First Look:
If you have been waiting for something radically different in terms of a radical and unique design then the T-Mobile LG dual-screen DoublePlay might just be the phone you have been waiting for. T-Mobile early this week unveiled the dual-screen LG DoublePlay that it chose to call the “ultimate multi-tasking smartphone.
Sporting a 3.5-inch primary touchscreen display and boasting off a never-before-seen 2-inch secondary screen which is flanked on both sides by a QWERTY keyboard, the DoublePlay might just be the answer for those waiting for some radical form factor and uniqueness. Claimed to be a textor’s delight, the phone has the increasingly popular Swype feature that aids in smoother and quicker texting on touchscreens and at the same time allowing users to surf the web, update their Facebook status and indulge in some heavy duty messaging – all at the same time.
The DoublePlay is powered by a 1-GHz Qualcomm SnapDragon processor running on the latest Android (2.3) version. The phone will work on 2G as well as a 3G network. To spice up the package, the device also sports a host of other standard features that are a must-have on every smart phone such as auto screen turn off, 3.5-mm jack, external SD card slot expandable up to 32 GB, a host of connectivity options such as micro-USB, 3G, GPRS, Edge, Bluetooth, a 5-MP camera with LED flash and HD video recording to name a few.
With the DoublePlay the company hopes to satisfy the connectivity needs of users by giving them a device that is capable of helping them stay connected with their friends and associates in a fun and easy way. With the unique dual-screen design and the phone’s multi-tasking capabilities, the company claims to provide the ultimate multi-tasking tool to their customers.
What’s New?
While you can find most of the features on offer on the DualPlay on every other smartphone that is being launched nowadays, DualPlay’s USP definitely is its smart and innovative dual-screen design. The specialty of the secondary touch screen is its ability to allow users to launch applications instantly while the user is engaged with something else on the primary screen. The secondary screen can hold up to 8 applications which essentially negate the need to go back and forth on the primary screen to launch applications. A sound smart isn’t it?
What’s been Refreshed?
If going back and forth on your home screen to launch and close apps and indulge in multi-tasking has been a bit of a bother for you on your regular smartphone, then the DoublePlay might just make your life a bit easy by providing the convenience of launching apps from the secondary screen while you are busy with other stuff on your primary screen. In an ideal scenario, the option of a second screen sounds very convenient from a user’s perspectives who engage in a lot of multi-tasking.
Another useful feature is the smartly designed QWERTY thumb-board that would supposedly make thumb typing easier. Also thrown into the mix are some interesting messaging features namely group text and cloud text. Group text allows users to communicate with multiple users at once while cloud text can be used to send and receive messages across multiple platforms including personal computers, laptops and tablets.
Features Walk Through
|
Network |
GSM – 850/1800/1900 |
|
Display |
Dual touch screen |
|
Processor |
1-GHz Qualcomm SnapDragon processor |
|
OS |
Android 2.3 |
|
Memory |
micro-SD, expandable up to 32 GB |
|
Connectivity |
GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with A2DP, microUSB |
|
Camera/Video |
5-MP autofocus with LED flash with HD video recording |
|
Messaging |
SMS, MMS, Email, Push, RSS, IM |
|
Browser |
WAP, HTML |
|
Multimedia |
Music player, FM Radio, Java games and apps |
|
Other Features |
QWERY Keyboard |
What’s Good?
As mentioned earlier in this article, while most of the features are more or less found on most of the smartphones that are being launched, the only intriguing factor is the dual touch screen that will make multi-tasking a breeze. Both screens can be used in tandem with both running different applications with the user having to just move from one screen to another to perform the various functions. For instance while the user would be composing an email on one screen, he or she could very well use the second screen to concurrently do web surfing or play games.
What’s not Good?
It remains to be seemed how the 1-GHz processor would manage the multi-tasking between two screens and how smooth would the transitions be from one activity to another. It also remains to be seen as to what kind of impact an additional screen that might be used continuously, would have on the battery life.
Price and Availability
While T-Mobile has not confirmed the exact launch date and pricing for the DualPlay, unconfirmed reports have cited a launch date of first week of November with a price tag just under $150.
The Wrap Up
To conclude, this phone would definitely be recommended for those of whom who are looking for some heavy duty multi-tasking, though users should keep in mind the possible downsides such as battery life and processing speed. However, with 1-GHz of processing power under its hood and the latest version of Android that runs the device, these might just be initial worries that could just be ignored for now. The unique factor of two screens at your disposal surely makes the LG DualPlay a unique proposition.
