It features a 3.0 inch screen, which is not much smaller than the 3.2 inch screen the Eternity packs in. However there is a lot of unused real estate bordering this screen, so in my opinion the phone could’ve been either smaller to condense the space, or they could have made the screen much larger to fit the extra space.
Other than that, I was glad to notice the Incite has both GPS and WiFi, as well as quad-band GSM/EDGE and tri-band 3G, as well as a 3 MP camera to go along with it. Frankly, any smartphone that does not have these features is pretty much obsolete at this point, so I find it crucial for it to have these features. Otherwise it should be a lot less than the $199.99 price tag after contract.
The Incite was also thicker than I was hoping. For a smartphone with touchscreen only, LG needs to get an edge on competition by making their device thinner. Otherwise, slap a slide-in keyboard on the thing.
AT&T LG Incite Design
Most of the design issues I touched upon in the first impressions, mainly because they are quite noticeable. Boxy, thick, and contains a touchscreen that should be larger for the body it was put into.
Reduced: 85% of original size [ 600 x 450 ] - Click to view full image
But I’ll set that aside for the moment. On the left side I was pleased to find a scroll wheel, thus adding another option of navigating through WinMo, as well as MicroSD port and menu and camera buttons.
The right side is a bit more simple: a hole for resetting the Incite, MicroUSB port and volume control.
Reduced: 85% of original size [ 600 x 450 ] - Click to view full image
Not much to the back of the Incite. Camera is the only real thing keeping the back from being completely blah and boring. The back is certainly nice and shiny, though, I’ll give LG that much.
The front offers just two physical buttons, a call and hang up button. Everything else is done on the touchscreen itself.
For physical dimensions, the LG Incite weighs 4.23 ounces and the size is 4.21 x 2.2 x 0.55 inches
Reduced: 85% of original size [ 600 x 450 ] - Click to view full image
One other major flaw of design, in my opinion, is the stylus. When I first used the Incite I instinctively began looking around for the stylus. I figured it had to be somewhere in it, just tucked away perhaps. Wrong. The stylus is in the box, but the only way to attach it to the Incite’s body itself is via lanyard. As you see in the above picture, the stylus has a cap as you would normally see on a pen; whenever you’re done using the stylus you attach it to the cap that’s attached to the phone. In other words, when you’re not using the stylus, it’s just dangling off the side of the Incite. That’s just not my cup of tea.
LG Incite Features
The only truly unique feature this particular smartphone has is a favorites bar at the bottom of the today screen.
Reduced: 85% of original size [ 600 x 450 ] - Click to view full image
This bar gives you some much-needed shortcuts; quick buttons to the phone screen, messaging, as well as a couple other options as well. I do find this convenient so as to not have to go through the Start menu for some of the basic functions of the phone.
The LG Incite also offers up Bluetooth 2.0, a-GPS with AT&T Navigator, Cellular Video, Direct Push capabilities, and accelerometer. It also includes the other typical features of Windows Mobile 6.1, such as ActiveSync and media player.
One thing I do find interesting is the use of the accelerometer to make the today screen more user-friendly in landscape mode. Turn the Incite to its side, and the today screen transforms into a LG Vu-style menu, which I find more effective.Same goes with texting in landscape mode.
Reduced: 85% of original size [ 600 x 450 ] - Click to view full image
LG Incite’s Performance
I have always been impressed with the performance of LG phones, and the Incite appears to be no exception. It is rated at up to 8.7 hours of talk time — unheard of on a 3G device — and 21 days of standby.
The touchscreen is heat-sensitive, so there are times I had to push a little harder than usual on the screen to get it to work. This didn’t seem to happen all the time, but it was noticeable. I also experienced some lag, which I wasn’t sure if it was due to the OS or the phone’s processor. Perhaps both.
My verdict is so-so. I wasn’t a big fan of the overall look and design, but the device itself performed okay. Though there wasn’t anything brand new or innovative compared to the Blackberry Storms and HTC Touch Pros of the world, it is a decent WinMo offering.
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