The most anticipated device coming to AT&T (besides the 3G iPhone) is the LG Vu. This is considered by many to be a serious competitor to the iPhone with its touchscreen and AT&T Mobile TV service.

I have been given the opportunity to play around with the Vu now that they have officially arrived in stores, and for the most part I am impressed. I didn't get to play with it for too long, nor did I get to make calls. But I was able to watch the Mobile TV and play with other aspects.

Mobile TV - Smooth video/audio sync, fast loading when you choose a channel. Is it really live though? I ask because at 1 PM today I was viewing Tonight Show on NBC and Letterman on CBS. Also, the 3 PM show on ESPN was not Around the Horn as the normal daily schedule goes.

Touchscreen - haptic feedback (when you touch the screen you feel a vibration) is rather cool, but all-around is harder to press than iPhone. The edges of the screen were more difficult to press than the rest of the screen. This made maneuvering around Mobile TV hard, since the up/down channel buttons were near the edge. The glossy screen leaves fingerprints more easily than most typical touchscreens.

Keyboard - defaults to regular keypad but has option to use full QWERTY. This link to Gizmodo features pictures of the keyboard as well as the rest of the phone.

In general, I liked the feel and the look of the Vu. I loved the Mobile TV aspect. I wasn't entirely impressed with the touchscreen. The haptic feedback is a cool feature but it is more difficult to press the buttons than the iPhone. However, for $299 after 100 mail in rebate is not the best price point for me; if i'm going to spend $400 out the door for a new phone, I will buy an iPhone.


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Upcoming AT&T Phones