LG is really betting on 3D this year; from 3D TVs to the G-Slate to this handset, 3D is everywhere in their lineup. Not that I’m complaining; I think it’s cool, though I probably wouldn’t buy the first generation of 3D phones. The Optimus 3D, which we saw leaked many times before it finally got official last week, is available to be pawed at their booth, and it’s a real monster. It’s a bit heavy but feels sturdy and well-made. The specs are, of course, quite serious: dual-core 1GHz OMAP 4 processor, dual-channel RAM, dual 1080p cameras, and 4.3″ 800×480 screen with a parallax barrier to create the 3D effect. Check out our little hands-on gallery:
The 3D effect has a pretty narrow sweet spot; this is a factor of the parallax barrier tech, similar to the Nintendo 3DS. I felt the 3DS had a wider sweet spot and a more convincing 3D effect, but the conditions really weren’t very good in that crowded booth. It works, but a slight movement of your head (or a jolt on the bus or train) will ruin the illusion. The HDMI out will create a 3D image and can feed that directly from the camera or media library. It seemed to run well and the 3D effect was solid when viewed on the TV with glasses.
In the picture of the 3D menu interface (which was neat but seemed more a tech demo than anything convenient or useful) you can see the parallax barrier’s grill, but it’s not quite that visible in real life.
