LG's KU990 "Viewty" now available in Europe

You've waited oh-so-patiently for LG's Viewty to land, and you've even tried to subdue your anxiety by combing over a glowing review, so feel free to cut loose now that the KU990 is finally available. Yep, starting today users can snatch up the mobile in "major European countries" for a still unannounced price, but we're willing to bet you'll pony up for all the joy that touchscreen, five-megapixel camera, DivX support, TV out and HSDPA will bring. Unfortunately, LG fails to mention any specific carriers in its release, but we'd assume Vodafone (and potentially Orange in the not-too-distant future) will be picking it up in their respective regions.

UPDATE: A couple of folks in comments have mentioned that the Viewty is a go on O2.

[Phil Perman @ Oct 24th 2007 2:36PM]

O2 UK have it listed as free on £35+/mo tariffs and £20-130 for the cheaper tariffs (18 month ones that is)

http://shop.o2.co.uk/phone/LG/Viewty

[Jon @ Oct 24th 2007 2:50PM]

Unlike a certain phone, mobile phones here are usually available on multiple networks with simfree versions also legally sold. Any exclusives are usually for a couple of weeks or purely colour schemes.

Oh, and Three also has the Viewty on their website.

[Justin @ Oct 24th 2007 3:54PM]

I have a problem with commenters who comment just to see their comment on the page. Your comment offers no informative or discussion value. This post doesn't mention that other phone nor does it talk about how the handset is carrier neutral or anything that your post contains. It just serves as iPhone bait and it's just as unwelcome as iPhone zealotry.

We're well aware that the european market is like one big swing party. You're only stating the obvious.

[Scooter @ Oct 24th 2007 4:15PM]

what's your problem Justin? Get outta bed on the wrong side of the Atlantic? Got bitten by an Apple? Jon made a valid remark and offered some info. More than you managed.

[Reader @ Oct 24th 2007 6:31PM]

Justin, do you know what a hypocrite is? I actually learned something from his post. If you're going to comment on how he's not giving any useful info you could at least try to yourself (especially when he did).

[SuperFly @ Oct 24th 2007 2:56PM]

I checked out one of these at one of those dreadful 'fones 4 u' places on oxford street in London. I really thought that this would be a better alternative to the iphone with all the juicy specs etc. After I had fobbed the wide-boy salesman off with some suspect details he let me play with the thing for a while. Feels very cheap and flimsy in the hand and the response of the touch screen was poor. This combined with the laggy and not overly pretty interface completely turned me off this phone. I really, really wanted to love it too. The guy would have done me a deal on Vodafone, Orange and O2. You can get it on 3 too. I told him to shove it though!

[justin @ Oct 24th 2007 3:58PM]

LG has been a disappointment as of late. I hope you're wrong because at first glance, this does look interesting. Clunky hardware and bad UI sounds just like LG's usual business.

[James @ Oct 24th 2007 9:47PM]

Really? you told him to "shove it"? because you didnt like the phone? you as tough guy? huh?

[Ricky @ Oct 24th 2007 3:33PM]

Any chance this will see daylight in the states? I'm particularly interested in the Xvid support!!!

[Nick @ Oct 24th 2007 4:06PM]

The phone is available for FREE on 3UK on the £24 a month tariff - cheap!

[David @ Oct 24th 2007 4:22PM]

They're also available for £269.99 on Three PAYG. I had a look at one the other day but they're not that pretty - the touchscreen feels kinda flimsy. The camera quality is fantastic though!

[Nick @ Oct 24th 2007 4:24PM]

Ooh.. £269.99 is much cheaper than a £400+ contract... tempted....

[Michel @ Oct 24th 2007 4:28PM]

You can allready pre-order it at Vodafone in the Netherlands:
http://www.vodafone.nl/shop/prive/coming_soon/

[Wez @ Oct 24th 2007 8:14PM]

I got mine yesterday from 3. Overall I'm very happy. But...
The touchscreen is fine for text and number entry. The landscape keyboard entry method is surprisingly accurate with my fat fingers. Its a little clunky when scrolling or browsing web pages though. On some screens it'll scroll using gestures on others it seems to only accept scroll commands from the rocker wheel around the lens. This is a major design fault imho. There is no lens cover yet you're encouraged to put your oily digits near the lens all the time. The lack of lens cover worries me. I need a suitable case asap. The handwriting recognition is rubbish but I was never intending to use it like that anyway as there's no dock for the stylus. (They expect you to tie the stylus it to the wriststrap eyelet. Too girly for me) Picture quality looks good so far. The true test will come on a drunken night out in a dark pub/club corner. The file management screens can hang when you use a full memory card but not long enough for you to get too impatient with it.

Video looks great. There's a divX converter on the supplied CD. Converted a few eps of Heroes, and I was just as impressed when I first saw an iPod Touch video. (iPod Touch screen is a little nicer though)

My biggest gripe has to be the crappy LG PC suite. I had an LG phone 4 years ago or so when they first came out on 3. The software doesn't seem to have changed a bit. And they still haven't mastered bluetooth syncing, (Only USB seems to work, and only for contacts. It doesn't seem to like syncing calender / notes from outlook. Got a "Invalid object: String" error message. As an ex-programmer Im sure this is down to un-tested code getting through UAT.

Also my network (Three) weren't geared up for the release. Half the links (facebook, MSN messenger etc, dont work as they dont support the phone yet. There were only 2 games available to download. (Missing my chess already) Even LG hasn't launched a proper support site for the phone yet.

But apart from (all) that I am genuinely happy with it. This could be just new gadget syndrome which as we all know wears off within a week or by the release of the next must have gadget, but given that its an LG its better than Id hoped.

[Wez @ Oct 24th 2007 8:47PM]

PS.

Lads. If, like I was, you're looking for a 5MP cam phoneand are trying to decide between this and the SE K850i (I ignored the N95 due to the lack of a decent flash and its sooo last year, and I ignored the sammy G800 as I've waited 3 months to upgrade, another 2 weeks just seemed an eternity), THEN the follwing applies.

If you're not averse to carrying a man bag. You keep your ipod in an Ipod sock, or you've been known to moisturise, then the Viewty is for you.

If you read that last paragraph and thought what a big girls blouse then the K850i should be your choice. It's definetly more robust. It felt like it could survive a night out in your pocket competing for space with your keys and change without getting scratched to buggery, and I reckon it could survive a night on the pub table without you fretting too much about it.

Ladies, The U990s for you. It looks just like the Prada but with a curvy ass.

[carlo @ Oct 24th 2007 8:53PM]

http://shop.o2.co.uk/phone/LG/Viewty

up to 129.99 (pounds) = about 265 bucks u.s.

[James @ Oct 24th 2007 9:48PM]

02 are selling the Viewty

[Dem @ Oct 25th 2007 5:18AM]

I've had this phone since Saturday on 3. The 1st thing I did was remove the stylus as it was way too girly. It comes with a free screen protector, which is nice.
The interface is easy to use and can be changed with a couple of themes.
The 120fps vids are pretty impressive and the vid editing tools are handy. Speeding up the slow-mo vids creates some decent effects. The high quality vids are much better than the N95 or K850i. The picture editing tools are fun too. You can morph pics to make people smile or sulk, apply frames and the smartlight tool enhances dark pictures nicely.
The camera is great, if a little slow and the lense wheel is good for zooming but not the best idea going. You have to enable the anti-shake function too, which can be a little bothersome every time. The flash is good but not as good as the K850 so pics in darkness aren;t the best, but they can be brightened on the phone with Smartlight.
Also, with a decent sized screen, the ability to play DivX is a god-send, especially with A2DP support.
I found typing a text easy, even with big hands and the feedback vibration makes the whole process of using the phone a little easier.
As said above the gestures take a bit of getting used to, but after a day or 2 you pretty much know when you need to drag and when you need to use the scroll wheel.
The browser is excellent, with the ability to zoom out of long pages making flicking through engadget easy peasy.
One of the major let downs for me are the games. Unless the game is specifically designed for the phone you can forget it. You get a simple cursor pad and some soft keys, no good for games that require a numerical keypad but that's no great loss.
Overall I am impressed by the phone. LG have included lots of little things that add well to the whole. The converter tool, Muvee studio, FM radio etc are all nice additions to a consumer friendly mobile.
It's not the highest-tech phone going granted. But if you want a nice phone with a good camera and features that pretty much urinate on the rest of the current generation of mobiles this is it. I've used the N95 and the K850 and, unless you really need GPS, WiFi or a phone that can take some hammer (the 850 is much sturdier than the 990) I's still go with the viewty.

[Geoff @ Oct 29th 2007 12:17PM]

Hey Dem,

Is the phone as laggy as everyone complains? or is it just that they are expecting too much of the phone based on its looks and higher end specs? I've had many phones mostly nokias and i have yet to see one move extremely fast, even my N95 took pretty long to load/start programs, i think that people are expecting immediate feedback because they are touching the screen, would you say thats about right? or am i way off?

[Dem @ Oct 30th 2007 7:24PM]

Hi Geoff
The Phone can be laggy at times, especially when you have a lot of texts or pictures etc. but it's no worse than most of the other phones I've had. It can be a little slow when you're trying to scroll but it's not unbearable and doesn't bother me at all now.
If you like the look and features of the phone I'm sure the lag wouldn't bother you, I think you may be right with people expecting too much.
Best of luck

[gb @ Oct 25th 2007 8:19AM]

t-mobile germany has it listed in their coming soon phones, so maybe austria and even croatia are next too

[Aka.Cap @ Oct 25th 2007 9:13PM]

I can't seem to find this phone listed for sell on three PAYG webpage.
anyone got a link?

Thanks

[cablefun @ Oct 26th 2007 1:29PM]

i work for three and we are doing it on pay monthly from £27/pm or on PAYG as an iphone KILLER at £269.99. check out your local store, as in my shop at least we have sold out with 3 going to the staff!

[vee @ Oct 30th 2007 8:08PM]

Hey wez, thanku so much for that amazing review! i cant wait to get my viewty now!! apart for one major issue...I asked someone who works for 3 and the viewty isnt compatible with Windows Live....will this always be the case cos i was REALLY looking forward to that. anyone got an answer? xxx

[Adam @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:19AM]

Hey Vee, i picked up my viewty yesterday in 3 store on PAYG, the guy said most services arent working yet as the phones quite new, he had to wait about a month for his phone (Not the LG) to get the features added. So yeah, the Viewty will have MSN, Facebook etc etc sometime in the not-so-distant future.

[Smush @ Nov 30th 2007 8:02PM]

Got my viewty from phones4u on Monday as a £45 cash back deal they put me on a £30 a month tarrif and they give me £5 a month for 9 months so im only paying £25 and after the 9 months i can change the tarrif doen to £25 if i wanted to and the phone was free on Vodafone. I went in 3 and the sales person tried to talk me out of buying it and buy that crappy SE walkman with shake feature wtf if they get commission why talk me out of it >.> But overall yeh great phone not used it yet as I am yet to use up the credit on my Nokia N73 ^_^ bought insurance from CUSC today.

Having trouble with the PC Suite though I installed everything on the disk and connected USB cable up but the suite says connection failed :S any ideas?

Also it came with Google maps on it is this free? like does it use the internet because I dont know if vodafone charge you for the conenction?