LG Mach for Sprint hands-on (update: video)

LG Mach for Sprint handson

The Motorola Photon Q just a little too pricey for your QWERTY-loving taste buds? Sprint's newest device, the LG Mach, was announced this morning at MobileCon 2012 to add another full physical keyboard option to its mid-range lineup. Despite the fact that its name doesn't contain the dreaded "4G LTE" moniker, it certainly still has the high-speed capability built-in. We still haven't been given the pricing or availability, aside from "this fall."

This particular keyboard-clad handset isn't going to turn any heads in terms of specs, but they aren't lackluster either: 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor, 1GB RAM, a 4-inch WVGA display, 1,700mAh battery, VGA front-facing cam, 5MP rear camera capable of 1080p video recording, Bluetooth 4.0 and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. With a thickness of 12.1mm (0.48 inches), it's one of the thinnest QWERTY devices you can find on the market. It's also on the lighter side for the form factor, weighing in at 5.92 ounces (168g). Despite these dimensions and a faux-metal (read: plastic) battery cover, it feels surprisingly well-built. And just like Sprint's Optimus G and the Motorola Photon Q, you won't find any carrier-specific branding anywhere on the outside of the device -- unfortunately, you also won't see any SIM slots either, although you'll find a microSD slot to enhance the 8GB internal storage.

Check out our gallery below, as well as our video and few last impressions past the break.

Continue reading LG Mach for Sprint hands-on (update: video)

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LG Mach for Sprint hands-on (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus G for Sprint hands-on (update: video)

LG Optimus G for Sprint handson

Stop us if you've heard this one before, but we had the opportunity to get our hands on the LG Optimus G... again. This would make the excursion lucky number four for Engadget, but this one is a touch on the unique side since it's heading directly to Sprint at some point in the not-too-distant future. Here's what we knew up until today: like the Korean versions, this particular flavor of the G -- also known as the LS970 -- will feature a 13MP rear camera (AT&T's will only sport an 8MP module), and otherwise carries the same set of features such as a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB RAM, 1.3MP front-facing camera, 32GB internal storage, 2,100mAh battery and 4.7-inch 1280x768 True HD IPS PLUS display. Much like it did on the Motorola Photon Q, Sprint has elected to keep its carrier-specific branding off of the device (it's doing this so the handset can make its way to the network's prepaid brands with relative ease), but we were disappointed to see that the SIM card is once again embedded and not accessible without taking the entire phone apart. Aside from these cosmetic differences there's not much that sets it apart from the international models -- something that is a pleasure to see, instead of the standard carrier practice of tweaking OEM designs to their own whimsy.

The performance expectations set by the Korean Optimus G seem to be met here, with the 1.5GHz quad-core Krait processor running the show. Despite the G using a custom build of Ice Cream Sandwich (which will be upgraded to Jelly Bean soon, according to Sprint), we were highly satisfied with how quick everything was during our time with the device -- it truly acts and feels the same as its overseas counterpart. The downside that you'll find with Sprint -- as you might imagine -- is Sprint's infant LTE network; customers getting this phone in a city not blanketed by the next-gen network will find themselves frustrated with lackluster EVDO speeds. To get a closer look at the Now Network's flavor of the Optimus G, go below to see a full gallery of images and then head past the break for a video tour.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Continue reading LG Optimus G for Sprint hands-on (update: video)

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LG Optimus G for Sprint hands-on (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 14:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re live from MobileCon 2012!

We're live from MobileCon 2012!

MobileCon, the show formerly known as CTIA Enterprise & Applications, is ready to get under way in sunny San Diego. Despite its more streamlined name, we expect to see the same kind of stuff as years past; in other words, the show will be much more Enterprise-centric than any other mobile-related event we cover throughout the year. Don't let that scare you off too much -- with the plethora of new device announcements over the past month, we still hope to get our hands on some new and glorious pieces of hardware. Keep your eyes peeled right here as we bring you all of the best (and worst) from Southern California.

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We're live from MobileCon 2012! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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