Video of LG's KE850: it's no poser

Sure, LG's KE850 might have some of those sexy iPhone looks and a strikingly similar interface, but the beauty's just skin deep, right? Not so fast, buckaroo. It looks like LG has been putting a lot more work into this thing than they've let on -- to be honest, they haven't let on a whole lot -- and stuffed in animated menus, purtiful video playback, touchable scrolling and other eye candy. It doesn't look quite as well put together as Steve Jobs' RDF would have us believe the iPhone is, but it's dang close, and makes Apple's offering look a lot more "evolutionary" than "revolutionary." Plus LG's KE850 is supposedly slotted for March or April, giving it a nice jump on the iPhone's planned June release date. Just tell us this thing has 3G, and check the video after the break.

[Thanks, Jonathan]

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 14th 2007 3:20PM]

The external design and the main menu (with the transparent clock and buttons at the bottom) are very attractive. If the whole interface looked like that, I'd be tempted to compare it to the iPhone when making a purchase decision. However, in the video, you can see that after the main menu the interface starts to resemble every other phone out there and LG didn't make very good use of the large touch screen. For me it's still the iPhone, hands down.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 15th 2007 1:38AM]

Come on dude are you freaking serious. Do you really believe that Apple can make a better cellphone than LG. Its like buying burgers from a pizza place. First off the iphone cant be called a smartphone, dosent have the features. So in reality its in the same line up as the Nokia N-series and to be honest, I have yet to hear anyone compare this to a Nokia. Why cause a nokia will walk all over this thing, if its a music phone compare it to a music phone, bottom line.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 15th 2007 10:25AM]

1.) I can't believe he went through that entire review without showing an on screen keypad!! With as popular as texting is world wide, that would be one of the MAJOR elements to it.

2.) I thought the design cues were carried out well through the entire phone, and this is probably going to be $600 w/o contract, so a better bargain (as this will probably also run Java games/apps).

3.) Looks like a definite prototype, there were some miscues in the software that can possibly be tweaked out. I liked it, personally, and I really like that there are call/end buttons (so I don't dial the number 4 like Mr. Jobs), and that the programs have a direct open / play key at the bottom to not allow for accidental double tapping

4.) Iphone definitely has the cool factor of the accelerometer and the sensor to turn off the touch screen while in use. I wonder if LG thought of that, or at least a hard key to lock the keypad whilst in the pocket.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 16th 2007 3:59PM]

The interface is a primitive piece of crap compared to the iphone.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 18th 2007 4:17AM]

Orange, Vodafone (and countless others who are actually players in the telecom industry) have tried to rebrand Nokia's user interfaces... With great success, haven't you heard? I don't understand how people think that Apple's iPhone is going to do the same worldwide...

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 16th 2007 10:23PM]

Clearly, someone in this blog works for LG. Never recall a handset made by LG to be even remotely "above average." If iphone was only a handset, it wouldn't be an iphone, will it? Have you ever had a pizza burger at a diner? My favorite. Check out Job's demonstration which is thankfully, in English, and tell me it's not the kewlest. I haven't tested the good myself but I'm pre-ordering it and I can't wait.