Wireless Tech Chat

Firmware or vaporware? you decide!

LG has purportedly come out with the LG GD-900, with a transparent keypad.

Phones Review has this tidbit:

LG are as expected keeping most of the LG GD900’s “advanced features” under wraps, but this stunning handset is 13.4mm thick with 7.2 Mbps HADPA.

As for that transparent keypad, it glows when open, and furthermore LG has apparently it has two cameras, one on the front and one on the back and has designed a Bluetooth headset to match this stunning piece of mobile art. The word is LG is expecting to have the LG GD900 available for retail in the second half of 09.

LG GD900 is announced at WMC 2009 among other new handsets from LG. The first phone with transparent keypad looks amazing on the show with etched numbers illuminated by glow around its edges. Apparently, looks is the only thing offered by GD900 since no other highlight feature announced by the company. The good news is GD900 will be available in May according to its documentation, contrary with LG’s press documentation which said GD 900 won’t be available until July.

And Dvice has this alternative view:

The LG-GD900 cellphone, which was unveiled a couple of days ago, has one of the most striking designs we’ve seen. Its head-turning innovation: The softly illuminated keypad is transparent. The phone is slated for a spring 2009 release. We can’t wait until someone designs a phone that’s entirely clear.

However, we have to ask, how practical is this? Do you really want to see a hairy cheek pressed up against the glass? It reminds me of the old Jelly shoes. Cute, until you see someone’s butt-ugly toes smooshed up against the plastic.

Bluetooth transmitters are amazingly cheap, so expect to see more and more Bluetooth equipped gadgets. It doesn’t add substantially to the overall price to the gadget, and it might add some useful new functionality. Or maybe not. Consider the LG LBA-C300 Bluetooth enabled Qwerty Card.

Basically this is a Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard for your LG cellphone. Use it to type out text messages without suffering through T9. Use it to key in contact information without suffering through T9. Or use it to do all of the above without suffering through the on-screen keyboard of a QWERTY-less touchscreen phone.

The LBA-C300, which just ran by the FCC, is the texting equivalent of a Bluetooth headset — a Bluetooth device that allows you to operate your phone without actually pulling out your phone, except this time it’s for hitting your peeps with rapidly a rapidly composed “LOL” or “LOL, U R.” The generous keyboard looks incredibly typable, and while the entire unit borders on the size of some phones on the market, it means you can leave that bulky numeric keypad dumbphone or hard-to-use touchscreen smartphone in your pocket or bag and get some real communication done with the QWERTY Card. You can also view and store contact info, peep a clock, set an alarm and work you calendar from the device — the Bluetooth pairing means you can even remotely control your phone’s camera, though obviously much of this functionality depends on what phone you pair it with, LG phones are likely to get much better treatment.