4G LTE is growing like crazy. It’s a whole new way of accessing things on your phone – with lightening speeds whether you’re surfing the web or video chatting on the go. But until recently, most devices that have been 4G LTE capable are expensive, and sometimes even intimidating. That’s one of the reasons I am so excited about the LG Lucid.

For only $79.99, you can get a 4G LTE device that’s packing way more specs than you might think for that pricetag. It’s also extremely user-friendly. It’s easy to figure out and easy to navigate – I especially love that you can easily access your call log (or dial pad), text messages and more without even having to unlock your phone. The Lucid let’s you get things done, without fiddling around on your phone.

The LG Lucid isn’t slacking on specs, either. It packs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, so anything you’re doing is going to be smooth and fast. It also has an amazing 4″ touchscreen with 700 nits of brightness – and this means that even in direct sunlight you can perfectly see your screen. With these two things alone, with many devices, you may expect a lot of battery drain in a short amount of time – but I’ve been using the LG Lucid now for two days without charging. Navigation, two hours+ of phone calls, and more. I love it.

It also has a 5MP camera with LED flash, and is capable of capturing 1080p full HD video content. It has a great form factor, as well – the Lucid is both good looking and feels great in your hand. I’ve been lucky and have gotten my hands on a lot of devices in the last few years – and the LG Lucid has actually been one of my favorites.

If you’re in the market for a 4G LTE device but don’t want to spend a pretty penny, the Lucid is definitely something you’re going to want to check out.

For more on the LG Lucid, available on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, check out this video. And for anything/everything LG Mobile, follow me on Twitter, @thelggirl. See ya!

On Saturday, the final four battled it out to see who would advance to the championship – and phew. What a couple of great games those were. One of my colleagues here with me is a big Louisville fan – and it was so fun to see her all decked out in team gear while cheering on her hometown boys. Unfortunately, Louisville fell to Kentucky (score), but she had an amazing time. After that game, Kansas beat Ohio State in one of the most exciting games this tournament – so that leaves Kentucky and Kansas playing tonight for the big championship.

On Sunday, we were up early and started our day here in New Orleans with some crawfish, eggs benedict and more of the amazing, strong coffee that I’ve come to love here. We then headed back to BracketTown for the LG Center Court Challenge – which aimed to re-enact some of the competition from the infamous historical Kentucky/Duke game many years ago. Of course, the competition had an LG twist – one former player from each team represented their schools and battled it out through a series of tasks with LG appliances, electronics and mobile phones. The coolest part was that in the end, LG made a donation in both of their names to some really amazing causes. I love it!

After BracketTown, we headed over to the nearby RiverWalk Mall, and we started out on our quest to visit some places in the city that had been recommended to us by our friends and my Twitter followers. That led to quite the fantastic day.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a gigantic sweet tooth. I love candies, cookies, desserts – you name it. But I had no idea what I was in for when I was told I had to go to Cafe du Monde and get a beignet.

A beignet is basically deep-fried dough covered in powdered sugar. And it. was. amazing. I got powdered sugar all over me and I loved every minute of it. Give me a beignet and a cup of black coffee and I will be content. I ate my beignet and then, coffee in hand, strolled around Jackson Square and the French Quarter, looking at some local art and taking everything in. Before I knew it, I was hungry again – and headed over to Coop’s. Coop’s is a bar/restaurant that a Twitter friend recommended to me, and when I looked it up I realized it was not too far from my hotel. I’m not sure about NOLA as a whole, but I felt like the French Quarter was extremely walkable (which the San Franciscan in me loves). Coop’s had a very cool vibe, and I got the fried chicken – it did not disappoint. After that, we went to Elm’s Mansion, which was the German Consulate during WWII. And then just kind of wandered, admiring the architecture.

Before the game today, we went to some of the parts of the city where the effects of Hurricane Katrina are still extremely apparent. In a vibrant, beautiful city, it was a reminder and an eye opener that what this area has been through is still very real – and how strong the people are that survived such chaos and tragedy.

I came to New Orleans because of LG’s involvement in the NCAA 2012 Men’s Final Four. But I got so much more out of this trip than I’d expected. The people here are so incredibly nice and helpful, the history is incredible, and the atmosphere is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

I am now off to finish my trip at the championship game – Kentucky vs. Kansas – before I head home to San Francisco. I couldn’t have found my way and stayed connected without my phone, and I wouldn’t be here without LG – and I wouldn’t be quite as happy of a person without the…je ne sais quoi (but it’s pretty magical)…of New Orleans.

Hello from New Orleans! LG is an NCAA corporate partner again this year, so LG sent me here to cover all of the action in NOLA – from the games, to BracketTown, to the culture of this city.

This is my first time here, and I am completely amazed. It is different than any other city I’ve seen – there are a few of us on the LG team that have never been here, and we’re all in awe of the history and uniqueness here. Here are a few things I noticed in my limited time in the city today:

1) the coffee and food are amazing.

2) the people are super nice.
3) I’m surrounded by amazing architecture and history

4) it’s humid.

Today was a packed day – we filmed a welcome video and spent a lot of time in BracketTown and at the SuperDome for the Reese’s College All Star game. I did a dance with some giant candy bars. That video is coming tomorrow morning…

Tomorrow, we’ve got round one of the Final Four! On Sunday, I’m going to be exploring the city and checking out some of the places recommended to me by my Twitter friends. So stay tuned for more NOLA. I’m excited! We’ve got our camera charged and ready. 

Any advice on what I absolutely must see/do while I’m here? Tweet me @thelggirl!

LG Thrill 4G users! I have great news – the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update is now ready for you to download!

One of these awesome Gingerbread features is the ability to create a 3D effect while playing 2D OpenGL-based games just by clicking on the dedicated 3D key on the right side of the device – but there are so many more features with this roll out.

From the Google side, you’ll get improved power management, UI improvements and copy and paste updates. You’ll also get more updates from LG, such as:

*Enhanced HSPA+ speed. You’ll now see speeds up to 21 Mbps on the AT&T 4G network!

*3D video editor – you’ll be able to create and edit 2D and 3D videos, right from your Thrill 4G.

*2D video stabilization – record even better high quality video with 2D video stabilization, which was previously only available in 3D mode. The gallery loading time has also been reduced, so you’ll be able to check out your awesome vids in even less time.

The upgrade also includes additional improvements and features such as Dolby Mobile and longer MP3 playback time. Get ready to rock out even longer.
So what are you waiting for? Go to www.lg.com/us/Thrill4G-Upgrade to get started!

If you’re an LG Phoenix user? Head over to www.lg.com/us/Phoenix-Upgrade to download the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for your device, which will give you the same improved power management and user interface, advanced copy/paste functionality, and more.

Questions? Tweet me @thelggirl.

Enjoy!

Here is LG’s official statement regarding Ice Cream Sandwich:

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As we publicly announced on October 20, LG is committed to offering the best smartphone experience on our Android Optimus phones. We are currently reviewing the latest Android OS release, Ice Cream Sandwich. Once the public release of Ice Cream Sandwich is made available, specific phone models and timing of updates will be posted on relevant local websites.

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As always, if you’d like to Tweet or DM me with specific thoughts or concerns, please do – @thelggirl!