By Sherwin Loh

Wow factor: Transparent keypad

LET US get this crystal clear, this phone is a design and technical marvel.

A slider unlike any other, the alphanumeric keypad is actually a touchpad, on which your finger acts as a mouse using gestures as shortcuts to weave in and out of programs and windows.

When slid open, the numbers illuminate light-blue on the tempered glass base - prompting LG to call this the world's first transparent phone - and there is no denying the beauty of the slim, 105mm-thin body.

You touch the clear material, framed by shiny metallic alloy, to trigger the keys.

The 3-inch touchpad responds to the new Gesture Command of LG's S-Class user interface.

Under this new and smoother interface, nine predesignated symbols can each be assigned to an application.

For example, draw the letter M on the touchpad to open the Mail folder, or the Music one, or to any application to which you assign the symbol.

While initially sceptical of the responsiveness of such an interface, I have to admit that the speed and accuracy of use won me over.

Even before my finger lifted from the touchpad, the corresponding application popped up promptly onscreen.

Packed with an 8-megapixel camera and Wi-Fi connectivity, the women will be instantly drawn to this device, though I reckon even the guys cannot escape its allure.

While LG says the clear material has been rigorously tested to resist impact, there are the niggling doubts as to what will really happen if it gets knocked about, or worse, if the phone is dropped on the floor.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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