News: LG Optimus 2X to get Gingerbread in June or July

The LG Optimus 2X will be getting updated to Android 2.3 Gingerbread this summer. That’s according to the FAQ section of LG Denmark’s support site. The release date for the update isn’t as specific as some of you might have hoped for, but it's still something.
The timeframe for the Gingerbread update of LG’s Tegra 2 powered phone is June-July with a promise for a more exact date when the launch nears. That puts the LG Optimus 2X update after the LG Optimus One P500 update.
Later is better than never but the competition is either running Gingerbread already or will soon launch with Gingerbread out of the box.
It’s not just the LG Optimus 2X either – the Optimus 3D is slated to launch with Froyo too.
Source (Site in Danish)

LG Optimus 2X Review

Begun the dual-core revolution has. And there’s no scouting time – the offensive starts with the big guns. The LG Optimus 2X is not just counting on the fancy Tegra 2 name to generate the sales – it is a powerful smartphone through and through.

The fancy camera with Full HD video recording alone is enough to bring any handset into the limelight and the fact that it’s not even the Optimus 2X key feature speaks volume. As far as hardware evolution goes, the Optimus 2X promises to be one of the biggest steps forward in the mobile phone industry.

Key features:

• Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
• 10.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• 4.0" 16M-color capacitive IPS LCD touchscreen of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)
• Android OS v2.2 Froyo with LG Home launcher
• Dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 proccessor, ULP GeForce GPU, Tegra 2 chipset
• 512 MB RAM
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging
• 1080p video recording @ 24fps, 720p@30fps
• 1.3 MP front-facing camera with videocalls
• Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS, digital compass
• 8GB internal storage and microSDslot for up to 32GB cards
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, and proximity sensor
• microHDMI port with HDMI mirroring
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
• Smart dialing, voice dialing
• DivX/XviD video support
• Innovative gesture controls
• Adobe Flash 10.1 support
• Dolby Mobile and SRS sound enhancement

Main disadvantages

• Despite similar technology LCD isn’t quite as impressive as the iPhone4 screen
• No dedicated camera key and no lens cover
• 1080p recording isn’t well polished
• No Android 2.3 Gingerbread at launch
• Audio quality is only average
• Below average speaker loudness

Nokia E7 vs LG Optimus 2X vs Apple iPhone 4

All the three phones are having great design and hardware that is more than competent for the job, especially the Optimus 2X with its dual-core chipset. The call quality is good as all three are equipped with noise-canceling microphones. The iPhone 4has this grip reception issues sometimes, which most probably won't affect you, unless you live on the very edge of the signal tower. 

It is not all about hardware these days, not even about having the slickest interface, but rather the amount and quality of third party apps that can make your phone so much more versatile. This is where the App Store excels, as it got a head start of about a year before Android Market even appeared, not to mention Nokia's Ovi Store, and it is still most profitable for developers to write apps for iOS.

Considering that these phones cost more than $600 unlocked, and the Nokia E7 actually takes the crown as the most expensive at this very moment, so at this price you'd probably set your eyesight on it only if you definitely need a physical keyboard to type comfortably, and already have some experience with Symbian, i.e., if you are a Nokia fan. As we said, its market timing is the worst now, with all the noise surrounding Nokia Windows Phone.

Now the tough call is between the iPhone 4 and the LG Optimus 2X. Android Market might not have an app for everything, but the 150 000 + applications thereabout cover most basics, and then some. The dual-core chipset allows for Full HD video recording, fast page load times with zippy Adobe Flash support, and thus makes for the best hardware of all the three phones. This unlocks a different set of apps and possibilities, which have not yet materialized on Android Market, though, and matter most for more technically inclined people, which are the most likely to fall in love with the Optimus 2X.

The iPhone 4's thin steel and glass frame is very appealing, especially if you are coming from a phone with a plastic chassis, which the overwhelming majority of them are built with. It doesn't do Full HD video, and the browser can't load Flash to save its life, but those are obviously not considered a necessity, since most people that buy the iPhone 4 prefer the smooth experience, devoid of hiccups. The other thing they are looking for is the possibility to  have these numerous apps and versatile accessories everyone is talking about, as well as ease of use, which is very visible in the dead simple camera interface, for example. The sheer fact that it is a 9 month old phone, and still in the mix, comes to show that you are only likely to switch camps if you are getting bored with one mobile OS or the other, and want to try something new for a change. 

As for the Nokia E7, we know the company has its loyal fanbase that is dying to get its hands on the latest piece of design art from it, so we are sure the E7 will do fine, once the price starts going south.

LG Optimus 2X vs Apple iPhone 4