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LG Arena review

7/10 AVG.
RATING
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LG Arena
LG Arena
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7/10
Informr score
The LG Arena currently has an Informr score of 7 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 4 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

Gone are the days when touch screen smartphones were the odd and mystical devices at the end of the display case, reserved for business people, wizard geeks and aliens.

The LG Arena drops a load of “good stuff” right in the middle of the tentative everyman, putting powerful processing together with classy design and meaningful functionality to create a great phone that this writer suspects was designed for those brave and ready to try a phone that does more than tell time and make calls.

The 3 inch touch screen boasts a 480 x 800 pixel resolution, which is excellent. The minimalist design features all-screen-all-the-time, with the exception of three small buttons at the bottom of the phone.

The thoughtful folks at LG added something called “Mobile Sound Enhancement” to the speakerphone, which is a fancy way of saying the onboard speakers sound much better than prior models of most brands. There is also a 5MP camera with 2592 x 1944 pixel resolution, autofocus and LED flash, plus Geo-tagging and image stabilization and you have an excellent cameral embedded in a quality phone.

These, plus other features, including an FM radio, color selection from silver, Titan Black to Dusty Pink, GPS, and quality build materials and you get a darn nice phone that is very competitive in its tier.

If you are shopping for the next shade of power-in-your-pocket, take a look at the LG Arena.

Thank you for reading and I apologize for all the hyphens. I’m under contract.


Custom
Operating system
Operating system
Custom
Unknown
Processor
Processor
Unknown
3"
Screen Size
Screen Size
3"
5+ MP
Camera
Camera
5+ MP
1000 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


GSMArena
GSMArena

The LG Arena is a wonderful multimedia device that has taken great strides in many areas - interface, touch technology, music and entertainment. If you take into account all this great stuff, add the novelty factor, the price tag of 350 euro (around 450 US dollars) seems reasonable. We're sure the...

- GSMArena team, GSMArena
MobileBurn
MobileBurn

Overall, I found the LG Arena to be a pretty nice device to use. It's hardware outdoes the iPhone in several ways, such as the far superior camera, Bluetooth A2DP, and Dolby Mobile, but it loses out on the fact that it has no app store and very limited customization. It's also a shame that LG have s...

- Russell Jefferies, MobileBurn
Cnet
Cnet

We found the Arena slow and unresponsive at times -- tapping out text messages, for example, is frustrating. But, if you're a patient typist dying for a touchscreen phone that does everything the iPhone can't, the Arena could be for you.

- Flora Graham, Cnet


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the LG Arena user manual here.


LG backs up the Arena with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Arena has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact LG support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find LG's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Screen Size
3"

The LG Arena's screen size is 3 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
Unknown

There is a processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
5+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 5+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera useful for video chat and self portraits.

Storage
170 MB

Internal memory is 170 MB. An external, MicroSD (up to 16 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
1000mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1000 mAh battery. LG's performance ratings are 12.5 days standby time.

LG Arena Specs

Overview
Release Date February 9, 2009
Regions Available USA
Operating System No

Compare Custom Smartphones

Processor
Internal Storage 170 MB
RAM 256 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation No
SAR Head: 0.67 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA
Mobile / Cellular Data
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
Yes
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
Infrared No
Bluetooth 2.1
Bluetooth Profiles No
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi No
Mobile Hotspot No
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD (up to 16 GB)
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility No
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, DivX, RealVideo
Video Recording Parameters
QVGA (320 x 240 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density Unknown
Size 3 inches
Secondary Display No
Multi-Touch No
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features -
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 1000 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 12.5 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Colors Silver
Dimensions [H x W x D] 10.6 x 5.5 x 1.2 cm (4.2 x 2.2 x 0.5 in)
Weight 105 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers No
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, EMS, MMS, AIM, MSN, Yahoo
ROM: 512MB
Graphics: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: T9
Any Key Answer: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Contact List Capacity: 1000
Multiple Numbers Per Contact:
Auto Answer: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP
PC Synchronization: Yes
Java Application: Yes
Audio Formats: MIDI, MP3, MP4, AMR, WMA, WAV, M4A
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, DivX, RealVideo
Custom Ringtones: No
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Radio: Yes
Wi-fi Encryption: -
Viewable document types: DOC, GIF, HTML, JPG, PDF, PPT, RTF, TXT, XLS
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
To-Do / Task List, Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Timer, Calculator, Currency Converter, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): LG KM900
Related Links Manual (PDF)
LG Arena Reviews
Where to buy LG Arena
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