LG Watch Phone: LG-GD910

A phone in a watch? Seriously? This really is something out of Dick Tracy or the CIA.

Had I not seen it working I would not have believed it.

Over the past 12 months I have seen a few woeful excuses for “watch phones” – invariably 2G devices with poor graphics, worse coverage and impossible to see and use – and looked like a calculator phone from the 1970’s!

That was until I had the opportunity to test drive the LG GD910 3G Watch Phone.

Far too often we hear about technological developments that are so far out there that no one will ever get to benefit from it. Not so with the GD910. Ok, it won’t be within everyone’s budget, but if you are going for style and that “one in a million” look, this is definitely the one for you.

Featuring a 1.4” diagonal touch screen, Bluetooth and video calls, this watch fits a lot into a relatively small package.

Looking like a watch you would purchase at the top end of town, the hand crafted LG Watch Phone is only 13.9mm thick and has a curved tempered glass face and a strong metal case. Even the leather wristband is classy – definitely built to last.

The big question – is it a watch with a SIM card or a phone in a watchcase? To be honest – it’s both.  And better still – neither is compromised.

In keeping with the watch design, the GD910 has three subtle control buttons on the right hand side – the Send, End and Back buttons. To call a number, you touch the number pad on the screen. Surprisingly responsive – no stylus needed.

You can navigate around the menu items by sliding your finger horizontally or diagonally across the screen.

Given the Watch Phone is going to be on your wrist, you can take advantage of the Voice Command feature of the GD910. Basically, you can tell your Watch Phone what to do – for example, make a call, confirm a voicemail, get the time or listen to music. A word of caution though – surrounding noise can make for very interesting results – this feature is best used in a quite environment! And if English is not your first language, don’t worry. The GD910 can recognise US and UK English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian and Russian.

The video calls I made were clear, as were the voice calls. Definitely recommend using the Bluetooth headset, unless you want everyone around you to hear your conversation. I made a voice call with my hand by my side and the microphone picked up my voice – again this would not be practical in a noisy environment.

Navigating the music player was also simple and effective. The sample tracks were clear and accessible.  You can add tracks either by Bluetooth or by syncing your Watch Phone via the cable provided. Once your music is loaded, you can create your own playlist.

Expect to see the LG Watch Phone GD910 in Australia early December. The RRP is going to be around $2300 inc tax.

Here are some added benefits of the LG Watch Phone:

• Reduce the risk of leaving your phone behind at a restaurant, nightclub, or in a taxi
• Increase the life of your clothing – no more bulging pockets
• Brag value – you will probably be the first amongst your friends to own one

All jokes aside – well done LG on leading the pack by showing what is possible and practical.

Here are the specifications:

Name	LG Watch Phone GD910
Available	December 2009
Network	UMTS: 2100MHz (Note: NOT NextGTM)
GSM:	850/900/1800/1900MHz
HSDPA	7.2 Mbps peak theoretical downlink speed (typical speeds 550kbps – 3Mbps)
Dimensions	49 (L) x 39(W) x 13.9 (H) mm
Weight	84g
Screen	1.43” 128 x 160 TFT
Battery Time	Up to 2 hours talk time; Up to 240 hours standby time
Camera	VGA Camera
Connectivity	Bluetooth, USB
Key Features	Voice Commands, Video Recording and Calls, Water Resistant, Voice Recorder (Memo); Speaker Phone; In Box Handset, Batter, AC Charger and Cradle, Bluetooth Headset, User Manual, USB Cable, SIM insertion tool