Are you in the market for a mid-range smartphone? We already knew the LG Ally existed, starting with some leaked images, and then a site that showed us what the device would officially look like. Before it all finally got unofficially confirmed thanks to another leak. But now Verizon Wireless has finally come forward and officially announced the Ally for their network, and it’ll be hitting shelves very soon.
The LG Ally features Android 2.1, first and foremost. You’ll have a 3.2-inch glass touchscreen to poke all day long, and for those messages you’ll surely be typing at one point or another, there’s a full, landscape sliding QWERTY keyboard. There’s also a 3.2MP camera on the back. You can expect WiFi b/g/n, along with the standard Bluetooth and GPS connectivity options.
LG threw in their own stuff, too. You get the suite of Android 2.1 features, but you’ll also receive LG’s custom created widgets for Twitter, Facebook, weather, news, and others. So, much like HTC’s own widgets, LG wanted to jump on the bandwagon. You can preorder the LG Ally starting tomorrow, if you’re interested, and it will hit shelves starting May 20th, for $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. You’ll also have to sign a new, two-year agreement, of course. Anyone getting this?
Press Release:
Verizon Wireless And LG Mobile Phones Connect Customers To The Superhero Within
New LG Ally Smartphone Prepares Customers for the Adventures of Today and the Thrills of Tomorrow
BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and SAN DIEGO, CA — Verizon Wireless and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones), today announced the LG Ally™ will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning May 20. The first Android device from LG, the Ally is the perfect assembly of futuristic, stylish design and 3G Android power for customers looking to tackle life’s most challenging feats and everyday ventures. Verizon Wireless customers can pre-order the phone at www.verizonwireless.com beginning May 13.
Key features:
Ergonomic silver-and-black outer case
Large 3.2” tempered glass touch screen featuring touch vibration for tactile feedback
Full slide-out QWERTY keyboard with simultaneous touch screen capabilities
microSD™ slot for up to 16 GB of memory
Wi-Fi Enabled® (802.11 b/g/n)
Bluetooth® 2.1 capabilities with unlimited pairing and support for the following profiles: headset, hands-free, object push, stereo, audio/visual remote control, file transfer, phonebook access, basic printing and instant sharing of photos and videos
Built-in MP3 and WMA music player with music library, repeat and shuffle features, as well as stereo sound via headset or Bluetooth
One-touch speaker phone and speaker-independent voice commands
Additional features:Five customizable home screens with shortcuts to text messages, e-mail, apps, favorite social networking sites and widgets
Access to up to 38,000 apps from around the world in Android Market™
Luminous sensor designed to adjust LCD backlight brightness depending on light conditions
Proximity sensor instantly locks touch screen buttons while talking on the phone
S-GPS support for enhanced location accuracy in addition to turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps™
Access to updates on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook®, etc.
3D App launcher and Live Wallpaper
3.2 megapixel autofocus camera and camcorder with flash that includes:
Five different camera resolutions and three different video resolutions
Zoom up to 4.0 times
Macro Mode for detailed, up close pictures
Panorama for three guided sequential shots
Scene mode for auto, portrait, landscape, sports and night settings
Image editor with zoom, rotate, resize, crop, added frames and stamps
Customize brightness, white balance, shutter sounds, color effects and use a self-timer
Choose between mute and unmute to record video with or without sound
Optimize video quality with normal, fine or super camcorder settings
Video recording time up to 16 GB
Pricing and availability:The LG Ally will be available for pre-order online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning May 13. It will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on May 20. Pricing will be $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
LG Ally customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk Plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access. Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
