely! Leaving aside the screen for a moment, the reason we should be so excited about the LG Arena is its use of the brand new user interface LG have developed named S-Class, seen here for the first time.

Features

• 8GB internal memory
• 5 Megapixel Camera
• 3″ Touchscreen display
• 3G (HSPDA), EDGE, GPRS and Wi-Fi technology
• HSDPA packet data service with a maximum transmission rate of 7.2Mbps
• Built-in GPS
• DivX/Xvid player
• Document Viewer
• MP3 Player
• FM Radio
• microSD Card Slot (TransFlash) (up to 16GB)
• Messaging: SMS, EMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
• Dimensions: 105.9 x 55.3 x 12 mm
• Weight: 105 grams
• Standby Time: Up to 300hrs
• Talk Time: Up to 3hrs 50mins

Why You Should Buy the LG Arena!

This is a touch interface and in a similar way to HTC, uses a 3D graphical ‘cube’ to access all the phone’s features but doesn’t throw you into the depths of Windows Mobile once you select an icon! Instead you are presented with a vertically scrolling rolodex style menu which you ‘rotate’ with your finger if you pick multimedia, a home screen-style page and a more familiar 3×3 grid of icons elsewhere. A main screen exists which can be used instead of the cube and provides total phone access including less often used features. The large screen has plenty of space for icons and can even be used in landscape mode for even more. Best of all, the cube’s content will be customisable and everything looks fast, responsive and packed with great little animated touches.

Click the link below to view more information and buy…

Make no mistake, the LG Viewty, despite the unusual name, is a whole lot of high-tech loveliness stuffed inside the current handset style-of-choice; the touchscreen monolith! Yes, under the hood you’ll find an auto-focus 5 megapixel camera, video shooting at both 30fps VGA and 120fps QVGA and 3G with HSDPA connectivity. The Viewty is one serious camera phone.

Features

• The Viewty has an excellent 3” touchscreen, with haptic feedback!
• Take very high quality pictures using the 5 megapixel, autofocus camera with strobe flash. A second lens on the front panel is used for 3G video calls.
• Shoot and then edit videos with the comprehensive video editing suite built-in.
• Just about every connection available can be found in the Viewty; choose from 3G, HSDPA, GPRS, EDGE and a 2.0 USB socket too.
• TV-Out socket for watching slideshows or video playback.

Is it a Phone? Is it a Camera?

 No, it’s the LG Viewty; a terminal case of a mobile phone which thinks it’s a proper digital camera. Leave the Viewty face down on a table and people will mistake it for one, making it clear LG planned for their range-topper to blur the line even further than it has been before. Thankfully, the pictures taken with that 5 megapixel lens are very high quality, vibrant and detail rich. There are many options to choose from when taking pictures, with everything from white balance and colour tone adjustment to a timer to be found.

The video shooting ability of the Viewty is as impressive as the still performance. Switchable between 30fps VGA and 120fps QVGA, the fun really begins once you have finished filming, as LG have excelled themselves with the editing features. Adding scrolling text, little effects and music tracks is simple and adds a whole new dimension to a regular camera phone. It’ll keep you occupied for ages!

Touch Me!

 The LG Viewty is slightly larger than the other well known LG touchscreen phone, the Prada, but it does share some of its software including the fish that swims around the screen and responds to your touch. The interface has been overhauled and is faster and feels more precise than the Prada, plus the inclusion of haptic feedback improves the experience greatly. Even the photo gallery has been enhanced, with photos able to be shuffled around the screen with your finger!

Using the Viewty for more mundane, everyday operations is pleasurable too, something enhanced by the comprehensive array of connection methods. Fast internet is never far away thanks to the 3G and HSDPA options, while a document viewer, expandable memory and organiser make sure the Viewty is practical too. An MP3 player with DivX video option completes the package.

Summary of the LG Viewty

 The Viewty is an outstanding camera phone which instead of skimping on other features, packs as many as possible into a slim, attractive casing complete with the ultimate in interface coolness; the touchscreen.

Watch out for the LG Viewty Smart, the LG successor for the popular KU990, which features the new sleek and smooth S-class touch interface with multi-touch, 3″ Touchscreen, an 8 Megapixel Camera, A-GPS and a host of connectivity features.

Click the link below to view more information and buy…

As stylish as the Prada phone, the new LG KF900 Prada 2 phone packs in some great new features to make it a highly desirable phone for the masses. You’ll immediately notice the addition of a sliding full QWERTY keyboard that offers far more convenient text input. There’s a 5MP camera with Schneider-Kreuznach lens, and coupled with the large 3″ WQVGA touchscreen, offers quality viewing all of the time. Under its sleek exterior there’s a host of connectivity too including WiFi and HSDPA at 7.2Mbps for ultra fast speeds. You’ll also find an accelerometer, full HTML browser, music player and more!

Features

• Full slide out QWERTY keyboard
• Quad Band
• 5 megapixel camera with Schneider-Kreuznach optics
• 3″ Touchscreen display
• 3G (HSDPA), EDGE, GPRS, HSCSD and Wi-Fi technology
• HSDPA packet data service with a maximum transmission rate of 7.2Mbps
• Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
• microSD Card Slot (TransFlash) (up to 8GB)
• Full HTML browser
• MP3 Player
• FM Radio
• Dimensions: 104.5 x 54 x 16.8 mm

Click the link below to view more information and buy…

LG brings touchscreen joy to the masses with its stylish LG KP500 Cookie. At 11.9mm slim, this slinky, lightweight handset packs in a host of great features you’d normally find in a premium priced handset. Boasting a large 3-inch touchscreen, the KP500 Cookie features the highly intuitive Active Flash user interface with haptic feedback – perfect for accessing menus with just one touch. A bigger screen is a better screen – enjoy videos, playing games and looking at photos. There’s plenty to keep you entertained too.

Features

Why you should buy the LG Cookie KP500!

A 3.2MP camera lets you capture those classic moments, listen to your favourite music tracks with the MP3 player and FM radio, and using advanced motion sensor technology, the KP500 offers heaps of fun through motion sensor gaming. The KP500 also comes with a neat embedded stylus pen concealed in the base, expandable memory card slot and WAP 2.0. All in all, the LG KP500 looks a tasty all rounder!

Click the link below to view more information and buy…