LG GD910 Watch Phone

As mobile technology progresses, we’re making handsets smaller and smaller and as testament to that  watch phones stands true. If you ever wanted to play spy or Dick Tracy, the super cop, this is one gadget you have got to have, even if it does cost you an arm and a leg. Take a closer look.

Form Factor
The GD910 is a lightweight watch phone at just 84g. Its 1.4-inch touchscreen (capacitive) is very responsive and just large enough to be comfortable to use. The 128 x 160 pixel resolution also makes it clear to view in all lighting conditions. The leather strap is fully adjustable, so it can fit all forearms. It comes with a box full of accessories that includes a charger, USB cable, SIM card remover and of course the Bluetooth headset for calls with its own charger.

A VGA camera is located just above the display. On the side is where the call Take and end keys are placed and in between is a return key. The rear can be easily unlocked to slip in the GSM SIM card. The device sports 2GB of internal memory so you can easily carry your music with you while on the go. The best part about the device is that it’s IPX4 certified water resistant.

The bundled Bluetooth headset was quite comfortable to use and had no issues with voice clarity (incoming and outgoing). It uses a Micro USB port for charging and has a power/lock key slider that’s quite handy.

Features and Performance
Interface
It runs on a Flash UI that’s smooth and easy to navigate. It offers a variety of watch interfaces including analogue styles. Swiping through the menus and accessing settings is a fluid process. Response time is immediate with no lag at all. You can also customize the menus to various styles that you find comfortable. One would assume that typing messages on the small screen would be a problem, but it isn’t. It’ll take no more than a couple of minutes or less to get used to and you’re fingers will be flying across the screen.

Media
The handset offers an image viewer as well as a music player. The biggest problem with the music player is that it will play through the built in speakers and is quite loud, but if you’re looking for privacy, you’ll need a Stereo Bluetooth headset. Audio playback is not supported via the bundled mono headset. This is a concern as it would involve a further investment of at least Rs. 3000 (min). However, audio quality was not bad at via an A2DP headset. A set of EQ presets are also included to help enhance the audio and you can also create a playlist of your favorite tracks right on the device. There’s no video support of nay kind.

Connectivity
The GD910 is a 3G enabled device capable of HSDPA speeds up to 7.2Mbps. The video camera can be used for video calling via 3G whenever that gets here in a larger more usable capacity. There are no internet connectivity options
or email retrieval support for this device. It does however support MMS. Bluetooth with A2DP support is another connectivity option. You can also send and receive files via the same medium. USB 2.0 allows you to hook up the device to your PC for data back up and transfer.

Misc. Features
The handset-watch comes loaded with all the essential mobile phone features. Those include a Calendar that allows you to set appointments and memos, a Memo pad for notes, Alarm clock, calculator, Converter, Stopwatch, World Clock and a voice recorder. The GD910 also comes with a Text to Speech engine to read your messages while traveling and a Voice Command option to activate certain features.

Battery
For a device of this size, the battery is quite adequate. On a full charge you’ll able to use the handset for over two days, with minimum usage. Talk time averaged in at just about 2 hours which is not too bad. The Bluetooth headset is capable of at least 3 hours of non stop talk time though, if used with another device.

The Bottom Line
The GD910 comes with a heavy price tag of Rs. 39,990 (MOP). While that is defiantly steep, you have to consider the fact that this device is not designed to be your primary handset, not in this day and age of social networking and emailing. The GD910 watch phone is a gadget for the affluent. If you have the unique problem of having too much money lying around in need of spending and you’re a gadget lover, LG’swatch phone should be in your collection. I asked a few people - if money wasn’t an object would they spend Rs. 40,000 on this gadget. I was quite surprised to find that a majority actually said they would.

The essence of the GD910 is comfort and style while offering remarkable technology and it delivers quite well on these fronts.