LG KM900 Arena preview: First look

Design and construction (continued)

The left side of LG KM900 Arena features the LG proprietary USB port. It's hidden under a nice sliding lid that should prevent it from getting filled with dirt and grime. Unfortunately, LG are still using their proprietary connectivity port.

The left side reveals only the USB port hidden behind a sliding lid

On the right-hand side of the Arena are the volume rocker and the camera keys. Those keys are definitely too thin for our taste they are obviously designed with looks rather than usability in mind. And great looks they really have blending seamlessly with the handset sides.

The volume rocker key and the discrete camera key at the left side

The bottom part of the LG Arena is perfectly plain, featuring no controls whatsoever.

Bottom side is pretty bare

The top hosts the 3.5mm standard audio jack, the power key and the back panel release button. The audio jack hasn't received the same treatment as the USB port and isn't covered at all. That way it will probably be easier to access and use, but it would eventually fill up with dirt.

The power key is again a bit too small, but this time this ain't too much of an obstacle to usability since it is slightly jutting out.

The top hosts the 3.5mm audio jack slot, the power key and the back panel release button

Flipping it over

The back side of the LG KM900 Arena hosts the 5 megapixel camera and its loyal companion - the LED flash. The lens doesn't have any protection at all.

The single other thing on the back that might be of interest is the second microphone pinhole at the bottom. That second microphone is used for recording sound during video capturing.

We cannot pass without saying that the back panel looks quite similar to the one of the first-gen Apple iPhone - the matte surface, the camera location and shape as well as the cut-off bottom section - they all add up for an eerie iPhonish look.

A look at the elements on top of the LG Arena reveal the same positions of the on/off key and audio jack shape.

The mat back panel looks similar to the one in the old Apple iPhone • several similarities on top

The 1000 mAh Li-Ion battery is under the battery cover, which much like the first-gen iPhone is made out of plastic. It is quoted to last for 300 hours of stand-by, 3 hours and 50 minutes of talk time or 30 hours of music playback. At this stage we are unable to comment on its real life performance due to the short time we've spent with the handset.

Removing the aluminum battery cover

The general build quality of the KM900 Arena seems really good with the metallic panels seeming very durable and all.

Holding the LG KM900 Arena in hand