LG GM750 review

LG's GM750 is an entry-level touchscreen smartphone, boasting a decent specification and both Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system and LG's S-Class interface.

Hardware buttons are limited, with most functions carried out via the 3-inch touchscreen display. There's also a small optical pad, which works well and lets you swipe a finger to navigate the interface.

The display itself is a resistive panel and is frustratingly unresponsive. It's bright and easy to see in most conditions, but it fails to stand out in any way.

The onscreen keyboard is infuriatingly inaccurate to use. Presses of the screen have to be particularly firm otherwise your touch won't register. As a result, it's very difficult to strike up a fast typing rhythm. We also found the text correction software was quite poor, compounding the issue.

The lack of a built-in stylus is noticeable when trying to click the icons at the very top, and it's particularly tricky for those with larger hands. The phone would also benefit hugely from having a Back button, as without it you'll find yourself repeatedly starting again from the home page.

S-Class

The S-Class interface brings with it several home pages and you can swipe a finger to move from one to the next. Pages include one with customisable widgets – letting you see items such as a calendar, clock and calculator, and the menus will be familiar to existing LG users.

The problem comes when you want to access Windows Mobile features, as the operating system is so well hidden it's difficult to access. While some users may prefer this, we found the handset was more confusing than a regular S-Class device and slower than most Windows Mobile smartphones.

One advantage the Windows OS brings is the inclusion of Office Mobile software. We wouldn't want to use it to create documents from scratch, due to the unresponsive display, but it's nice to be able to open and edit your files when on the move. It's also easier than ever to set up an email account, with support built in for webmail services such as Google Mail, along with more business-orientated clients such as Microsoft's Exchange.

Compact design

The handset itself features a neat and compact design and it's a lot easier to slip into a pocket than many other touchscreen rivals. The plastics are all study enough for daily use and the weight adds to the robust feel.

The 5-megapixel camera produces reasonable images but, as with most other features on this handset, it doesn't really stand out from the crowd. There's also a noticeable lag between pressing the shutter and your photograph being taken – often resulting in blurred photographs. Connectivity is top-notch though, with 3G/HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in.

Overall, with its unusual mix of operating systems, this handset isn't the success it could have been. The screen is simply too unresponsive – at least on our review sample – to use comfortably, and performing the simplest processes takes far longer than it should.

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