17-09-2008: The LG KC910 Renoir was shown to the press for the first time today and Mobile Phone Helpdesk met LG's 8 megapixel device. The candybar received the well-chosen nickame Renoir.
By: Willeke de Haas
The LG KC910 was announced a while ago and will be the direct competitor of the Sony Ericsson C905 and the Samsung i8510 INNOV8. In order to start the battle well the device got a modern and catchy name, the LG KC910 is named after artist Renoir, what enlarges our expectations of the device even more. Mobile Phone Helpdesk met the device and brings the first photos made of the device and made with the device.
When we check out the LG KC920 for the first time the device makes us think of the LG Viewty, the predecessor of the Renoir. The device looks almost the same, is about the same size and feels about as heavy. Of course, small details are totally different, but the overall look is the same. We start with the keys we can find at the front: first of all there's a call and end call key, in between them an OK key is placed. At our meeting with the LG Renoir two devices could be admired and it caught our eye that the call key can also have a blue colour instead of the regular green. Whether this will also be the case with the eventual device is not known at this point.
Almost everything begins with the display of a mobile phone and LG did her best at this point. The 262.000 colours display is nice and large and reacts well to touch, when a function is opened a small tremble is felt to give you an extra confirmation, this is also called Haptic Feedback. We cannot leave the opportunity to compare the device with one of the biggest competitors of LG: Samsung. With her TouchWiz and Omnia Samsung implemented a Widget beam for the first time. Playful symbols of the functions the device offers can be found here, for example the gallery, agenda, musicplayer and radio. These symbols can be enlarged and opened by dragging them onto the display. We also find a Widget beam on the LG Renoir but to make it look a little different LG placed it at the bottom, while Samsung places it at the side.
Widgets on LG Renoir
Keys
Despite of the fact that the LG Renoir doesn't offer a keyboard, there still are several keys to be found, only this time at the sides. When we check out the right side of the LG Renoir we find two keys to adjust the volume, a key to block the device and a camera key. The latter can be used in order to start the camera function and to shoot a photo.
Right side LG Renoir
The left side of the LG Renoir is as interesting as the right but it doesn't have any keys. The port for the charger, datacable and headset can be found here, as well as the MicroSD memorycard slot. When the internal memory of the LG Renoir is not sufficient for you can always expand it with MicroSD and MicroSD HC (High Capacity) memorycards. Ideal when you like to take lots of photos.
Left side LG Renoir
At the back we find one of the most important functions of the LG Renoir besides calling and SMSing. We namely find the 8 megapixel camera with Schneider Kreuznach lens here and a flash. The back panel of the candybar is made out of shiny material that easily catches fingerprints. Small edges are placed in the back panel and these make sure you have a good grip. We did find it a disadvantage that when you take the device in hand and use other functions than the camera, your fingers easily take place on top of the camera lens, something that doesn't improve the photo quality.
Back of LG Renoir
Menu and functionality
Besides the Widget beam we mentioned earlier the LG Renoir also has a regular menu where you can change expanded settings and where you can find everything the device has to offer. The menu is clear and has sharp icons and doesn't seem to have changed a lot in comparison with the LG Viewty. Of course it is not bad that the menu hasn't changed a bit but it still remains a little standard. We would have liked a more intuitive menu.
From the menu, all functions can be found. Of course, a musicplayer and stereo FM radio is present. The latter can only be used when the delivered headset is connected to the device because it functions as an antenna. The musicplayer can be operated via the touchscreen and works the same like the one on the LG Viewty. When we want to type a message we feel that this is quite comfortable. The display reacts well to your touch and you don't necessarily need small fingers to type well. The t9 prediction didn't work perfect on this test model yet, but the actual version in the shops will do better on this area.
SMSing is easy
The internet is well-represented at the LG Renoir and despite of the fact that this candybar focuses on photography and not on the internet it isn't any less than an internet oriented device. The large display offers a good overview and because the candybar is equipped with UMTS, HSDPA and WiFi support there will always be a possibility to go online.
Camera
Than something most people will find interesting: the camera quality. The Schneider Kreuznach lens gives us high expectations and we start rightaway. When we press the quick key at the side of the LG KC910 Renoir it takes a few seconds before the camera starts. This is also the same when taking an actual photo. Due to this, it will be quite difficult to take a good photo of a moving object. The test model we used wasn't equipped with the final software version so this could be changed. However, we don't think this will happen because the LG Viewty also wasn't one of the quickest devices.
Photographing with LG Renoir
The most expanded possibilities van be changed with the LG Renoir. From the camera screen you can directly reach a number of settings, under which the white balance, the selftimer and the flash. If you want to change more expanded settings this is also possible but you do have to navigate to the settings menu. This is done in no-time. The camera of the LG Renoir can be compared to the Sony Ericsson C905. The autofocus function works immediately and focuses well. When we changed all the settings we wanted it is easy to take a photo: only one press on the button is enough. When you press the key again the camera screen will be opened again and you can make a new photo.
Photos made with LG KC910 Renoir (click for an enlargement)
The quality of the photos can be described as average, of course this isn't the final software version of the device so this can still change. It seems like the photos are interpolated or that they are compressed too much so important quality is lost. A good example of this are the small pixels that are visible on the photos. Furthermore, not all details visible well and not everything is as sharp as it should be.
When you made a couple of photos it is handy when you can keep them seperated. The gallery of the LG Renoir is clear, first it shows thumbnails (small photos) and when you touch one this will be opened. The accelerometer makes sure that photos will rotate with you automatically and this is handy here. You can browse through your photos by touching the small arrows beside the photos, the next photo we come into view here.
Gallery LG Renoir
Our first impression
Of course we cannot judge the LG Renoir well at this point because the device we used wasn't equipped with the final software so it could still be improved. We did notice that the device has a lot in common with its predecessor: the LG Viewty. The camera is userfriendly, but slow. The musicplayer works fine and you can store as many tracks as you like. Small misfortunes such as the fingerprint sensitivity, the slow camera and the position of the camera lens a tthe back certainly don't hurt the photo quality, with which we are content at this point. The final software will improve the actual quality of the photos so we cannot say anything about this just yet.
The LG Renoir will probably come to the shops at the last week of October, on time for a good place underneath the Christmas tree. The full possibilities of the LG Renoir can be viewed at her
specifications page .
Video
Our colleagues of Portablegear made a short video impression of the LG KC910 Renoirt. The video impression can be found
here.