LG Lotus Elite hops from a Las Vegas billboard right to Sprint retail

Egads! The LG Lotus Elite is here, and while it's gained a few features, it still shares it's predecessor's awful interesting design aesthetic. The Lotus Elite distinguishes itself from the Lotus with the addition of a larger 2.4-inch external 262k display, a bold new tattoo pattern, support for up to 32GB of memory -- with 2GB included -- and access to Sprint TV, messaging, pictures, and even TeleNav. The LG Lotus Elite wanders into stores on the 12th in red for $99 on a new contract and a black version should follow four days after. More pics in the gallery below.


[Thanks, Kevin]

LG Lotus Elite hops from a Las Vegas billboard right to retail

Show full PR text

LG Lotus Elite
Making A Fashion Statement
LG Lotus Elite makes a distinctive fashion statement with its unique square shape, amazing tattoo pattern, full QWERTY flip and Sprint® One Click, a highly-customizable user interface that provides easier access to favorite features. LG Lotus Elite has an external touchscreen and allows users access to Sprint Navigation, text messages, change channels on Sprint TV® and navigate songs in Sprint Music StoreSM without opening the phone. LG Lotus Elite offers the perfect combination of both style and substance with stereo Bluetooth , 2 megapixel camera/camcorder, MicroSDTM slot supporting up to 32GB memory card, and dedicated shortcut keys for social networking, email and text.
ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC
Sprint TV® with an extensive selection of live and on-demand programming, including Sprint Exclusive Entertainment (SEE), the industry's only made- for-mobile sports and entertainment video programming network Sprint Music StoreSM, allowing users to wirelessly download full-length songs directly to their phone for just 99 cents each
More than a dozen streaming-radio applications, including Sprint Radio with more than 150 channels 2MP Camera/Camcorder Music Player with External Controls and microSDTM memory slot supporting up to 32GB
Background music mode allowing the user to play music while text messaging, playing games or surfing the Internet
PRODUCTIVITY
Sprint Navigation with GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings Full QWERTY keyboard for easy texting and email Dedicated shortcut keys for social networking, email and text
Advanced Stereo Bluetooth® Video, picture and text messaging Built-in productivity tools including an alarm clock, calculator, calendar, document viewer, notepad, world clock, Ez tip calculator, unit converter Access to corporate email, schedule and contact information as well as consumer (POP3) email including AOL, Gmail and Yahoo! Wireless Backup to restore contact information if the device is lost, stolen or damaged
SPECIFICATIONS
Two color options: red and black Dimensions: 3.4" x 2.4" x 0.7", 4.8 oz. Internal Display: 2.4" TFT (320 x 240 and 262K Colors) External Display: 2.4" TFT (320 x240 and 262K Colors) Standard Battery: 1000 mAh, up to 5.9 Hours talk time

[jazen Posted Jan 7th 2010 11:14PM]

I guess its a evolved form of the RAZR with a qwerty considering how functional the external screen is. Capacitive or resistive touch?

[tamayoduck Posted Jan 7th 2010 11:29PM]

So apparently you can't take photos of anything but yourself when it's flipped open? That seems like pretty bad design, to me.

[jazen Posted Jan 7th 2010 11:46PM]

@tamayoduck

Flip it closed and use the outside screen as a viewfinder.

http://www.youtube.com/user/phonescoop#p/u/2/JZaaPaMqwpY

Pretty cool idea actually

[gadgetfanboy Posted Jan 8th 2010 1:40AM]

My gf actually has the first iteration of this phone. I have to say, for a non-smartphone, the original Lotus is a really really nice phone, in terms of keyboard quality and build quality.

I was initially skeptical of the form factor, but in a full-qwerty it really makes sense for a flip. And the keyboard on the original Lotus is really nice quality, the buttons are perfect sized, the plastic is good quality, and each button is rounded / domed. This looks like cheap chinese garbage quality, cheap plastic-y and clicky. And the keyboard looks terrible compared to the original, which despite being plastic, the whole phone is good build quality. It has a great hinge and nice soft-touch matte battery cover.

I don't normally care about dumbphones but I was so shocked to find out how great the original Lotus was, that it's a shame to see how they've ruined it with this tacky, chromed, plastic-y janky POS.

I just searched for images and came across engadget's initial hands-on, and apparently they had the same impressions.

http://mobile.engadget.com/2009/01/18/lg-lotus-hands-on/

[Ezye1313 Posted Jan 8th 2010 2:19AM]

Wow LG and Sprint are kicking off some cool stuff at CES!! NOT

[glenskey Posted Jan 8th 2010 4:32AM]

i can see a transparent lcd becoming useful in a design like this, anyone else seeing it?

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 8th 2010 7:36AM]

it's an ok design so basically it's qwerty for girls or in training for a smartphone.

[ndrwme Posted Jan 8th 2010 9:27PM]

Interesting design, I agree. That's a horrible color though. They shouldn't even be offering it.

[lockridge Posted Jan 13th 2010 1:01AM]

is it me or does this remind you of the game boy advance sp with an extra external screen? lol