LG Optimus 7

“We feel somewhat odd giving such a high grade to a device that really brings nothing new to the table in terms of hardware. LG might be making gorgeous retina displays for a certain other phone maker, but that IPS goodness is nowhere to be seen here. The camera is also only mediocre, while the internal spec can be had on literally any other Windows Phone 7 device. What's really got us hooked, however, is the inescapable feeling of a quality piece of mobile kit. From the very first time we picked it up, the Optimus 7 has been delighting us with its look and feel and that emotional connection just refuses to go away. It's a minimalist interpretation of what the best possible Windows Phone should be like, and its small stylistic flourishes are augmented with an almost perfect record of intelligent design decisions. Throw in the actually valuable Play To media streamer and the fun Panorama Shot from LG's own software labs, and you get a very competent contender. It's hard to quite crown it the finest WP7 launch device -- after all, Samsung's Omnia 7 has a bigger and significantly better display -- but the LG Optimus 7 might just be the one we most enjoyed using.”

“The software is pretty much the same as what you'll find on the other WP7 handsets, except for the several specific apps that LG is throwing into the scene. The most notable of them are the “ScanSearch” augmented reality feature and the “Play To” DLNA app. All in all, LG deserves credit for taking the time to develop the custom software in order to make the LG Optimus 7 a bit more intriguing for the customers.What we don't like in the Optimus 7 however, are its photo and video taking capabilities, as well as the mediocre call quality. If you can't get past that, or don't like the phone for some other reason, it might be a good idea to check out the Samsung Omnia 7 with its brilliant Super-AMOLED display, or the HTC 7 Trophy, which also carries a 3.8” diagonal, but with the tried and true flavor of HTC.”

“Windows Phone 7 is definitely a work in progress. My impression is that the platform was delivered unfinished. However, WP7 is certainly a good start for a new Microsoft project, which will probably become mature once Windows Phone 8 will make its way on the market. I believe that LG's try on a Windows Phone 7 is a success, even if the manufacturer had to abide by Microsoft's strict rules.”

“After years of delays, Microsoft has finally stepped up to the plate and put forth a completely new smartphone operating system: Windows Phone 7. The LG Optimus 7, which will be offered by Telus in Canada and by multiple carriers in Europe, is one of the initial batch of WP7 smartphones to be announced. The Optimus 7 packs features like a 3.8-inch capacitive touchscreen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and an HD capable 5 megapixel camera into an elegant and solidly constructed package. It even offers easy to use hardware buttons on its front, and seems quite capable of holding onto weak signals - something I can appreciate. But smartphones today are more than just hardware specs. The entire ecosystem of applications and content play an important part in a device's success or failure. Windows Phone 7, being new, lags behind other players when it comes to the number of apps available, but already we are starting to see some well-recognized names, like Slacker Radio, Seesmic, and Netflix. That WP7 doesn't offer 3rd party app multi-tasking is certainly a let-down, but the entire user experience is simplified by that and makes the OS, and the Optimus 7, particularly well-suited to smartphone newcomers.”