The news is unlikely to be either welcome or a surprise to most Optimus 2X owners, who are still waiting for an official Android 2.3 Gingerbread update. T-Mobile USA announced back in April that Gingerbread was in the pipeline, but since then all has been quiet aside from the increasingly loud complaints from users themselves Correction: The G2x update did get pushed out by T-Mobile USA, though the 2X remains on Froyo.

Ironically, one of LG’s loudest boasts at the Optimus 2X’s launch was that the handset was “proof of LG’s commitment to high-end smartphones in 2011,” something which now seems more than hollow. Back in May, a leaked T-Mobile USA document revealed numerous ongoing complaints experienced by multiple owners.

[via Google+]

This device is said to carry the world’s first AH-IPS LCD display on it’s monstrous 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 pixel resolution screen, and according to our source here today, it carries one of the biggest smartphone batteries on the market at 1830 mAh. That’s as big as the Galaxy S II, USA version or otherwise! Also according to the source we’re looking at today, this device will be launched as the LG Optimus LTE in Korea on the U+ carrier, and is still just to be classified as the model number LG LU6200 for a worldwide release until a more crafty name can be nailed down.

What we’re seeing here also around it’s lovely 8-megapixel camera is a rather unique back panel covering its battery and microSD card slot. It’s got a sort of checker square grid with several different tones. LG has what your humble narrator notes is one of my favorite smartphone builds of all time. Curved Gorilla Glass forever! Thusly this case (even though the display appears to be totally flat) gives one great confidence for the future of LG. Can’t wait to see this one in person!

BONUS: this device will be the first to host the game Street Fighter IV for a period of three months EXCLUSIVELY. That’s a pretty big deal if you’re a Street Fighter fanatic, a pretty big deal indeed.

[via daum (Korea)]

The deal offers all T-Mobile handsets for free with a qualifying 2-year contract. This includes the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, Samsung Gravity Smart, T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, and T-Mobile G2X. RadioShack is aiming to clear out all these handsets by September 14, so that its new partnership with Verizon would kick off the very next day.

The RadioShack and T-Mobile exclusive partnership went south after the carrier’s smartphones didn’t perform competitively, causing RadioShack a major slump in sales. Getting dropped by RadioShack, which has over 4,300 store nationwide, could hurt T-Mobile enough to make a stronger case for the merger with AT&T.

AT&T announced its plans to acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion back in March and has since been in the process of getting FCC approval. It faced a major road block yesterday with an antitrust filing by the US DOJ seeking to block the merger.

[via AndroidGuys]

The T-Mobile G2x has since day one been plagued with problems such as random reboots, light leakage, and other quality issues. T-Mobile has admitted that a “small percentage” of customers had certain complaints or in their words had “commented about possible improvements.” The carrier even said that they’ve been working with LG to deliver a software update to nix the problems.

Today, images of an internal training memo has cropped up that covers several of the most common problems. Although a majority of the issues are still pending resolution, it does show that T-Mobile is at least taking the situation more seriously. The G2x is certainly one of T-Mobile’s top sellers right now and we also gave it a positive review. Once T-Mobile and LG figure out a fix for some of the quirky problems, the phone will be close to perfect, well except for the new price hike.

[via TMoNews]

TMoNews just got their hands on a screenshot of an internal memo that clearly marks the G2x for a price increase starting tomorrow, May 27th. According to the memo, the T-Mobile G2x has been so popular since its launch last month that high demand has resulted in inventory constraints. The carrier is currently working with LG to up the supply, but in the meantime must raise the price.

They are perhaps taking a page from the recently launched Verizon DROID Charge by bumping up the G2x now to $299 with a new two-year agreement. Throw in a mail-in rebate and the G2x becomes yours for $249. The memo mentioned very little about the quality issues, with only a note that a “small percentage” of customers have complained about some issues, which an upcoming update should resolve. We still think quite positively of the phone, check out our full review of the G2x.

[via TMoNews]

T-Mobile tweeted early this morning explaining that they pulled the G2x from their website due to a shortage on inventory. Their statement reads, “The T-Mobile G2x has been very popular and high demand has resulted in inventory constraints, which we are working to address. We are working with LG to address inventory constraints and expect to return to normal levels in the coming weeks.”

However, another T-Mobile spokesperson admitted that “a small percentage of customers have commented about possible improvements” to the G2x. The rep also confirmed that T-Mobile is working with LG to deliver a firmware update to the G2x that should offer “some performance enhancements.” This update may fix the random rebooting problem and hopefully arrive with the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update slated for this summer.

Once again, if you haven’t already, you can find out more about the T-Mobile G2x from our full review.

[via Phonedog]

The G2x has been plagued with issues including random reboots, light leaks, and other quality control issues since its release. Some initially thought the G2x simply had firmware issues, but the recent disappearance could suggest much more serious hardware issues.

T-Mobile is also set to have a midnight sale today, but tweeted late last evening that the devices to be offered for the sale will now be the G2 and the Sidekick 4G, instead of the G2x. This is an interesting development, and we’ll keep you posted on whether T-Mobile confirms any issues for the G2x. In the meantime, you can take a look at our review of the G2x.

[via TmoNews]

We were right with that hope. A tweet from T-Mobile was posted up in response to a user mentioning that he liked the G2X, but missed some things about Gingerbread. The response from T-Mobile USA was that gingerbread was coming soon and the user wouldn’t have to wait long. That’s hardly a confirmed date and soon is vague, but hopefully T-Mobile really means soon. Other than the smartphone not using the most current version of the OS, we also noted a few issues.

Android Community reported over the weekend that some users of the G2X were having random reboots and LCD screen bleeding issues. If you are on the T-Mobile network and want, a new smartphone the G2x is $199.99 and it runs the Tegra 2 processor. It has an 8MP camera and a 1080p HDMI output along with lots more.

[Android Community]

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Hardware

Long and lean is a good way to describe the G2x. Like its European LG Optimus 2X counterpart, it measures in at 4.88 x 2.48 x 0.43 inches and 5oz, fronted with a 4-inch WVGA TFT LCD touchscreen. The entire fascia is flush-fitting Gorilla Glass, though it does have a somewhat oversized capacitive button area at the bottom – with the usual menu, home, back and search keys – which could do with being smaller. Above the display is a 1.3-megapixel front camera while an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and an LED flash are on the back.

While at first glance the battery cover looks like, as with the T-Mobile G-Slate by LG, there’s a flip-out kickstand, in actual fact the silver strip is merely decorative. It leads up to a protruding camera bump and bears the “with Google” legend that lets you know LG and T-Mobile have held off from tampering with the OS. Around the edges there are volume keys, a microUSB port and twin speaker grilles on the bottom, and a headphone jack and power/standby button on the top. You also get a micro HDMI port for hooking the G2x up to a TV and playing back the 1080p Full HD video Tegra 2 is capable of churning through.

Inside there’s quadband GSM and quadband HSPA+ 4G, along with WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and GPS.

512MB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage are joined by a microSD card slot under the battery cover (though not under the battery itself). The usual arrays of sensors – accelerometer, ambient light, gyroscope, digital compass and proximity – are included.

Build construction is solid, though the G2x feels overly long in the hand. Audio quality is high from the dual speakers, while the touchscreen responds swiftly and the capacitive buttons don’t require the occasional double-taps we’ve experienced on some Android devices. We can’t help but miss the ATRIX 4G’s qHD resolution display, however, with its extra pixels.

Software and Performance

As we mentioned before, LG and T-Mobile have left the software alone, and put Android 2.2 Froyo in its untampered state on the handset. The lack of modification is something we invariably welcome, as it generally means faster updates later in the handset’s lifecycle, but not launching the G2x with the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread is a blip on LG’s spec sheet. A Gingerbread upgrade is tipped for later on in Q2 2011, though no definitive timescale has been confirmed.

What you do get are some preloaded apps, including a demo of N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD and a full copy of Need for Speed SHIFT. There’s also NVIDIA Tegra Zone, for highlighting the latest and greatest software designed to run best with the 1GHz dual-core chip, T-Mobile TV (which, as on the G-Slate, won’t output via the HDMI port), the Zinio magazine app and Qik for two-way video calls. Considering Google is yet to release its own video-calling app for smartphones, that’s a sensible inclusion.

Performance from the Tegra 2 processor varies depending on which benchmarking tool you attempt to measure it with, particularly because many of them are yet to be updated to properly handle dual-core CPUs. Quadrant scored almost 2670, while Linpack spat out a result of 36.576 MFLOPS in 2.20s.

Real-world, and the T-Mobile G2x handled just about everything we asked of it. 1080p HD video played back on an external display was smooth and artifact-free, while games were responsive and showed no lag or glitches. The OS as a whole flicks past with no pauses or hiccups whatsoever.

Camera

As you might expect, the front-facing camera on the G2x is really only fit for video calls and, if pressed, the occasional vanity shot. Video and stills are blurry and demand plenty of light if they’re to be halfway useful. Happily the main camera is altogether more successful, with still shots showing accurate colors and exposure, if a tendency to over-processing to handle noise in lower light situations. The LED flash tries hard and is one of the better examples we’ve seen, though it still suffers from the usual range issues. Unfortunately there’s no dedicated camera button, which given the G2x’s imaging abilities seems an oversight.

Video, meanwhile, can be recorded in up to 1080p Full HD resolution, still a relative rarity on smartphones. At 24fps it’s reasonably smooth but does show a tendency to over-react to lighting changes, which can mean your clip suddenly plunges into darkness as you pan. Faster movements can lead to choppiness, too. If you don’t mind sacrificing some pixels in the name of slicker clips, the 720p HD mode offers a more balanced outcome.

Phone and Battery

T-Mobile brands the G2x as a 4G device, since it can use the carrier’s growing HSPA+ network. Unfortunately we experienced multiple issues with how the G2x handles 2G, 3G and 4G network transitions. These ranged from a general reluctance to shift from 2G to 3G/4G, to dropping calls when moving out of 4G coverage into 2G.

When the G2x finally decided what network it wanted to cling to, data speeds were fair but not outstanding, though obviously that will depend on what 3G or 4G coverage users have where they work and live.

Battery life, meanwhile, is more impressive. The G2x proved capable of making it through a full day of use – with push email turned on, some browsing, messaging and video playback – on a single charge. Like all modern smartphones you’ll be recharging nightly, but the G2x looks at least to bypass the mid-afternoon top-up some handsets demand.

Price and Value

At $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement, T-Mobile has priced the G2x much like any other high-end device. It goes up against the HTC-made G2 – which has a single-core processor and smaller screen, but a physical keyboard, and the Windows Phone based HTC HD7, which has a bigger display but a mediocre camera. It’s also a little more expensive than the $180 Samsung Galaxy S 4G (review), which has arguably a better display but falls short when it comes to camera and processor.

Round the corner, though, is the HTC Sensation 4G, with its dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor and 4.3-inch qHD display. That will run Gingerbread out of the box and has HTC’s compellingly complete Sense interface.

Wrap-Up

It’s not hard to see that the T-Mobile G2x is the best Android device in the carrier’s current line-up. No, it may not run Gingerbread (yet), but its unmodified OS means future updates shouldn’t be delayed by unnecessary manufacturer or carrier modifications. The 8-megapixel camera and 1080p HDMI output are both useful and usable, while the design is inoffensively slick.

It’s the Tegra 2 processor that’s the star of the show here, though, making the G2x a suitably future-proofed handset for the increasing demands of subsequent Android updates. Where the G2x may falter is when the T-Mobile Sensation 4G arrives later in the year, with a bigger, better display and faster CPU. Still, with no solid release date for the Sensation 4G in sight, and the LG available on the market today, those in search of a capable Android smartphone could do a lot worse than the T-Mobile G2x.

T-Mobile G2x Hands-on

It’s not a small device, accommodating a 4-inch touchscreen running at WVGA resolution, and the 8-megapixel camera section at the back bulges out to spoil the lines. A silver strip runs up the battery cover to the lens but, contrary to what you’d expect, doesn’t flip out to act as a stand.

Still, the blunt edges leave plenty of room for ports, and unlike on the Galaxy S II, LG has managed to squeeze in separate microUSB and mini HDMI connections. That means you can simultaneously charge the G2x and output Full HD 1080p video. Alternatively it’s tailor made for gaming, and T-Mobile preloads Need for Speed Shift H and a demo version of N.O.V.A., along with the video-on-demand T-Mobile TV app, Zinio and Qik. As a Tegra 2 based device there’s also support for the NVIDIA Tegra Zone app, which flags up news and reviews of content suited just for the 1GHz chipset.

The question will be whether the G2x’s WVGA display can keep up with the qHD panel on the new HTC Sensation, which is also headed to T-Mobile USA as the HTC Sensation 4G. That will offer both a 4-inch screen size and a faster 1.2GHz dual-core processor, as well as the extra pixel density and HTC’s arguably more polished Sense experience. Still, Sense will likely get in the way of timely software updates, though given the Sensation 4G will arrive with Gingerbread already in place, and the G2x isn’t expected to get the Android 2.3.3 update until around June, the pure “Google Experience” might not be entirely a clear win for LG.

We’ll be answering that question – and all the rest – when we put the T-Mobile G2x through its paces in the full SlashGear review. Until then, enjoy the hands-on gallery and demo video!

Sample 1080 video recorded with T-Mobile G2x

Unboxing T-Mobile G2x

BONUS: 3D Hands-On!

This device is T-Mobile’s LG debut of a dual-core experience on Android. Inside you’re going to find a fabulous NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core processor and a smooth, Vanilla flavoring of Android 2.2 Froyo. You’ll be able to use Adobe FlashPlayer, a slew of high-powered games available via NVIDIA’s Tegra Zone, and video chat! There’s a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front, and an 8 megapixel camera on the back for all your media collection needs.

Then when you feel like showing off, or if you’d just like a bigger screen for games, you can connect this device via its HDMI output (cord not included.) This device weighs and unbelievably small 5 ounces and has a stripped-down feel in its hardware components. Its dimensions are 4.88″ x 2.48″ x .43″, its display is 4.0″ at 480 x 800 pixels, and its bright as heck with WVGA TFT going on in the face. Basically fabulous.

The photo you see above is from Android Community, who will also be rolling through this device all day long. All day!

There’s the usual mandatory voice and data plans as we’re seeing on all smartphones, too. Specs include a 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen, 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.3-megapixel front camera and “4G” HSPA+ connectivity, along with WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth and a microSD card slot.

Since LG has used NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 chipset, the G2x will get access to the NVIDIA Tegra Zone of apps and reviews. In-store availability of the T-Mobile G2x will be on April 20.

[via Android Community]

The auction is now over and when listed it had a buy it now price of $999. No one wanted the smartphone enough to end the auction early and pony up nearly a grand for the G2x. The final price the smartphone got up to was $799.

I can’t image wanting a new phone so bad that you were willing to pay so much more than the retail price just to get it a few weeks early. I wonder if the smartphone was purchased by someone that wants to tear it down online.

[via PhoneArena]