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Review: LG Vortex

Form Basics Extras Wrap-Up Comments 3

Music Camera Image Quality Browse / Customize Extras

Camera

The LG Vortex gets a very nice camera app, the same app I found on the LG Optimus T. There are plenty of onscreen controls, including a small selection of scene modes. It was easy to make some changes quickly, like switching from normal auto focus to macro focus, or face tracking mode. There's even a manual focus mode, which is a rarity on camera phones. Some features, like the panorama stitching, are hidden deeper in the settings menus, but the phone still packs plenty of options, even if some are buried.

Camera performace was on par with other Optimus phones. I wish this phone had a camera button. That would make auto focus faster and more useful with a two-stage button. But tapping the camera app icon on screen brought up the viewfinder quickly and I was ready to start shooting in about 3 seconds. That's fine, but a faster response would keep me from missing more shots.

Image Gallery

As an Android 2.2 phone, the LG Vortex gets the newest, 3D version of the image gallery, with its galleries that lean as you tilt the phone to the right or left. Your images are grouped in stacks by dates or organized in your own custom albums, and you can spread these stacks apart with two fingers to watch the images fly by for a slick preview. You can also see images as a basic thumbnail grid, or view them individually. There are plenty of sharing options, perhaps too many. You can send photos as picture messages or email attachments, or upload them to Picasa or your own favorite site, if there is a supported app available. You also get upload options from the Facebook by LG and Twitter by LG apps, in addition to separate options if you have the official versions of those social networking apps installed. The duplication can be confusing. You can also crop or rotate pics, but that is the extent of image editing on the Vortex.

Next page: Image Quality

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LG Vortex

3.2" display 320 x 480 pixels
S1 MSM7627 processor
1,500 mAh battery
Memory Card Slot, Headphone Jack (3.5mm)

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