The choice of Android handsets continues to grow, and while we all love high-end superphones like the Google Nexus One, Sprint HTC EVO 4G and Verizon Droid Incredible, we’re also pleased to see more affordable models broadening the range. Fresh to the Android Community test bench today is the Verizon LG Ally, hitting preorder status starting today, May 13th and set to go on sale May 20th for $99.99 with a new agreement.
That seems a pretty darn reasonable price for a hardware QWERTY phone, and while the Ally’s specs – a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera and Android 2.1 – may not exactly topple any giants, it’s not off to a terrible start. As for the hardware itself, the glass touchscreen feels reasonably responsive and the keyboard has some decent tactile feel; we’re not entirely convinced by the key layout, however, and will have to see if we can get used to it.
As for LG’s UI changes, they’re minimal in comparison to something like MOTOBLUR or HTC Sense. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – we’ve seen that unmodified Android phones usually get OS updates quicker than their customized counterparts – but it does make for a less gripping out-of-the-box experience.
We’ll be putting the LG Ally through its paces over the next few days in preparation for the full Android Community review, so until then enjoy the hands-on gallery below, and let us know any questions you might have! Check back in a couple of days for our full review of the LG Ally for Verizon.
