I picked up an LG Optimus 7 yesterday, one of the brand new crop of phones running Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 operating system. I'm unsure why Microsoft had a fragmented global roll out of its Windows Phone 7 devices but I'm glad SingTel carries the LG unit. As far as value goes, it is probably offers one of the the better combinations of features and cost.
In terms of hardware, the Optimus 7 is among the "smaller" ones with a 3.8 inch TFT 480 * 800 pixel screen as opposed to the 4 inch or larger screens found on most other Windows Phone devices but a tad on the heavier side at 157 grams. Having said that, it's still quite a large phone if you're used to using an iPhone, which I am. Even considering the Nexus One, the LG is still taller. This combination of size and weight gives the Optimus 7 a sturdy feel.
This tri-band HSDPA phone also sports 802.11b/g/n wifi, Bluetooth 2.1, Assisted GPS, accelerometer, and FM radio through the headset.
It has a five megapixel rear-facing camera with flash support which takes high definition 720p videos at 24 fps and photos at up to 2592 * 1944 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio or 2560 * 1440 at 16:9. The camera and flash can be found deeply recessed at the back of the phone near the top.
Some may think the camera could be better or sport more pixels, but for the most part, five megapixels is more than enough and it's already a decent pocket camera that takes sharp photos. When you're sharing photos on the web, you want to spend seconds, not minutes, to upload them.
Its back, Start, and search buttons are all physical buttons which make them easier to identify by the touch of your finger. Popping the rear shield open to access the SIM card slot and battery is also very easy with a button underneath the Windows Phone logo at the back. Changing SIM cards on this LG unit requires removing the battery as with almost every other phone model out there.
Unfortunately the USB port is hidden behind a flimsy cover. Understandably, this was done to keep the Optimus 7 looking very sleek and smooth but they could have simply made it a recessed port like on the Nexus One. The power button is a bit on the small side.
The screen is very bright, too bright as a matter of fact and the brightness setting in the OS might as well not be there. One trick to keep it from burning your eyes (okay, I'm exaggerating here) is to set the background to black. That way you also get a nice contrast with the colorful tiles on the home screen.
Charging and synchronizing the phone is done through a micro USB port. This initiative by most phone manufacturers to adopt micro USB is something that's very welcomed. I can now for example borrow someone's BlackBerry or HTC cable for use with this LG unit and vice versa. Very simple.
The camera shutter button makes it really easy to take photos. You can even set it to wake the phone and immediately take photos instead of having to find the camera app first. Its auto focus works really well and quite fast.
Setting up the phone is a snap, you can quickly go from out of the box into tweeting or making phone calls within minutes as activation is done directly on the phone. Contacts can be synced directly from Gmail, Live, or Facebook and they're all lumped together under the People tile.
A Windows Live account necessary only if you're planning to download apps, which you're likely to do anyway, otherwise what's the point of buying a smartphone these days?
Far from being a hassle, this is now par for the course when you're dealing with smartphones as you go through the same deal with Android and BlackBerry. While the iPhone doesn't require a MobileMe account, you can only activate it using iTunes on a computer.
All in all, the Optimus 7 is a very well put together package. The general specifications may be on the lower end of the scale among Windows Phone 7 phones but the build quality is right near the top, if not on it. It's got a good grip, decent size and weight, and easily identifiable buttons. Using this phone has been nothing less than a delight. Having LG's own apps store built-in with a collection of free starter pack apps only add to the value this phone brings to the table.
