Review of the LG GT540 Optimus

Look, Design, Feel (7/10)

LG GT540 Optimus could be the default reference for entry-level smartphones. It has a thin rectangular unit, and curved edges that speak of sophistication. Its shiny black frame commands elegance, which also comes in light colors - white and pink. This plastic phone weighs only 115.5 grams, with dimensions 109 x 54.5 x 12.7mm. The size is enough for an easy grasp, or a dunk inside any side pockets.

The front panel is mostly covered with the 3" resistive touchscreen. On top at the center is the earpiece. Below the screen there are a combination of hardware keys (Home, Call, End Call) and resistive touch-sensitive keys (Back, Menu).

Review of the LG GT540 Optimus

The volume keys are found on the left side, while the Search key, microUSB port (hidden behind a plastic strip), and the camera key can be found on the right side of the handset.

On the top side the standard 3.5mm audio jack is located. The hardly exciting 3megapixel camera located at the back has no lens covering, but considerately sunk and framed for protection. Upon removing the battery cover, the microSD card is revealed. One great feature of the LG GT540 Optimus is that it handles microSD and microSDHC cards, even up to 16GB.

Features (8/10)

LG GT540 Optimus comes with 3 homescreens, plus an extra one for widgets. It runs on Android 1.6, which is a little obsolete, but quite compatible for an entry-level smartphone. The cool notification area is updated to 4 functions: Sound, Bluetooth, GPS, and WiFi. Some preloaded widgets allow real-time updates from social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The phonebook is designed with focus on social networking profiles. Each contact can be viewed with complete info including name, photo, number, address, social networking profile status, latest shout-out, a call button, etc. A limited feature of importing contacts from Twitter, Facebook, and Bebo only makes the unit a little outdated. Nevertheless, it is better than nothing.

LG GT540 Optimus' messaging system, which includes SMS, MMS, and Emails/Gmail, is very much up to par. The virtual keyboard can be tapped for composing messages, which comes in two options - phone dial pad/keypad, and the landscape QWERTY keyword, which is the default. The phone also has an accelerometer for screen auto-rotate.

The Media Player accommodates the music and video files. It supports DivX, XviD, and mp3 formats. The music file browser allows users to sort them by playlists, songs, artists, albums. The FM radio with RDS offers a simple UI, which allows saving approximately 50 stations.

These days, a 3-megapixel camera is not notable at all. For the price the LG GT540 Optimus dictates, the low camera version is disappointing. It has auto-focus, but no flash. Photos are expected to be at entry-level quality as well, nothing much to rave about. The video recording / camcorder feature manages up to 17fps. The quality is of the same 'good enough' category.

Although it doesn't support Flash webpages, it still carries the basic browsing functions like Back, Bookmarks, and New Tab among others, and extended features like Search, Select Text, Settings, etc. As if to compensate for its lack of Flash support, the LG GT540 Optimus offers a pre-installed YouTube app.

Other common features thrown in are the calendar, alarm clock, voice recorder, and calculator. Google Maps are synonymous to Android packages, and the LG GT540 Optimus gets the voice-directed navigation version (US and UK models only).

Exploring the Android Market will divulge a list of apps available for downloading, including arcade games, finance apps, etc. It can be sorted through Games, Downloads, and Applications.

Connectivity (9/10)

Here's where the LG GT540 Optimus shines. It gives excellent options for connection. It locks in WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, quad-band GSM/EDGE, 3G, HSDPA and HSUPA.

Performance (8/10)

Aside from some misses in the features, the LG GT540 Optimus gives a top-notch performance with what it's got. The calls prove to be crisp and clear. Internet surfing is smooth. Battery can last for about 4 days straight with full phone tinkering, including calling, browsing, taking photos, texting. As with most gadgets, when the storage overloads (or too many photos or files are saved), it causes a few lags here and there. However, when everything is within limit, the LG GT540 Optimus poses no lags at all, instead, it delivers an exceptional performance. Except when used outdoors, the screen legibility is poor.

Value for Money (5/10)

Phone manufacturers tend to mix and match selected features to increase or decrease a phone's price. For an entry-level smartphone, the LG GT540 Optimus demands a high price for what it offers. Sure it's got loads of connectivity options, a camera, video, web browsing, and more. Though, the missing essentials like a higher megapixel camera, and Flash support browsing could've made it a lot more worth it.

Pros

- Wifi, Bluetooth 2.1, quad-band GSM/EDGE, 3G, HSDPA, HSUPA
- microSD / microSDHC card support
- FM radio with RDS
- Auto-integration of Facebook, Twitter, Bebo accounts

Cons

- 3-megapixel camera with no flash
- runs on Android 1.6 version
- no Flash support for web browser

Review of the LG GT540 Optimus
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Kyles Humphreys writes about the latest cell phones that are released on the market and gives in-depth reviews once he receives the products from the manufacturers, click to find out more about the LG GT540 Optimus

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GTA IV - Episodes From Liberty City Review

In Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes from Liberty City, the player is presented with two separate stories that tie into the original game. While both episodes help develop Liberty City as a believable locale, they differ in quality so vastly it's hard not to compare them against one another.

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The Lost and the Damned opens with a gang of bikers rolling along the Liberty City streets, generic rock music in tow, for literally five minutes. No dialog, nothing of real narrative importance, just hairy man on motorcycle action. Two minutes in it became quite comical, but 30 seconds later I found myself wondering if it was ever going to end.

Beyond the opening scene, the first thing that really struck me about The Lost and the Damned was the voicing for the main character, Johnny. I'm not sure if it's just bad acting, or if the voice just doesn't match the player model, but something is definitely off. I struggled with this throughout the majority of the 20 hour experience, but it diminished as the game went on. Personally, I found Johnny to be the least likable character in the GTA franchise, serving as a moral anchor for the rest of his crew and just being a buzz kill in general. He can get very preachy regarding matters of drug dealing and cop killing, which for a GTA game, is a bit hypocritical.

GTA IV - Episodes From Liberty City Review

Missions in The Lost and the Damned are fun and challenging, but all involve Johnny, a motorcycle, and guns, which may leave the player wishing for more. The only diversions from the standard story missions are motorcycle races and gang wars, both of which can only be started while on a bike. Thankfully these are only a phone call away for just such an occasion. I completed all twelve optional races, hoping I would be rewarded with a new bike for the story mode or something else of equal awesome, only to find that I simply receive an additional 00 per race instead. I was more than glad to move on to the next episode.

The Ballad of Gay Tony is refreshing in its cinematic opening, and really sets the pace and demeanor of the entire episode. The protagonist, Luis Lopez, strolls the bustling streets of downtown Liberty City on his phone, and it's clear that he's a no nonsense kind of guy with everyone's best interests in mind. I honestly don't think I've been so captured within the first five minutes of a game.

The Ballad of Gay Tony excels where The Damned fails, and not a single character disappoints in regards to believability. Luis simply blows any previous protagonist away with his likable personality and steel bravado. He lives by his own rules, and has a clear and defined set of morals that he sticks to throughout the episode, without ever expecting anyone else to do so. He's loyal to his friends, and respectful of his debts, but still not above banging some bitch in a nightclub bathroom. This is a masterpiece of a character and is deserving of additional entries in the series.

Gay Tony takes care to provide the player with nothing but action packed fun, and it's a beautiful thing. The player will find themselves primarily running around downtown, in some of the coolest cars, bikes, and helicopters the game has to offer. Throw in a parachute, and you're just a grapple hook away from Just Cause mobility. One of my favorite character's in the episode is Yusuf, the son of an Arabian billionaire who is just as goofy as he is charming. He provides a slew of gold plated mission rewards that are all immensely satisfying and well worth the effort. Side missions have Luis inciting drug wars with his childhood friends, or base jumping onto moving vehicles from the tallest buildings in LC. I literally had to tear myself away from the game for things such as sleep, work, or food.

Where GTA IV tried, and failed, at presenting a persistent world through the use of the in game cell phone, Gay Tony perfects it. While Roman called fifteen times because he really wanted to go to the strip club, I was trying to concentrate on the high speed chase I was involved in. I never experienced such grief in Gay Tony. When I received a call from Dessie about picking up a shift at the club, or from Michelle just wanting some late night booty, I was glad to have it, and it never felt invasive or distracting. The Damned never reaches this level, and I can't remember receiving a call in that episode that did not directly pertain to the main story.

I was disappointed in the original GTA IV as it could never seem to decide on ridiculous humor, or brutal realism, and suffered from countless technical flaws. I always seemed to die to a bug, instead of an actual enemy. After thirty or so invisible ramps flipping my motorcycle end over end, I found that The Lost and the Damned suffered from the same issues. The Ballad of Gay Tony however seems highly polished in this regard. Apart from the occasional texture not loading, every death was a result of my own suck, which I was glad for.

Overall, The Ballad of Gay Tony is Rockstar's shining example of how DLC should be done, but I can't say the same for Episodes from Liberty City as a whole. The Lost and the Damned is absolutely forgettable, but the additions, characters, and polish added in Gay Tony will have me coming back again and again.

GTA IV - Episodes From Liberty City Review

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