LG KM900 Arena preview: First look

The LG Arena is getting set to storm its way across Europe but not before a proper courtesy call. Yes sir, one of the Barcelona Mobile World Congress headliners is feeling right at home at the arena. And the pleasure is ours too.

The well-rounded feature set - which could've been a major asset in any reputable handset - is easily eclipsed by the interface that boasts some of the best looks and handling in quite a while. S-class is a not a name to misuse so let's hope the Arena lives up to the expectations.

LG KM900 Arena official photos

Our LG namesake is the first ever handset to run the new touch UI of the Korean company. In addition, you get a state of the art connectivity package and a nicely sounding 5 megapixel shooter. Well, obviously it's not a top of the line imaging monster like the Renoir but the target audience is different here.

Having made a great first impression with its brilliant screen and inspiring UI, the LG KM900 Arena is now to face a more serious test. It's a quick little preview we've got for you here but hopefully the Arena will have no secrets left.

For starters let's have a look at the LG KM900 Arena main specs.

LG KM900 Arena at a glance

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 2100 or 850/1900 MHz, EDGE class 10, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
• Dimensions: 105.9 x 55.3 x 12 mm, 105 g
• Display: 3" 16M-color capacitive TFT touchscreen of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)
• Memory: 8GB flash storage, microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
• User interface: S-Class Touch UI
• Still camera: 5 megapixel autofocus camera, Schneider-Kreuznach optics, autofocus, LED flash
• Video recording: 3GP D1 (720x480)@30fps, QVGA@120fps high-speed recording, QVGA time lapse recording
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm audio jack, TV-out, microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS
• Misc: Accelerometer for screen auto rotate, Multi-touch input, 3D hardware accelerator, DivX support, Dolby for Mobile audio enhancement, FM radio, FM transmitter, office document viewer
• Battery: Li-Ion 1000 mAh, Talk time: 3 h 50 min, Standby: 300 h, Music playback: 30 h
• Retail price: 400 euro (540 US dollars)

LG KM900 Arena at ours

There are several things to note on the KM900 Arena specs sheet. To begin with, the screen is a giant leap for LG. No, WVGA is not unheard of but the company sure was stuck at WQVGA far too long. The all-round functionality isn't unprecedented either but this here package is quite well balanced. Save for omitting an 8MP shooter the LG Arena hardly has anything else missing.

However, the more important test for the Arena is usability and user experience. If the S-Class manages to reinforce the first impression we may certainly have a winner here.

LG Arena finally in our hands

But let's not rush. That would be the worst thing to do with plenty of work on our hands and so little time. Hit the jump for the design and ergonomics of the LG KM900 Arena.