LG Tribute 2 / Tribute Duo
Virgin Mobile Gives Customers More LTE Data
Virgin Mobile today updated its service plans with more 4G LTE data. The entry-level $35 plan bumps the monthly high-speed data bucket from 250MB to 1GB, the $45 plan improves from 1GB to 3GB, and the $55 plan improves from 3GB to 8GB. Virgin throttles data speeds down to 2G once the data bucket is exhausted in a single billing period, but customers can purchase more high-speed data for $5 per 1GB. Virgin also announced availability of the LG Tribute 2, a $100 Android smartphone. Boost Mobile, run by Virgin parent Sprint, has sold the Tribute 2 since July.
Sprint Spreads the LG Tribute 2 to Virgin and Sprint Prepaid
Sprint today announced the LG Tribute 2 is now available from Virgin Mobile and Sprint Prepaid. The Tribute 2 has LG's signature rear-placed buttons, 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, LTE, Bluetooth, and WiFi. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with LG's Knock Code, QuickMemo, and selfie camera tools. The screen measures 4.5 inches and offers 854 x 480 resolution. The Tribute 2 also includes a 5-megapixel main camera, VGA front camera, 1 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of ROM. Virgin Mobile is selling the phone as the LG Tribute 2, but Sprint Prepaid has rebranded it to the Tribute Duo. It costs $99. Sprint-owned Boost Mobile is already selling the Tribute 2.
Boost Mobile Scores LG Volt 2 and Tribute 2
Boost Mobile today announced the LG Volt 2 and LG Tribute 2, updates to two of last year's big sellers for the prepaid carrier. Both devices share several hardware features, such as LG's signature rear-placed buttons, 1.2 GHz quad-core processors, LTE, Bluetooth, and WiFi. They also boast similar software, such as Android 5.1 Lollipop with LG's Knock Code, QuickMemo, and selfie camera tools.
- Volt 2: The second-generation Volt (pictured) improves the screen from a 4.7-inch qHD display to a 5-inch 720p display. The main camera has an 8-megapixel sensor and the front camera has been improved from 1.3 megapixels to 5 megapixels. It has a 2,540mAh battery.
- Tribute 2: The less expensive of these two handsets keeps the screen at 4.5 inches, but improves resolution from 800 x 480 pixels to 854 x 480 pixels. The 5-megapixel main camera, VGA front camera, 1 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of ROM are carried over from last year's phone. It has a 1,900mAh battery.
LG's Mid-Range Phones On Sale, But US Launch Unknown
LG today said its new mid-range handsets, the Magna, Spirit, Leon, and Joy, are going on sale in South America. The phones will be made available across Latin America first, but will soon also reach Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and, eventually, North America. So far, none of the major U.S. network operators has voiced support for these phones. Until they do, the devices will only be sold overseas. The phones range from the 4-inch Joy to the 5-inch Magna.
Hands-On: LG Magna, Spirit, Leon, and Joy
LG used Mobile World Congress 2015 to kick off its new range of mid-tier devices. The Magna, Spirit, Leon, and Joy bring LG's high-end design aesthetic to affordable price points. They would do well for both pre-paid and post-paid carriers. Here are our first impressions.
LG Debuts Four Mid-Tier Devices
LG today announced four new smartphones that target the middle of the market. The devices will run Android 5.0 Lollipop with LG's user experience, and are named the Magna, Spirit, Leon, and Joy. Shared features include 1.2GHz quad-core processors with 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. The Magna and Spirit have LG's rear-positioned button array and a slight curve to them, which LG says helps the devices fit better in the hand. The Leon and Joy are normal slab-style handsets. The devices will be sold in a mix of 3G (HSPA+) and 4G (LTE) configurations. The LTE handsets will have metallic rear covers while the 3G ones will have plastic rear covers.
- Magna: The largest of the four handsets has a 5-inch HD display, 8-megapixel main camera, 5-megapixel user-facing camera, and 2,540mAh battery
- Spirit: The Spirit has a 4.7-inch HD display, 8-megapixel main camera, 1-megapixel user-facing camera, and 2,100mAh battery.
- Leon: The Leon has a 4.5-inch FWVGA display with an 8- or 5-megapixel main camera, a VGA user-facing camera, and a 1,900mAh battery.
- Joy: The smallest of the quartet has a 4-inch WVGA display, 5-megapixel main camera, VGA user-facing camera, and a 1,900mAh battery. Some variants may ship with an 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, and Android 4.4 rather than Android 5.0.
