The low-end Android diversion just got real, folks, with Sprint’s introduction of a LG Optimus S, a $50 (on-contract, post-rebate) Android slatephone using Froyo upon the 3.2-inch HVGA shade, with mobile hotspot functionality for up to 5 devices, 802.11 b/g WiFi as well as a 600MHz processor to run a whole shebang. As you’d design in the world of 1GHz smartphones during a $200 price indicate, it’s not quite up to spec, though that doesn’t keep it from having a super-solid build, permanent and pithy, that belies its low cost. It overtly feels most similar to the Nexus One in the palm, yet with good large earthy buttons instead of capacitive function keys, and of march a lower-quality LCD shade. There’s an auto-focusing 3.2 megapixel camera upon a back as well as the sincerely manageable capacitive touchscreen up front, as well as yet browsing was a small unpleasant on the low-res shade, a Android 2.2 device sped by a UI but skipping the kick. If this device impresses as much after you throw it through a barrage of tests, I’ll be hard to imagine ever spending a cent upon the regular ol’ featurephone again.

Update: We’ve just been sensitive which a Optimus S has 256MB RAM as well as 512MB of ROM, an MSM7627 chipset as well as Bluetooth 2.1, though there’s more — it pulls the respectable 430 in the Quadrant benchmark thanks to Qualcomm Adreno 200 graphics. See a little direct-from-device screenshots as well as a couple representation pics from a Optimus S’s camera in our second art studio next! LG Optimus S (for Sprint), first hands-on

LG Optimus S benchmarks, screenshots and sample pics

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Via Engadget