LG Eclipse

“The battle for the Android high end is well-entrenched, and it's becoming a bloodier battle nearly every day, the huge middle ground, though, is seemingly wide open. Staying shy of the magical $100 price point is key for a device in the category, and it's a challenge that the Ally passes -- but we couldn't help but feel like we should still be able to expect more. Cheap doesn't have to mean low quality.”

“When the Motorola DROID A855 and HTC DROID ERIS ADR6200 were introduced by Verizon Wireless last year, some people were cautious about calling it a success…at first, as those were the first two Android phones for the carrier. But over the weeks and months since their introduction, and the flock of people who have adopted the platform, we have seen more Android-based smartphones released, such as the Motorola DEVOUR A555 and the HTC Droid Incredible ADR6300, each targeted to a specific audience. Now comes a fifth contender, the LG Ally VS740, which is geared mostly to the budget-orientated crowd, but who still desire a smartphone with all the Android features, plus the addition of a physical QWERTY keyboard. Because of its features and price, the LG Ally is mostly in competition with the HTC DROID ERIS and Motorola DEVOUR, with the DEVOUR also including a sliding keyboard.Included in the retail package is the LG Ally VS740 smartphone, 1500mAh battery, preinstalled 4GB microSDHC Class 4 memory card, wall charger with detachable microUSB cable, and user guides.”

“The LG Ally is an affordable, yet powerful Android 2.1 powered smartphone that works on Verizon Wireless' 3G network. At launch, it costs $99.99 with a two-year contract - half what the Motorola DROID costs. And like the DROID, it sports a speedy 600MHz processor, a wide-VGA resolution touchscreen, and a slide-out 4-row QWERTY keyboard with a d-pad controller. The DROID, however, has a more stable software build on it and offers a larger display and a bit more style. The Ally, though, offers fantastic call audio quality and does most everything pretty darn well. The device is already fairly easy to recommend for those looking for a keyboard-equipped Android smartphone on Verizon, and a software update could improve its standing even more.”

“LG has done a pretty decent job with its first Android handset for the U.S., though it could certainly use some improvements. The Ally is large, weighty, and should have a slightly bigger screen given the sheer volume it consumes. The solid construction, good keyboard, and nice hand feel make up for the size...a little bit. The stock Android 2.1 user interface is snappy and presents no challenges to the user. I like that the Ally has five home screens to customize with content. The media powers are mixed. The music experience is bare-bones all the way, with only the most rudimentary playback features enabled. The camera has great, advanced controls, but suffers from a bit of performance lag. It makes up for the performance lag, however, by taking really good pictures.”