AT&T has launched its latest cell phone. It is LG Thrill 4G. It is a pleasant surprise: a well-rounded dual-core Android phone which comes with a bunch of 3D games, a 3D camera, and the ability to pipe 3D out to big-screen TVs. It is not perfect, but if its unique strengths appeal to you. Actually, it is an entertaining phone. The LG Thrill 4G is a slab-style phone which looks a heck of a lot like every other black slab on the market, until you turn it over and see the two lenses for the 3D camera. At 5.0 by 2.7 by .5 inches (HWD) and 5.9 ounces it does not sound very heavy on paper, but for some reason the phone felt very dense. The phone’s HDMI and USB ports are right next to each other on the left side and are covered by swinging plastic doors. The Power button is on the top panel a bit mushy. The LG Thrill also has a 3D button where the camera button should be. Over and over again, you have to click the button thinking it would either activate the camera or shoot a picture while in the camera app, and instead it activated the 3D mode. It has a very good voice phone reception on AT&T’s 3G network which was unusually strong in many tests. Sound through the earpiece was also loud, and a bit muddy but not too bad. The earpiece did not distort at high volumes and there was no side tone.
There is one thing the Thrill is not though: 4G. You are getting HSPA 14.4 here, which is a 3G technology. The internet speeds were fast thanks to the dual-core processor and good signal strength. There are 3.5Mbps down and about 650Kbps up on several speed tests with the Ookla Speedtest app. The phone also works as a tethered modem or Wi-Fi hotspot with the appropriate plan, and integrates 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi. Its GPS locked in quickly in midtown Manhattan. Moreover, LG makes it easier to find and use 3D content than HTC does.
Right at the bottom of the home screen, there is an icon marked “3D Space.” It launches a carousel of 3D content: the 3D camera mode, the gallery, games, and YouTube. However, the Thrill’s screen just is not ideal. With its lower 800-by-480 resolution as compared with the EVO 3D’s 960-by-540, photos and videos look noticeably grainy, and there are a lot of trouble locking in 3D planes. Also, just like the EVO 3D, the Thrill does not have a 3D viewing angle. It has a viewing point, and if you do not hold the phone in exactly the right place, you get double vision.
Add to that list the LG Thrill 4G, also an all-around good phone; it is just that this one is a bit thick and heavy. Unfortunately, 3D is not a gimmick for everyone. The Apple IPhone 4 remains the top mainstream choice on AT&T, with its high-res screen, tons of apps, and instantaneous camera response. In conclusion, if you like 3D or want to use your phone to pipe videos to HDMI-equipped TVs, though, the LG Thrill 4G will be one of the best choices for you.
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