Hands-on with LG KT610 and KC550

LG phones became a hit on the market, mainly because of their attractive and elegant looks. The manufacturer offers a variety of models and has been trying to satisfy almost all consumer audiences. Now, we present the LG KT610 and KC550, which are budget smartphone and cameraphone entries.

KT610 opens to the side and offers a full QWERTY keyboard, which makes it attractive for the people who like to write messages. Besides the keyboard, you’ll see the main 2.4” TFT display, surrounded by stereo speakers.


When it’s closed, on the front we find a small color display where the fast access menu is visualized. The navigational buttons and the numeric keypad are below it.


Thanks to the Symbian S60 OS, which makes it a smartphone, it offers many functions. It also sports 3G (HSDPA 3.6 Mbit/s) support and a built-in GPS for navigation. The only feature it lacks is WiFi, which gives you access to local wireless networks.

The second model, KC550, is a mid-level slider with a 5-megapixel camera, equipped with Schneider-KREUZNACH autofocus lens, placing it next to the high-end dedicated cameraphones. The flash is LED, instead of Xenon, but let’s not forget that this is a budget phone and it’s impossible to have all extras. The entire camera module is protected by a sliding lid, something that we don’t have in the top model Viewty.


Its design will not attract you, but the idea of such a low cost phone is to be functional and not stylish. The 2.4” QVGA TFT display is on the front, accompanied by the navigational buttons below it. Standard for a slider, once you open it, a numeric keypad is revealed.



The manufacturer claims that the phone has a fast processor as well, which will allow you to view your photos faster and to watch videos with DVD resolution (720x480), up to 30 fps. You will not only be able to watch, but to record clips with such resolution. In contrast to the Viewty, you won’t have DivX compression at your disposal. KC550 should have a built-in orientation sensor and games controllable using it. The review sample we have however, lacks any of those.

How do both low-cost models perform and what they can really offer you, we will reveal after their final versions com out.