LG has announced their flagship device, the LG Optimus 4X HD, is set to launch across Europe next month, and is set to go head to head with the Samsung Galaxy SIII.

The first countries to get the 4X HD will be Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Germany and Sweden, with other countries to follow.

The Optimus 4X HD will ship with Android 4.0 ICS pre-installed, and is powered by a quad core 1.5 GHz processor. The display is a sizeable 4.7 inch IPS LCD Capacitive touchscreen, with a pixel resolution of 720 x 1280.

An 8.0 Megapixel camera is included, which offers image stabilisation, face and smile detection and touch focus. The camera is capable of recording 1080p HD video at 30 frames per second, and there is a front facing 1.3 Megapixel camera.

Internal storage on the 4X HD is set to 16GB, which can be expanded with Micro SD memory cards. High speed data on the handset is catered for with the inclusion of HSDPA up to 21 Mbps, and HSUPA up to 5.76 Mbps. WiFi is also available with DLNA and WiFi Hotspot support.

Other notable features include Bluetooth, GPS, SNS integration, TV Out and a full media player that supports a range of audio and video formats, including DivX and XviD.

Pricing and operator availability is still to be confirmed. To be kept up to date with the latest deals, sign up on the LG Optimus 4X HD Deals page.

The official start for the Mobile World Congress is tomorrow, but that doesn't stop manufacturers trying to get the early headlines with pre-releases. LG are the first to break ranks with a range of Optimus smartphones, the LG Optimus 4X HD, LG Optimus 3D Cube and LG Optimus 3D Max.

The LG Optimus 4X HD is a quad core handset, powered by a quad core 1.5 GHz Cortex A9 processor. This huge device boasts a high quality 4.7 inch touchscreen display, with a resolution of 720 x 480 and supporting up to 16 million colours.

The 4X HD includes an 8.0 Megapixel camera, with autofocus and LED Flash, with geotagging, face and smile detection, touch focus and image stabilisation. The camera handles video recording at 1080p HD, at 30 frames per second, and includes a 1.3 Megapixel front facing camera for video calls.

The 4X HD will ship with Android 4.0 ICS, and includes a proximity sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer and compass. High speed data is covered with HSDPA up to 21 Mbps and HSUPA up to 5.76 Mbps. WiFi is included, with support for WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA and WiFi hotspot features.

TV Out is included on the phone via an MHL Link, with other notable features including GPS, Bluetooth, full media player with support for multiple audio and video formats, along with all the usual Android features.

The LG Optimus 3D Max sports a 4.3 inch stereoscopic display, and is powered by a dual core 1.2 GHz processor. The handset includes a 5.0 Megapixel camera which can capture 3D images and video. 1080P HD video capture is supported, with 3D videos captured at 720p at 30 frames per second.

The 3D Max will ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread onboard, with plans to upgrade it to 4.0 at a later date. Boasting 8GB internal memory storage, the handset supports memory expansion via Micro SD memory cards, with official support for cards up to 32GB in size.

High speed data on the phone is covered by HSDPA up to 21 Mbps and HSUPA up to 5.76 Mbps, as well as WiFi, with DLNA and WiFi Hotspot support.

A full media player is included, supporting multiple formats including DivX and XviD, as well as TV Out via MHL Link. Other features include GPS, Bluetooth, 3D video playback, 2D to 3D apps converter and full SNS integration.

Both the LG Optimus 4X HD and LG Optimus 3D Max are expected to ship during Q2 2012. The LG Optimus 3D Cube is not a GSM handset, set to be released in LG's home country, South Korea.

LG has announced the forthcoming release of three new Android devices, which will be shown fully at the Mobile World Congress which takes place in Barcelona next week.

Information on the devices is limited right now, but it is expected that the Optimus L3 will be launched first, followed by the Optimus L5 and Optimus L7.

The LG L 3 will have a 3.2 inch display, whilst the L5 has a 4.0 inch display. The largest of the three devices, the LG L7 comes with a 4.3 inch screen.

According to LG, the core essence of the L-Class is a timeless design, with a focus on the finer details, helping to differentiate the L-Class devices from other smartphones available on the market.

“Design is consistently the top or second most important factor for customers when choosing a mobile phone,” said Dr. Jong-Seok Park, President and CEO of LG. “With smartphones, we sometimes took a more functional approach to design but with L-Style we are going back to our roots as a company focussed on how our products fit into the lifestyle of our customers.”

Those design roots include popular handsets like the Black Label devices, Chocolate and Shine.

The design philosophy for the L-Style devices will compromise five aesthetic elements; a modern style for a comfortable grip, Floating Mass Technology for a slimmer look, Seamless Layout for a more intuitive arrangement of keys, Harmonised Design Contrast utilising metallic accents and a Sensuous Slim Shape, that draws the attention.

Further details on the L-Class handset will be shared at the Mobile World Congress, with release dates and market availability to follow.

LG has announced the latest phone to be produced in collaboration with leading fashion house Prada, the PRADA phone by LG 3.0

The device is the third offering with Prada, and the first smartphone. Running on the Android OS, the device boasts a large, 4.3 inch display with a resolution of 480 x 800.

Onboard the PRADA phone offers an 8.0 Megapixel camera, with 1080p HD Video recording, as well as a 1.3 Megapixel front facing camera.

Inside the handset is powered by a Dual-Core 1 GHz Cortex A9 processor, and all the usual connectivity options are included, HSPA+, WiFi and Bluetooth. Internal memory on the phone is set to 8 GB, which can be expanded via Micro SD memory cards, up to 32 GB in size.

Although the handset has the capability of running Android OS 4.0, it only ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, so hopefully there will be a firmware upgrade on the cards in the near future.

In terms of hardware, as you would expect from a fashion phone, the PRADA by LG 3.0 has a great design; just 8.5mm thick, the device device looks great in black, with a Saffiano style back cover.

The handset will ship with a range of accessories, including headphones and a Bluetooth headset, with a docking station to be released once the handset comes to market.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Unlike previous fashion phone collaborations, the PRADA by LG 3.0 offers great hardware with excellent design, and is a phone that will appeal to all sectors of the market, and could be the device that revitalises the fortunes of LG within the mobile industry.

Online storage service Box has announced a deal with LG, that allows owners of LG Android smartphones to get 50GB of free cloud storage. The deal is also going to be expanded out to owners of the Sony Ericsson Xperia range, too.

The deal is nothing new for Box, who ran a similar promotion for iPhone users a while back, which is still currently active until tomorrow. In either case, you download the Box app from the appropriate store, and login to your account or sign up to a new account from the handset. Although the promotion is for a limited time on these devices, the 50GB storage is a lifetime deal.

For LG users, you need to have a device running at least Android OS 2.1 or above; if that applies to your device, simply download Box from the Android Market, and access an existing account or set up a new account from your phone before March 31st, 2012. The free 50GB storage will be available for the lifetime of that account.

The deal will also be available to users of Sony Ericsson Xperia devices, but the final arrangements are not quite in place, however it is expected to be offered on a similar basis as above, giving Xperia users a 50GB lifetime account if accessed by a certain date.

The guys at Box have added a few tweaks to the Android app recently, so it is now possible to download files from your Box account to your Android device, rather than just viewing them remotely on the phone, and these downloaded files can be accessed even if you are offline and not with an active internet connection on the phone. There is also a new bulk upload capability added, making it quicker to upload multiple files, videos or photos, and the app has also been given an updated UI, making it easier to navigate, giving faster access to your files.

To download Box for Android, click the link for the Android Market or scan the QR code below:

2010 wasn't the best year for LG, and with the way the smartphone market operates these days, losing ground to competitors is much easier than regaining market share. Aware of the implications, LG have taken stock and come out fighting with a range of top class, ground breaking devices, with an aim to setting the agenda for the coming 12 months. Leading the charge is the LG Optimus 3D, the powerful handset that offers a range of firsts, and at the same time raising the bar in features for mobile devices.

3D is the name, and 3D is the headline catching feature of the Optimus 3D. The handset boasts the worlds first mobile 3D Display, and it works without the need for glasses to view the 3D images. The handset has a multi function key located on the side of the device, which is used to launch the 3D element of the menu system. Once activated, the menu revolves in a carousel motion, and can be viewed in 3D. The video below shows a demo of the handset in action from the recent Mobile World Congress, but it doesn't really do justice to the way the 3D screen actually looks.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The 3D element of the handset is not restricted to only viewing on the display, either, as the camera on the phone is also capable of recording 3D video clips, thanks to the dual 5.0 Megapixel sensor. 3D images can be captured at 720p @ 30 fps, and following a deal with YouTube, the 3D videos can be uploaded and shared online with friends. As well as the ability to record videos in 3D, the Optimus can record standard, 2D video at 1080p @34 frames per second. Autofocus is included, as is an LED flash, and geotagging allows you to record the location images are captured. A HDMI port allows the device to be connected to a compatible HD TV, allowing all media to be seen in glorious clarity.

The Optimus 3D has more to offer, though, than just the eye catching 3D and imaging features. Inside the device runs on a dual core 1 GHz ARM Cortex A9 Processor, with dual channels leading to smart sharing of data. In essence, this means the phone is fast. Exceptionally fast. When web browsing, the handset positively zips along, and web pages load really fast. Another benefit to web browsing is the large, capacitive LCD touchscreen. Measuring an impressive 4.3 inches across, the display has a pixel resolution of 480 x 800 and supports up to 16 million colours. The Optimus 3D also has a built in Gyro Sensor which allows functions and games to be controlled by moving the phone, whilst at the bottom of the display are four touch sensitive control buttons.

Running on Android OS 2.2, the device will be upgradable to OS 2.3 shortly after release. As with almost all Android handsets, the Optimus 3D boasts a strong set of connectivity options, with HSDPA on board at up to 14.4 Mbps, and HSUPA at up to 5.76 Mbps. Complimenting this is WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, with DLNA support. For local connectivity the 3D also offers Bluetooth 3.0, with both A2DP and EDR included.

The Optimus 3D is not a small device, unsurprising really with all these features on board, along with the large display. Overall the handset weighs in at 168g, which is bordering on the maximum you would want a device you always carry with you to weigh, and the dimensions of the device are 129 x 68 x 12mm.

Aside from the headline catching features, the LG Optimus 3D has all the usual features you would expect from a top of the range modern smartphone. On board memory storage is set to an impressive 8 GB, which can be expanded via Micro SD memory cards, allowing for plenty of storage space for videos, images and music, The media player on the handset supports a wide range of digital formats, including DivX and XviD, and can play back 3D video clips, too. The media player is complimented with the inclusion of a stereo FM radio, with RDS support, giving you the option to tune in to live radio broadcasts on the move.

The handset has full SNS integration, which delivers social media updates directly to the main display of the handset. Other notable features include a GPS receiver, with aGPS Support, and all the Google features, such as Gmail, Google Talk and YouTube, amongst others.

All in, the LG Optimus 3D is a quite remarkable handset, delivering features that up until just a short while ago were still in the realm of science fiction. If there could be a criticism of the handset, it would be in the size and weight, but given the top level set of features included on the phone, this is not such a bad trade off.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The LG Optimus 3D is expected to be released to market imminently, with availability on multiple networks.

With such tough competition within the smartphone sector these days, simply having a top-class device is no guarantee of success. Manufacturers are finding that they are having to work harder to get some exposure for their top of the range devices, as devices fight to be the one that makes it into our pockets for daily usage.

For LG, the fight is slightly more significant, as they are coming off of a rather poor 2010, and they are fighting hard with a strong line up of Android smartphones heading our way in the coming months, including the LG Optimus 2X.

The LG Optimus 2X boasts Dual Core processor, 8.0 Megapixel camera, HDMI Port, HD Video recording, DivX and XviD support, HSDPA, WiFi with DLNA and GPS, along with a gorgeous, large, 4.0 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen.

The Optimus 2X is expected for imminent release, and to give the device a boost before release, LG has the following video, highlighting some of the features and capabilities of the handset.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Following on from yesterday's confirmation from LG about the forthcoming LG Optimus 3D, a teaser video for the device has been released onto the internet.

The video emphasises that LG are going to make a concerted effort to win over the smartphone market this year, and have every chance if the Optimus 2X and Optimus Black along with the Optimus 3D live up to expectations. Not sure about LG 'continues rewriting the history yet again', as a tagline though. Check out the video below, and keep an eye on our LG handset page, which will be updated with further details on all these devices when they are fully launched.

Click here to view the embedded video.

LG has confirmed that there are plans to launch a 3D phone at the Mobile World Congress, which will be known as the LG Optimus 3D.

This follows on from some 'spy shots' which were leaked on the internet yesterday. The Optimus 3D will boast a 4.3 inch 800 x 480 3D touchscreen, which will render images in 3D without the need for glasses.

The device will also boast a dual lens camera, which will enable users to record in 3D as well.

The 3D content on the phone can be shared with compatible equipment in 3D via HDMI, or DLNA. Other details on the device are to be confirmed, with further details due at the full product launch in a couple of weeks. Given that 2010 was a rather poor year for LG, 2011 has kicked off in fine style, with the Optimus 2X, Optimus Black and now Optimus 3D all scheduled for launch. The spec on all of these devices suggests the devices could quickly become leading sellers in the smartphone market. However history suggests that with LG, what sounds great on paper can often fail to deliver in real life. It is hoped that these three devices manage to live up to expectations.

LG had a rather quiet 2010, launching few handsets that really stood out amongst the competition. The popularity of LG devices as such seemed to be on the decline, but recent announcements have shown that there is still plenty to come from the Korean based manufacturer. As well as the recently announced LG Optimus 2X, LG has also given notice of another Optimus branded handset, the LG Optimus Black. This is the handset that we are going to take a closer look at in this review.

The main selling point of the Optimus Black is the bright display. LG are responsible for the ‘retina’ display found on the Apple iPhone 4, and it seemed only a matter of time before some of that technology found its way into LG’s own products. The Optimus Black is the first device to take advantage of this, but it is likely there will be more to follow in the coming months. LG claim that the new NOVA display on the Optimus Black is significantly brighter and more colour accurate than any of the other high tec displays found on other handsets, including those used by Samsung. Apparently, the NOVA display is quoted as having a brightness of 700 nits as opposed to 450 nits as found on the best performing rival handset. A nit, in this case, is a unit of luminance equal to one candela per square metre.

The display on the Optimus Black, is large, as well as bright, measuring in at 4.0 inches, a good size for a premium smartphone these days. The display is a capacitive touchscreen, supporting up to 16 million colours, and with a pixel resolution of 480 x 800.

The LG Optimus Black runs on the Android operating system, and early units will ship with Android OS 2.2 onboard, but LG assure us that an upgrade to Android 2.3 will be made available. Being an Android handset, all the usual suite of Google services are included, including apps for Gmail, Google Maps and Google Search, YouTube and Google Talk. Powering the device is a 1 GHz processor, and the battery is 1500 mAh, so the device should be quick and powerful enough to handle almost any task required of it, and the battery life should last at least one full operating day. Par for the course for a modern smartphone.

A 5.0 Megapixel camera is included on the handset, with support for HD video recording and geotagging, with a front facing 2.0 Megapixel camera available for self portrait images and video calling. As with all Android devices, connectivity is well featured, with support for HSDPA and HSUPA, as well as WiFi 802.11 b/g/n. DLNA support is included, making it easy to connect the handset to other compatible WiFi enabled products.

A full media player is included on the Optimus Black, with support for multiple digital file formats, and there is ample storage available for all media, including photos, music and videos, as the handsets support Micro SD memory cards up to 32 GB in size. A 3.5mm audio jack is available, for using a personal headset for listening to music, plus Bluetooth with A2DP is onboard which allows you to stream music in stereo to a compatible Bluetooth headset.

Overall the LG Optimus Black has a lot going for it; not just the large bright display, which is impressive in its own right, but the handset is a full own, powerful smartphone. The competition in the smartphone market is intense these days, but it would seem the Optimus Black has enough to hold its own against its competitors.

Click here to view the embedded video.