LG keeps it simple with GD510 phone

Claiming that some consumers are "put off by the complexity" of more advanced smartphones, LG is sticking with simplicity for its GD510.

LG calls the GD510 "the most compact 3-inch full touch screen phone ever made," whatever that means. The company didn't qualify its statement with measurements, but pointed to the phone's 3-inch screen with a narrow 4.8 mm bezel. While plenty of phones already extend most of the way to the edges of the phone, this is fairly elegant for a low-end touch screen.

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lggd510

The phone plays music and movies and has a Web browser. For hardware, there's a 3-megapixel camera and an impressive 8 GB of internal memory, but no word on whether Wi-Fi or 3G support will be included. The inclusion of a solar-powered charger is a nice touch.

LG may be onto something by selling a phone that's intentionally less capable than, say, an iPhone or a Palm Pre. A similarly simple phone, the LG Cookie, has sold 7 million units since it launched in November 2008. The company says phones like the Cookie and the GD150 address a gap in the market left by higher-end products (including its own LG Chocolate line).

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Unfortunately, LG isn't ready to start talking price, which I think will be the real driver for this phone. Frankly, I don't buy LG's internal research that says customers are confused by the advanced features of high-end smartphones. It's just a matter of cost. But with both the iPhone 3G and the Palm Pre available for $99, wireless carriers will practically have to give the GD510 away with a service contract.

The LG GD510 will be released to Europe in mid-October, with other markets to follow. I'm guessing the price will be revealed along with wireless carriers.

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