LG Optimus Vu Tabletphone Unveiled, Will Compete with Samsung Galaxy Note

Some companies just can't wait for tradeshows to unveil their hot new products: over a week before MWC kicks off, LG has just formally announced the Optimus Vu, one of a new class of phones with extra-large displays.

It will sport a 5-inch IPS touchscreen with a 1024 x 768 resolution and a 4:3 aspect ration. This will make a bit larger than some of its current competitors, which have displays that top out at about 4.5 inches. Still, HTC is reportedly preparing to release a smartphone with a 4.7-inch screen next week. And the LG model will be smaller than the Samsung Galaxy Note.

Like its rival from Samsung, the Vu will come with a stylus, which LG is dubbing the Rubberdium pen. Once common on smartphones, stylii have all but disappeared, but apparently are making a small comeback.

Android, 4G, and More
The Optimus Vu is going to launch running the somewhat dated Android OS 2.3 (Gingerbread) but an upgrade to the much newer OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sndwich) is in the offing, according to LG. It will run all its software on a 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage capacity.

It will include 4G LTE, the super-fast wireless data standard that has been adopted by Verizon and AT&T, and Sprint is in the proces of implementing. This raises the possibility that it could be offered by one or more U.S. carriers. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and DLNA will also be built in.

Other features of this model are going to include an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3MP front-facing one, and a 2080mAH battery. It will include HDMI video-out port. All of this is going to fit into a bar shape that's 5.5 x 3.6 x 0.3 inches (139.6 x 90.4 x 8.5mm).

The LG Optimus Vu is set to debut in S. Korea next month. When -- or if -- it will be available in other regions of the world has not yet been revealed. Pricing is also an open question at this point.

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