The LG Optimus F3 smartphone was first announced back in June, and like the rest of the F-series, promised low-budget access to 4G. Five months later, the device has hit Australian shores, and will be available via Telstra for $249.
From a strictly technical perspective, the Optimus F3’s specifications are as expected at this price point (which is not necessarily a bad thing, as the $199 Kogan Agora HD proved). Inside the smartphone is a dual-core, 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, accompanied by 1GB of RAM. LG has only included 4GB of internal storage, although a microSD card slot allows expansion up to 32GB.
The Optimus F3 ships with Google’s Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean platform, packed with a series of LG’s own software. This includes QSlide 2.0, which allows users to run up to two application windows on top of an existing open application, and overlay one on top of the other for multitasking; both size and transparency can be adjusted, too.
There is also a Beauty Shot mode that promises to enhance images, and Time Catch Shot which buffers photos in camera mode to allow users to scan up to two seconds of capture and select the best image. A QuickMemo feature enables the addition of commentary to pictures or screenshots.
The budget smartphone delivers content through a 4in WVGA IPS screen. The resolution is a low 480x800 pixels, marking a density of 233ppi.
Other features include a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera capable of recording video in full HD 1080p. The front facing camera is a typical 0.3-megapixel VGA one for video calls.
LG claims the 2460mAh battery inside the smartphone will keep it going for up to 16 hours, with the average life listed as 12 hours.
The LG Optimus F3 is available through Telstra stores and Telstra dealer channels, including Leading Edge and FoneZone, from November.
