LG’s current flagship device has made quite a name for itself over the past several months.  The Optimus LTE, according to LG, has been sold over a million times in the markets in which it is available.

The LG Optimus LTE originally launched in October 2011 in Korea and sold 8,500 times on its first day of availability.  In its first three months on the Korean market, it sold over 600,000 times setting the tone for its popularity in markets around the world.  Despite any specific statistics referencing how well it sold in the United States, we do know that it is available through AT&T and Verizon Wireless.  On AT&T, it is known as the LG Nitro HD and on Verizon as the LG Spectrum.  On Bell in Canada it is known as the Bell Optimus Eye.

Wherever the device is sold, it retains several important specs.  Since it is a flagship, you can expect a large screen, snappy processor, high-resolution camera, and fast network connectivity.  More specifically, it contains a 4.5 inch True HD display, dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 8MP rear facing camera, 4G LTE connectivity, Android 2.3, and 1GB of RAM.

While this is a great milestone for LG, we suspect that the company is already hard at work on its next flagship device that could possibly see a Mobile World Congress debut.

[LG Press Release]

If a recent rumor is to be believed, then LG is probably going to upgrade its LG Optimus 3D smartphone in the form of the LG Optimus 3D 2 — codenamed LG CX2.  While 3D technology tried to get started in 2011 with the HTC EVo 3D and the LG Optimus 3D, the general public wasn’t as receptive to the technology as manufacturers had hoped.  However, it looks like that is not going to stop LG from launching a slightly revamped Optimus 3D 2 at Mobile World Congress 2012.

According to a leaked picture and some details surrounding the device, the Optimus 3D 2 will sport a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3 inch NOVA display, dual 5MP rear facing cameras, and 8GB of onboard memory.  Despite the added processor power and better display, the Optimus 3D 2 managed to lose 2mm of bulk compared to its predecessor.  Unfortunately, reports indicate it will likely launch with Android 2.3 onboard, which comes as a disappointment since most consumers want to purchase smartphones running Android 4.0 at this time.

With an announcement for the Optimus 3D 2 expected to take place at Mobile World Congress 2012, we could see it launch as early as the first month of Spring, but only time will tell.

[PocketNow]

With HTC and Samsung already expected to announce their own quad-core devices at MWC 2012, LG want to be left out of the party.  HTC is expected to announce the Edge, Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S III, and LG is rumored to announce the X3.

According to a leaked render received by PocketNow, the LG X3 boasts a large 4.7 inch display and is fueled by NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processor previously found in tablets.  Other details include Android 4.0 on board, 8MP rear facing camera, 1.3MP front facing camera, three capacitive buttons found on the bottom, and NFC.  In addition, it is rumored to contain a 2000 mAh battery to provide for some serious juice and likely has 1GB of RAM.

Even though it will launch with 21Mbps HSPA radio, PocketNow suspects it could easily contain an LTE radio depending on the region in which it launches.  Unfortunately, we have no idea at this time where the LG X3 could launch — if this rumor even pans out.

At this point, an introduction at Mobile World Congress 2012 seems in order and hopefully launch and pricing details will be announced.  There are several reports indicating a possible launch with T-Mobile as the successor to the G2X.  Given its code name of X3, we could see it launch on T-Mobile as the G3X, but only time will tell.

[PocketNow]

Just as expected, the high-end LG Spectrum smartphone from Verizon Wireless is officially available for purchase starting today.  The Spectrum, announced during CES 2012, represents LG’s successor to the Revolution on Verizon and promises to be a powerful and sleek device on Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

The Spectrum is priced at $199 on a two year contract and boasts 4G LTE connectivity, making it cheaper than other 4G LTE devices during the initial launch, but who’s complaining?  Don’t let the sub-$299 price tag confuse you as the Spectrum contains high-end specs able to match up with the Motorola DROID RAZR, HTC Rezound, and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

In terms of specs, the Spectrum by LG features a 4.5 inch True HD IPS display, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, Android 2.3, 8MP rear facing camera, 1.3MP front facing camera, and Mobile Hotspot Capability up to ten devices.  Even though it launched with Android 2.3 onboard, LG plans to upgrade it to Android 4.0 in the near future.

Again, if you’re interested in purchasing the LG Spectrum on Verizon Wireless, then you can visit the online web store or a physical retail store location starting today.  For $199 on a two year contract, the LG Spectrum features an enticing price tag and spec list.

[Verizon Wireless]

Sprint has been pushing to release eco-friendly phones for a couple of years now, and even won a few awards for being so green. Those green phones haven’t always been the most impressive, but The Now Network is raising the bar with the LG Viper, an eco-friendly phone with better Android credentials.

The LG Viper hasn’t been officially announced because the phone is still in development, but LG was kind enough to let me see what the phone in its current state has to offer. The Viper, which will be released later this year for an undisclosed price, will be among the first devices to run on Sprint’s upcoming 4G LTE service. It also has a screen with Nova technology designed to improve visual performance outdoors, a dual-core processor, and NFC capabilities – including Google Wallet.

Software and hardware haven’t been finalized, so the device that I played with may not be what comes to market. That’s both encouraging and worrisome. At the moment, the Viper runs a standard version of Android. However, Sprint could put up some of its bloat, LG could add its custom overlay, or we could even see Android Ice Cream Sandwich in some form, be it stock or LG’s version, when the device is released. Things are subject to change and this is just a preview.

LG plans to make the device eco-friendly, which typically means recycled plastic and other materials blended to compose the frame. For what’s it worth, the Viper felt kind of nice for such a phone, so let’s hope Sprint and LG are able to deliver that quality experience as it attempts to please Captain Planet. Here’s a demonstration from an LG rep.

LG already removed the veil from its new Google TV and didn’t share much at its press conference yesterday. But I’ve just spent my early morning getting some quick hands-on time with the device and figured that you all might like to know more about the new smart TV that merges Google TV with LG’s own 3D media technology.

LG has two televisions on display – one 47-inch and the other 55 – that are part of its G6 series. Both sets support Cinema 3D that requires glasses but has decent viewing angles. The TV can actually upscale 2D content and convert it to 3D. I’m not sure if the videos on display were true 3D content, as in filmed with a 3D camera, or conversions, so I’ll reserve judgment until a later date.

As for the UI, its an upgrade. LG has customized the Google TV interface to have more silver, gray, and include widgets that are pretty convienent. That could be a problem down the line if GTV updates are slowed by the need to update that UI, but I doubt it. It looks very similar to the existing GTV interface, save for the widgets, a different mouse pointer, and some graphic changes in the menu. I actually prefer this look over the standard one on my Logitech Revue.

Other things I noticed were that the Magic Remote has a learning curve. Using it to navigate the on-screen mouse pointer felt awkward because the ball doesn’t turn, but using directional pads was fine. Maybe it gets easier to use with time because the LG rep demoing the device for me didn’t have a problem with it. It’s also running LG’s L9 chipset instead of the previous Intel chips that powered Google TV, and this dual-core chip moved way faster than my Revue.

I’m not sold on the 3D aspect, the LED screen looked good in the hall, and I’d like to see how the 120 Hz TV’s perform in the living room. There’s no word on price or date yet, but LG plans to launch later this year.

Even though an official announcement from Sprint has yet to occur, the promotional page for Sprint’s up and coming 4G LTE network spilled the beans on the Galaxy Nexus.  Several days ago, an advertisement showed the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Sprint as its first 4G LTE phone.  Currently, the Galaxy Nexus is only available through Verizon Wireless, but that is set to change within the next couple of months as Sprint plans to launch the high-end device as its first 4G LTE offering.

The promotional page announces that the first four markets for Sprint’s 4G LTE include: Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Atlanta.  In addition, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is going to be the flagship phone for the 4G LTE network, but it is going to be accompanied by the LG Viper 4G LTE and Sierra Wireless portable hotspot.

The LG Viper 4G LTE, which should be announced later during CES, features a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4 inch display, Android 2.3, NFC, Google Wallet, a 5MP rear facing camera, and a front facing VGA camera.

The Sierra Wireless portable hotspot brings support for Sprint’s 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE networks.  It supports up to 8 devices being connected simultaneously.

Again, we’re expecting Sprint to officially announce all three devices and its 4G LTE markets in the coming days, but its nice to see this promotional page give away the details early.

Sprint will soon have the top Android device to join the top iOS device in its portfolio, putting the wireless company in a good position with its unlimited data to gain subscribers.

[Sprint]

What we only suspected a few days back, after hearing a couple of rumors, has been finally made official where else if not in Vegas, at the 2012 CES? The LG Spectrum Android-based smartphone will hit Verizon’s shelves before the end of the month, as the good people at LG announced during their official press conference at the CES.

Sporting a 4.5-inch True HD IPS display and featuring a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, as well as 1 GB of RAM, the Spectrum will certainly not be a modest or low-end smartphone, even though it will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread for the time being.

For the time being, because the nice guys at LG have let us know that the handset will be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich soon enough (how soon, we don’t know for sure though). Other features include a whopping 8 MPx rear-facing camera with 1080p video capture capabilities, a 1.3 MPx front-facing webcam, as well as Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity.

The internal storage space is far from impressive (only 4 GB), but the Spectrum will also come with a 16GB microSD card pre-installed, so you shouldn’t in fact worry about on-board memory!

Let’s not forget to mention a couple of things about this smartphone’s design, which at least at a first sight looks like a winner to me. Nice and stylish curves, straightforward lines here in there and it’s practically impossible for a technology enthusiast to not crave for such a gadget.

The LG Spectrum will start shipping on January 19^th at Verizon stores all over the US and will go for… drum rolls, please… 199 dollars on a two year contract. Does that sound good or does that sound good?

Key features:

Even though it doesn’t exactly fall into the category of high-end Android devices unveilings, the latest announcement from MetroPCS should interest a lot of technology enthusiasts. The American carrier has unveiled two new Android-operated smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G and the LG Connect 4G.

The first of the two, the Galaxy Attain 4G, runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is powered by a 1 GHz unspecified processor. Equipped with a 3 MPx rear-facing camera with LED flash and a 1.3 MPx front-facing webcam, the Attain 4G is not exactly the gaming machine of a lifetime, but it should attract the interest of a technology geek on a budget.

That’s because the 3.5-inch smartphone from Samsung will be made available for a limited time only for just 199 dollars plus tax, after a $50 mail-in rebate. The handset can be purchased with MetroPCS’ $50 and $60 smartphone plans, including ‘’all applicable taxes and regulatory fees’’.

All in all, pretty nice deals for a smartphone that doesn’t pack a lot of raw power, but that looks pretty elegant and comes with Samsung’s warranty of reliability, professionalism and durability.

LG Connect 4G

The second handset to hit MetroPCS’ shelves is the LG Connect 4G, a snappier and stronger smartphone than the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G.

Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the LG Connect is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and will become MetroPCS’ snappiest handset to date. With a 4-inch NOVA display with Corning Gorilla Glass Screen Protector, LG’s smartphone is clearly not an entry-level gadget, like the Galaxy Attain, targeting technology enthusiasts with a more refined taste, but also with richer budgets.

The LG Connect 4G featured a 5 MPx rear-facing camera with flash, as well as a front-facing camera and a Dolby Mobile sound system that should offer a pretty high quality sound experience (at least for a mobile phone).

No words on pricing just yet, but you should check out the MetroPCS stores in the next month, when the smartphone should go up for sale. The LG’s handset, like the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G, will be available with affordable smartphone plans of $50 and $60, featuring unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE web browsing.

Via MetroPCS.com