Life is indeed good for LG… their LG Optimus cell phone series are extremely popular.  In fact, they recently boasted the sale of over one million LG Optimus LTE  worldwide since the device first launched last year.

The Optimus LTE made its international debut in LG’s native South Korea last October, before its December invasion of Japan and North America – where it is sold under the brand name of Spectrum at Verizon (where it is available for $199 on contract) and the Nitro HD at AT&T, while Canadians recognize it as the Bell Optimus Eye.

Leaving your valuable LG mobile devices unprotected is risky!  Discover the latest innovative protection solutions… stylish top brand bags, sleeves and cases specifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes.  Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside these brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression

In short the Optimus LTE delivers the ultimate HD multimedia environment through a 4.5 inch 1280 x 720 (16:9 ratio) True HD IPS display with lightening fast LTE connectivity.  The True HD IS display features an incredible 2.76 million sub-pixels as well as superior color accuracy, clarity, natural color and battery efficiency

The following video provides an excellent review on the LG Optimus LE

‘With brisk sales for a high-end smartphone the Optimus LTE reaffirms LG’s leadership in mobile LTE technology,” said Dr. Jon-seok Park, president and CEOof LG Mobile Communications Company.  “The combination of LTE connectivity coupled with LG’s True HD IPS display has resonated with the public regarding the potential of LTE technology.”

LG also confirms that consumers can enhance their mobility and turn LG devices into a power tool wither select accessories such as; stylus & pens, micro SD memory cards, batteries, docking stations, Bluetooth headsets, data cables and glider gloves all specifically designed to make LG devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

The world’s greatest tech show – CES 2012 – kicked off on Monday, January 9th… and will run until Friday January 13th.

With more than four decades of success, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) reaches across global markets, connects the industry and enables CE innovations to grow and thrive. The show is produced by Consumer electronic Association, the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer technology industry. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of consumer electronics products. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.

This year’s show is held at the Hilton Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas and will cover more than 1.8 million square feet which is equivalent to 35 American football fields with over 2700 exhibitors and close to 200,000 attendees from across the globe.

Most of the leading smartphone and wireless mobile device (such as tablets) manufacturers and vendors will be unveiling their latest product and technology. In the same breath, these manufacturers will be showcasing their latest in innovative protection solutions… … stylish top brand bags, sleeves and cases specifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes. Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside these brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression.

The following capture the most important CES smartphone and wireless mobile device news and product video overview:

	LTE-packing Nokia Lumia 900 is finally official, exclusive to AT&T HTC Titan II vs. Nokia Lumia 900 vs. Samsung Focus S – the ultimate WP showdown [TABLE]  Nokia Lumia 900 – specs • hands-on
	New Samsung Series 9 ultrabook comes in 13.3″ and 15″ versions, the small one weighs just 1.16kg Samsung and AT&T unveil Note, Skyrocket HD and Exhilarate Android-powered webcam-like device, the Samsung inTouch, adds Smart TV magic to your boring HDTV Sprint unveils Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE Verizon debuts Galaxy Tab LTE   Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE- specs • hands-on • second hands-on AT&T Galaxy Note LTE – specs • hands-on • second hands-on Samsung Skyrocket HD – specs Samsung Exhilarate – specs Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE – specs
	Sony Ericsson LiveView successor spotted at CES, announcement seems imminent The Sony Xperia ion coming to AT&T in Q2 2012 Sony announces Xperia S with a 12MP camera and HD screen  Sony Xperia ion – specs • hands-on Sony Xperia S – specs • hands-on
	LG brings a ton of new HDTV stuff to CES, 3D is everywhere, and there’s a motion-controlled remote with voice input LG Spectrum goes official, joins the Verizon LTE gang on Jan 19 Sprint unveils LG Viper  LG Viper- specs LG Spectrum – specs • hands-on
	HTC Titan II vs. Nokia Lumia 900 vs. Samsung Focus S – the ultimate WP showdown [TABLE] LTE HTC Titan II with 16 MP camera revealed, heads for AT&T HTC Titan II - specs • hands-on • camera samples
	Acer announces Aspire S5 and Aspire Timeline Ultra Ultrabooks, claims the former to be the world’s thinnest Acer showcases the new Iconia Tab A700, comes with a quad-core processor and a full HD display
	Verizon announces several Droid RAZRs  Motorola RAZR MAXX – specs • hands-on Motorola Droid 4 - specs • hands-on
	Lenovo continues CES invasion with IdeaCentre B-series all-in-ones and refreshed desktops Lenovo announces IdeaPad S200 and IdeaPad S206 netbooks, will launch in June Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and U410 new Ultrabook laptops get under the spotlight Lenovo unveils Ideapad S2, the S2 smartphone and K91 TV
	Huawei Ascend P1 and Ascend P1 S droid beasts announced  Huawei Ascend P1 – specs • hands-on Huawei Ascend P1 S – specs • hands-on
Misc	Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update starts rolling out for the ASUS Transformer Prime ASUS and NVidia CEOs show a 7-inch Tegra 3-powered tablet with ICS for $249 Gigabyte keeps Atom dream alive with Cedar Trail powered T1006M convertibe netbook and tablet, Windows 7 on board In case of emergency: The new SpareOne mobile phone promises to hold its charge for up to 15 years Fujitsu showcases quad-core Tegra 3 smartphone at CES Parrot shows AR.Drone 2.0 at CES – now with 720p video recording, easy sharing and sturdier hardware OCZ Lightfoot SSD boasts Thunderbolt connectivity, speeds beyond belief Canon PowerShot G1 X is a 14MP compact with a DSLR-sized 4:3 image sensor • Canon G1 X hands-on Fujifilm announced rangefinder-style, mirrorless X-Pro1 camera, to cost $1,700 at launch SanDisk unveils the world’s fastest SDXC card, promises write speeds of up to 45MB/sToshiba showcase three mysterious tablets at CES and tell us nothing about them Razer reveals Project Fiona, a tablet with controllers attached to it running on a Core i7 and Windows 8

Many thanks to GSM Arena for the above references and links.

Every brand and company has its shtick, its M.O., its press friendly sound bytes. Google is no different when espousing the virtues of its Google Android operating system at each event they are able to use a soapbox and spread their smartphone evangelism. The main gospel is the Android culture of openness and the lack of limitations is to the benefit of the consumer.

This is great PR spin. And this writer truly loves a good euphemism laced with truth. So, while Android is more open that its competitors, it is comparative. When held up to open-source software like Linux, it is actually quite closed. Hence, a Hollywoodesque Benniffer moniker is bound to catch: Clopen.

At the moment, Google makes the Android OS source code available to companies and individuals to customize to their liking. Very open and transparent, non? Flip side of this coin is the Google mobile suite: Gmail, Android Market, Google Maps, and the long list of “Google” stamped functions. These are closed sourced. The double talk is confusing for customers. Especially when end users purchase a no-Market Android device. Not good PR.

Throw in the custom skins and fragmentations used by the varied carriers and manufacturers and there is a varying standard of quality for the smartphones bearing the Android and Google names. This is damaging to a brand. In fact, Marketing Land’s Danny Sullivan wrote that these quality control discrepancies are resulting in customers with outdated devices in their hands. This particular quirk can be addressed with accessories (protective cases, upgraded screen skins etc), but what is under the hood is harder to resolve.

Case in point: the latest Android OS release, Ice Cream Sandwich. Various manufacturers have hedged and speculated about when the update would be available and on what phones and what carriers (at least with an unlocked phone, the customer will have more say in to get the latest Android OS). As of right now, only one physical device has the update on it. The flagship Android phone, Galaxy Nexus. Newer devices like the DROID RAZR, DROID Bionic, and the Rezound should see the update later in 2012, but there are many others like the LG Revolution (launched only 7 months ago) that will never get the ICS upgrade treatment because of the carrier (please see above note about unlocked phones!).

Luckily for customers, the Open Handset Alliance which encompasses major US players (LG, HTC, Motorola, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T to name a few) which has pledged with Google to bring an end to fragmentation and bring the latest Android OS to devices if the smartphone release is 18 months old or younger.

Telus? Rogers? Foreign words to most Americans. Unavoidable brands for Canadians.

While the mobile carrier options are different, the mobile device brands, their popularity, and availability are very comparable between the US and Canada. And – consumers in both countries are better server in choosing a carrier and subscription plan with the freedom of an unlocked device.

So what are the trends and popularity for this year? Two words: Samsung and Android. According the research group ComScore, Android is chipping away at the market share previously held by the beleaguered RIM’s BlackBerry OS… In a short three month period Android captured an additional 4.4% of the market as RIM dropped 4.5%.

The gaining momentum and recent successes may be in part thanks to the popularity of Samsung’s smart phones (accounting for over a quarter of the mobile devices in the US market).  This is no paltry amount of handsets based on the newest census of users indicating a whopping 234 million Americans use cell phones. That number is only going up as cables and other neat accessories help optimize great camera features, user-friendly screens for increased typing, and the whole gambit of functionality that make us multi-tasking masters.

But what are they really being used for these days? This youthful writer hazards a guess based on personal usage: most everything but talking.  And the increase in mobile device accessories, headphones, applications, and everything in between highlights this shift in user behaviors.  We use them as the pocket PCs that they are to browse Facebook (and update statuses), indulge in online shopping (after using the bank app to check account balances), fill the social calendar via texting, stream music from Pandora while running, or keeping fidgety fingers occupied while waiting in line with a quick game of Solitaire.

As the ComScore report indicates time and again, the collective giant of consumerization is driving trends and commerce that the carriers and handset manufacturers cannot ignore.

While it is unknown if this device will ever see a US release it is certain that this device would be able to compete with the other big players in the Android market space.  With comparable features the LU2300 would have no problem attracting buyers in the US market.  I highly doubt that many consumers would have a problem with another fantastic smartphone hitting the market from which they could choose.

It is a shame that this device is not currently being offered in the US.  From the sounds of it this phone appears to be a powerful Android device and has many of the characteristics that unlocked mobile device consumers are looking for.  Personally I would like to get my hands on one of these phones to test out the various functions along with the full QWERTY keyboard while checking out that impressive 1GHz processor that this device boasts.  Only time will tell if those of us in the US market will get to see this device up close and in person.

 Specs wish the LG Remarq is not all that remarkable.  The phone is set to come with a sliding QWERTY keypad, 1.3 megapixel camera and QCGA display.  While these are rather pedestrian specs it is the way the phone makes you feel good about yourself for doing your part for the environment that sets it apart from other mobile devices.  The LG Remarq is set to hit store shelves on May 9^th for $0 on a two year contract and rebates.  So if you are looking to save some money and save the earth at the same time then I would suggest picking up an LG Remarq this May.  Mother Earth will surely thank you for sacrificing a little bit of cell phone to help save the environment, just like the Sony Ericsson Aspen.

LG has manufactured this new micro mobile phone in a response to the many comments that they have received from users.  Many people have been asking for a slim compact phone that would be easier for them to carry.  They have also asked that this type of smaller phone be a little bit more reasonably priced and affordable.  LG has answered these comments by providing the new LG mini with its thin and elegant styling.

The LG mini sports a 3.2 inch screen, which covers just about the entire firm phone.  For an extra design flare, they have included some metal trim around the edges.  The LG mini has a five megapixel camera, which I am not sure how they actually fit into such small phone.  It allows you to experience the fast Web surfing and you will most certainly be able to keep in contact with all of your friends through Facebook, Twitter and any of the other social networks.

It comes with all the great audio features such as an MP3 player and FM radio.  You also be able to experience video playback and voice record.  The LG mini has the micro USB port and utilizes stereo Bluetooth 2.1.  As far as user applications are concerned, it has all of the useful tools such as your calendar, alarm clock, lists, notepad and has a speaker phone.  It does have the micro ST slot and has 100mb memory.

For those looking for a small compact phone, the LG mini should be able to deliver the functionality and styling that you may need.  This phone should be available to retailers and users by the end of March 2010.  LG has stated that this phone is in response to the numerous comments and that they would sure that it is priced so that many people will be able to afford it.  We may only see it in the European market.  However, you can always purchase this LG unlocked phone as soon as it arrives here at Pure Mobile.

Let’s talk about why you need one.  This is a fantastic way of not having to carry a phone in your pocket while you are on your morning run.  I would personally use it the next time I go hiking.  I would not have to worry about where to keep my everyday mobile phone and I can have quick access without having to fumble around in my backpack.  If I really told the truth, I think it is just down right cool, and I could be just like James Bond!

Okay, now that I have convinced myself to get one, I need to make sure it is functional.  This LG GD910 unlocked cell phone has everything included to make it the perfect watch phone.  It is made from tempered glass, so it is great for outdoor use.  It has a stylish silver metal casing and is very thin.  It is a touch watch phone that has 7.2 Mbps 3G HSDPA compatibility.  You will be able to send and receive with this high speed data rate.  It has a built in camera and can perform video calls.  The screen is small, as it should be since it is also a fully functional watch.  It is more than able to send and receive text messages and phone calls are just as simple.

This phone has the large address book and other organizing features.  It has voice recognition and can be used with Bluetooth.  It also has the text to speech for your messages.  It includes a built in speaker for music and has stereo Bluetooth.  Now that I know it has everything I am looking for in a phone, I need to sit back and wait until it arrives here at Pure Mobile.

What is known is that the phone will be 21:9 aspect ratio for display.  This means it will be even wider then a wide screen which is 16:9 and it will have a tempered glass screen making it screen resistant.  Other features include:

• Multi-touch input
• Active Flash UI
• Virtual QWERTY keyboard
• HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
• Wi-Fi
• A-GPS

Unfortunately there was a promo video that was leaked but it has been removed from YouTube since then.  LG will likely announce the complete specs for the Chocolate BL40 in the coming months for now we just have this image to tease you with

Among all the new features the phone will now be a quad band phone which was a major complaint of the previous one.  It will have 3G but at this time it will only be for European use, which is a downside.  One of the biggest changes will be the full QWERTY keyboard.  The KF900 Prada II will retain it’s touch screen but now it will have a slide out keyboard for those who don’t want to type everything on the touch screen.

Other features are the, now almost standard, WiFi and Mp3 player, document viewer and it even plays DivX/Mp4 video files.  On top of all this it even comes with stereo bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP and a microSD slot that supports up to 8GB cards..

Now the phone hasn’t been released yet and there haven’t been many reviews or hands on experiences with it either, but as soon as we at puremobile.com get our hands on one we will have a full review.