14 DAY TRIAL // Wireless carrier AT&T announced on Monday the upcoming launch of LG eXpo, the first handset that arrives in the United States with a 1GHz processor on board. Starting with December 7, AT&T enterprise customers will be able to purchase the new handset from the company's website, while enjoying its High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 Mbps technology support, through which any user will benefit from considerable speed capabilities.
At the same time, the new LG eXpo comes to the US market with support for an integrated pico projector. Placed on the back of the phone, the LG Mobile Projector enables users share presentations, as well as slideshows or videos, all directly from the handset. The LG Mobile Projector comes with a compact design, and can project images eight feet away.
“LG eXpo adds to our growing portfolio of smartphones that operate on the latest upgrade to our 3G network and offer customers a great choice,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “As we move to HSPA 7.2 technology, it is crucial to provide our customers innovative and future-proof smartphones.”
The new LG eXpo comes to the market running under Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional operating system, delivering popular features and apps to users, including Microsoft Office Mobile. Moreover, users will be able to stay connected at all times with the email and calendar features of the deliver, while also having the possibility to display Web pages, documents, photos and videos while on the go with the phone’s projection capabilities.
The HSPA 7.2 technology included with the new mobile phone will power AT&T's network starting with this year. The company aims at making enhancements to its network in 2009 in markets like Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami, and will deliver HSPA 7.2 in almost all of the country's largest markets by the end of 2010. At the same time, the carrier also aims at upgrading about 90 percent of its network to about HSPA 7.2 by the end of 2011.
The specifications list of the new handset includes a 1GHz processor, a 3.2-inch touchscreen display with support for 16 million colors, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 5.0-megapixel photo snapper with auto flash, aGPS, and a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 16GB of additional storage space. AT&T's enterprice customers will have the possibility to purchase the new handset starting with December 7, for a price tag of $199.99 after mail-in rebate, with a two-year contract agreement on a minimum $69.99 plan. The LG Mobile Projector is expected to be priced at $179.99.