01-06-2008: We seldon saw such a special device as the LG Secret, the third Black Label device of the Korean manufacturer. After a spectacular meeting we scan the device for its quality.
By: Willeke de Haas
At a secret location in the Netherlands we were invited to receive the LG Secret. One of our editors traveled to a location in Hilversum, the Netherlands, where he would be 'picked up' by special people. After some minutes of waiting security on a motor appeared followed by a blinded American bus. When the bus stopped just in front of our editor the blinded doors of the bus opened and two security guards stepped out that screened our editor and invited him into the bus to hear and see "the secret".
When we took our breath from the amazement we took the device to our office and starting using it, that is the way to get to know a new mobile phone, richt?! Underneath you will find our experiences with the LG Secret, a fashion slider that is already incredibly popular.
Package
The LG Secret has a mysterious appearance, black with light silver acents and full of secrets we still have to discover. The box also looks mysterious, stylish and discrete black with the most important functions and specifications on the side of the box. We open the package and the party may start. The LG Secret is directly there for you and when you take the device out of the package we can place the simcard and battery before we close the device with the carbon fibre back panel. We take a close look at the package and we find the device itself, of course the battery and the back panel, but also a charger, stereo headset, data cable and a small strap with a cleaning pillow.
Contents package LG Secret
The side of the box tells us something about the specifications of the LG Secret, under which tempered glass, carbon fibre, neon touch navigation, auto luminance control and touch media. Sounds promising, but we are still going to check whether LG doesn't say too much with these specifications. Here we go on our quest for the possibilities that the LG Secret has to offer.
Incredible beauty
We cannot say anything different than that we fell in love with the design of the LG Secret. The combination of shiny black and silver, nicely finished details and leather accents makes our heart thump. Of course it's a matter of taste but we do like the device! We have attached the strap with cleaning pillow and placed the simcard and battery. Now we can really get to work. The front of the LG Secret almost entirily consists of display. This display is something that may not be overlooked and it's a little larger than normal with her 2.4 inch. Underneath the display we find six touch sensitive keys, three regular keys and a navigation key that brings us to the menu. The delivered cleaning strap turned out to be a very good idea of the Korean manufacturer, one touch on a key and the device looks greasy. So, we cannot do anything else than clean the device again.
LG Secret looks amazing
With a size of only 103 x 51 x 12 millimeters the LG Secret can be described as quite a thin slider. There is more than just a display ond some keys, when the device is opened one of the secrets will be revealed, a numbered keyboard. The keyboard has the same design and the microphone for having conversations is placed underneath it.
One of the secrets is the hidden display
Now we go to checking out the extra keys at the sides and the possibilities that the appearance of the LG Secret offers. The left side of the LG Secret has nothing special to offer, only a well finished port for the headset and the charger can be found here. Furthermore, nothing extra at this side.
Nothing extra at left side
The right side seems to be the opposite of the left side. The triple-band device namely offers five different quick keys here. From top to bottom we first meet two keys that are used to adjust the volume. Until now nothing special. One key down is a key that can be used to change the display, that looks like a regular display at first sight, into a touchscreen. With this key the touchscreen can be activated and the media applications can be directly used. The next key we see did not impress us that much, it shows you the programs you last used. The last key to be found here is the camera key, both made for starting the camera and for making photos. What we do miss at one of the sides of the device is a port for a memorycard, this can only be placed after taking of the back panel, as we noticed later.
Five quick keys at right side
The back of the LG Secret is incredibly beautiful. We cannot say anything else than that the device is one of the prettiest devices of today. The back of the LG Secret is something you may not hide, the panel that protects the battery, simcard and memorycard is made out of carbon fibre, a strong and light material that looks amazing at the same time. The carbon fibre plate gives a nice contrast with the rest of the device and due to the detaild cohesion of the fibres it looks superb. We do have to say here that the back panel easily scratches. Of course this isn't the only thing that can be found at the back, the 5 megapixel camera with flash can also be found here.
Superb back with 5 megapixel camera and flash
The LG Secret is the living proof that the Korean manufacturer thinks over the design of her devices very well. We seldom saw such a beautiful mobile phone with such detail and finish as this one. Not only the port fo the charger and headset is well-finished, the sides are also equipped with subtle silver accents and the top of the device is covered by high quality leather. In the right uppper corner LG made place for a VGA camera that can be used for making videocalls. In the middle, just above the display, the speaker can be found.
Fine details make the design complete
From one amazement to the other
We haven't actually caught our breath again from the overwhelming design of the LG Secret or we are already amazed again: The touch sensitive keys. At the side of the box in which the device is delivered we could already read that the device would offer 'Neon Touch Navigation', with this the blue illuminated touch sensitive keys are meant and we have to admit that they look very special. A choice can be made between small circles or dots and when a touch sensitive key is touched there circles will become a little larger for one moment, just like you throw a small pebble into a pond. This effect appealed to us.
Nice touch sensitive effects
Keys and menu
The keyboard is, as mentioned earlier, revealed when the touchscreen is shoved upwards. In the same design as the rest of the device we find the numbered keys here that have all received a shiny layer. The keys are placed about two millimeters apart from each other and they are all large enough to type away. Thin fingers, thick fingers, it doesn't matter because the LG Secret makes sure that typing feels comfortable.
Keyboard in style and comfortable
Something we didn't like that much was the distance between the navigation key, which is a regular key, and the touch sensitive keys. When you press the navigation key the chance is big that you will also touch a touch sensitive key so things you didn't plan will happen. Even our female panel members, that have somewhat slimmer fingers than the male ones, had a rough time 'aiming' for the navigation key so you don't touch other keys at the some time. Something else we didn't exactly like was the reaction speed of the touch sensitive keys. We have to say that the keys react very well, even the lightest touch is noticed, but the LG Secret seems to have to think about what his next step has to be before he does something.
The LG Secret is equipped with a so-called Flash User Interface. This means that images are moving around at the background in a subtle and dynamic way and this looks slick. The rings at the background are moving lightly and the meny is stylish and clear. This all looks good on the 262.000 colours display that is made of tempered glass, as said at the side of the box. This is perfect. Even after intensive use in pockets, purses and jackets there is still no scratch to be seen at the display. We do handle our phones with care but regular usage always delivers some scratches on the display withing some weeks. Something we didn't like was that the display of the LG Secret was hard to see sometimes. Despite of the 'Luminance Control', a function that was indicated at the side of the box, it was almost impossible to read the display when the sun was bright, something that many mobile phones find difficult.
Flash User Interface and menu are stylish and clear
Camera
In one word: Wow. No other mobile phone offers such a nice and fun camera as the LG Secret. This review is sounding more and more like a salestalk and maybe you even think that this delivers us some LG shares, but it just isn't any different than that we are really enthousiast about the camera and the device in general. The camera offers all settings, possibilities and options every other 5 megapixel camera offers at this moment, an example of this is the LG Viewty. Something extra with the camera of the LG Secret is the face recognition, something we haven't seen earlier in other LG models. The face recognition and the autofocus function of the LG Secret works quite fast. You mustn't expect to be able to make a good photo of a laughing motorcyclist on a nice Harley but when you pose a little everything will be all right. With the touch sensitive keys you can see which most used functions you can adjust if you want to and this can improve the speed in making your perfect photo.
Most used functions adjustable in main menu
When you're more experienced in making photos or you just want to experiment a but you can touch the left touch sensitive key and you will go to the settings. When you don't adjust these settings the LG Secret will choose the best automatically. However, adjusting some settings here may lead to a better illumination and better photos. Things you can adjust in the settings meny are, for example, the white balance and the clearness of the photo and you can even add some effects to a photo.
Adjusting expanded settings
Making photos is not the only thing that can be done with the camera of the LG Secret, the device is also there for you if you want to record video fragments. With a quality of 120 FPS (Frames Per Second) and a good clarity your self-made videos are nice and sharp and fluent and we believe that the quality is, especially for a mobile phone, good. A nice option here that we haven't seen in a mobile phone earlier is the 'time-lapse' function. With this you can record images that you can watch in a quicker way afterwards. This can deliver some hilaric moments.
When you have made some photos and videos and you want to view them it is possible to go to 'My Media' via the menu, from here you can view your camera images. These are indicated in a clear and easy way as little thumbnails (mini photos). In this way you can directly see whether you open the right image that you want to show your family and friends. From this menu you can also send your photos via e-mail or bluetooth.
Photos are viewed in a clear way
The quality of the photos that the LG Secret makes is very good. The photos are clear, the colours are real and everything can be seen very clearly and sharp. Even small details that we couldn't even see with our own eyes could be distinguished on the photo. So, we think that the camera of the LG Secret is not anything less than any other 5 megapixel camera of the competitive brands. Something we did miss with the camera is a good quality and strong flash.
Photo made with LG Secret (click for enlargement)
So, when you opened a photo we end up at a possiblity we really liked: photo editing. When you shoot a portrait photo of someone you can edit this face with the different options that it will start to look like someone else's face. A larger nose, smaller face, thicker mouth, longer ears, it's almost all possible. An expanded editing program as this one is something we haven't come across on another mobile phone and we liked it a lot. Besides 'editing faces' other photos can also be adjusted as you like. For example, you can place frames around it or add effects to a photo.
Photo editing is amazing
A regular display or a touchscreen?
Well, actually both. When you want to manage your media you can choose to do so by operating the device by touch. As mentioned earlier a key is placed at the right side that can change the regular display into a touchscreen. When this key is pressed everything takes place by touch, but only on the area of media. Something we found a pity is that you can't choose to operate all the functions on the touchscreen, this would have been a nice addition. In this way you can choose what you like. The music functions, photo, M-Toy, Document and FM radio can all be operated by the touchscreen.
Both regular display and touchscreen
The viewing of photos via the touchscreen is self-evident, as is the viewing of documents. The functions music and FM radio are used in the same way. Nice interactive and colourful symbols are displayed on the screen and a simple touch is sufficient for starting things. The sound of both the musicplayer and the stereo FM radio (that can only be used with the headset connected) can be underlined as good. The sound is nice and hard and also very clear. Storing music is no problem, the internal memory of 100 MB could be a little small for many music lovers. That's why an extra memorycard would have been a nice addition but you can also purchase one yourself if you like to.
Musicplayer can be operated via touchscreen
Internet and other applications
The LG Secret supports both UMTS and HSDPA, something that means that the device is able to reach the internet in a very fast way and that it can receive and send e-mails very quickly. On top of the UMTS support the HSDPA support makes sure that downloads will be even faster, watching some images on a website is faster due to this. The webbrowser offers everything you need for a good internet experience. The level sensor makes sure that you can use the display in a vertical and horizontal position and automatically rotates with the positon that you hold the device. The webbrowser itself is very clear.
Internet on the LG Secret
Of course, the LG Secret offers unlimited possibilities when it comes to handy applications. A couple of programs that the LG Secret offers as a standard are all Google applications, an expanded calender, a calculator, stopwatch, an alarm, the world time and a speech recorder. But what really amazed us where the games... The games Grand Glof and Sudoku are not really games that make our heart go faster in these days, but that is something the M-Toy games certainly do. Due to the incredibly well-balanced level sensor it is possible to play small movement games with the LG Secret. The device almost gives you the same feeling as the Nintendo Wii and that's why we weren't able to get outselves together and put the phone away again. The M-Toy program offers the following games: darts, baseball, hammer, fishing, maze and a magic ball that tries to answer your questions. A movement game like M-Toy is very hard to photograph is that's why we filmed a demonstration of it.
Endurance
Something were a lot of devices go wrong nowadays is the point of the battery. The LG Secret also couldn't keep it up during intensive usage and when we used the device in a regular way it had to be recharged after about three days. When we used the camera, games, musicplayer and other programs intensively the endurance of the device is a lot less. We have to say here that the LG Secret is recharged in a small hour again, after this the device is ready to go. A small thing that we found strange is that the battery of the LG Secret is empty really fast when the device indicates to have two of the three battery blocks still full. Within a half a day the light of the device has gone out.
Everything comes to an end...
and also to our review of the LG Secret. Despite of the fact that the LG Secret has stolen our hearts we have to say goodbye to this ultimately beautiful multimedia slider. We have put our experiences with the device together in a short way in a list of plus and minus points.
Advantages:
- Looks: The looks of the LG Secret are incredibly beautiful. It was a privilige to be allowed to take the device with us for a couple of weeks.
- Effects: The effects that the touch sensitive keys offer are beautiful.
- Camera: The camera of the LG Secret is incredible. Photos are sharp, clear and colourful.
- Touchscreen: Media can be operated with the regular keys but you can also activate the touchscreen. This is a nice choice.
- Sound: The sound of the LG Secret is good. It sounds hard enough, clear and it's suitable for enjoying your music.
- Internet: The internet is very fast on the LG Secret and the internet browser is very userfriendly. You can use the internet in a horizontal and vertical position.
- Level sensor and games: The games in combination with the incredibly good level sensor is superb. The games are very fun and dynamic due to this.
Disadvantages:
- Placing memorycard: The placing of a memorycard can only be done when you remove the back panel, this isn't handy at all times.
- Polishing: Because the device is made out of shiny materials you have to polish it a lot, here's where the small cleanign pillow comes in handy.
- Slow: The touch sensitive keys of the LG Secret are slow.
- Navigation key: By surrounding the navigation key with touch sensitive keys you might 'press' two keys at the same time when you use the navigation key.
- Sunlight: Sunlight on the display of the LG Secret is disastrous, it's almost impossible to see what you're doing.
- Battery: Just as with many other multimedia devices the LG Secret can't stay standby for a long time without being recharged.
Our final judgement
We had a tremendous time with the LG Secret, we made beautiful photos, listened to some clear music, played an awful amount of games, surfed the internet and also enjoyed the device as an eyecatcher. Of course we also experiences some disadvantages, we polished the device until our fingers got sore and we had to wait quite a long time before the device reacted to our touch. We are very satisfied with the LG Secret and that's why we want to give it no less than an 8,5!