LG Intuition Review: A Jumbo Failure

The Intuition towers over other phones at 5.5-inches tall, and the square device requires two hands, or one extremely gigantic hand. You look a little goofy making calls or taking pictures, and its main appeal springs from its tablet-like functions. Once you get your hands around the cumbersome body, it'll surprise you -- at just less than six ounces and 0.3-inches thin, it's surprisingly light for such a big phone. Chrome accents jazz up the faux-leather plastic frame and give it some pizzazz. And as long as you like the size, you will like the design.

The 5-inch IPS touch display is so bright you can use it as a flashlight. The vibrancy and clarity make it a wonderful canvas to watch videos and surf the Internet, even at odd angles or in direct sunlight. With even a higher pixel density than the Note 2, the Intuition's 1,024-by-758 resolution gives an unparalleled sharp and colorful display, rivaling the first-generation iPad.

Unfortunately, there's a fly in the pie -- it uses an unconventional 4:3 aspect ratio. Most apps are designed for the more common 16:9 ratio, so the Intuition stretches them to fit. That's a big no-no because they become distorted. No matter how great the display, that flaw puts a damper on the enjoyment. Sure, I like the size of the screen, but this flaw is a killer.

The 8-megapixel auto-focus camera benefits from high-quality hardware and software. Shots look clear, with vibrant colors and proper lighting. And on top of the base-level photo quality, you can improve your images even more if you take advantage of the impressive cache of editing tools. My favorite: the powerful 15x zoom, which lets you zero in on subjects without blurring the shot. Fun color effects and filters also give you Instagram-like effects to make photos look vintage and hip.

In addition, you can record 1080p high-definition videos that are good to watch on a big screen. You can play director as well with a generous choice of video editing and setup options. There's even a front-facing 1.3-megapixel lens with a special "Beauty Shot" option to soften self-portrait. It also doubles for video chat. Selfie lovers, take note.

The Intuition runs on Ice Cream Sandwich, another knock against it. The Note 2 runs the more recent Jelly Bean software, so it has a better interface, functions and services. The Intuition, meanwhile, is stuck with last year's software until it gets an upgrade. The software feels stale, but at least it comes with NFC, along with an app called LG Tag+. The feature uses NFC "stickers" you can place around your home or office to do simple tasks like switch the phone to a different mode or profile.

Compared to the Note's functional S Pen, the Intuition's Rubberdium stylus a mess. It's imprecise and difficult to use, and it makes you long for touch screens. Notebook, a feature that lets you draw on photos or other media, comes preloaded. Doodling on a snapshot of your best friends is fun, but the program does a poor imitation of the note-taking system on the Note, which is smoother and does not lag as much. To make matters worse, the Rubberdium Pen comes without a storage slot, so you have to cart it around. And it's just a matter of time before you lose it and have to pay an outrageous fee for a replacement.

The Web browser, meanwhile, is very smooth. Pages load quickly and text is crisp, with great colors. But the same aspect ratio problem crops up on YouTube videos. The phone distorts them subtly -- not by much, but enough to bother you. If you're lucky, sometimes the app won't distort clips, in which case, you'll get black bars along the top and bottom. That's what Netflix does to get around the problem. I never thought I'd be happy with black bars, but it's much more enjoyable than a stretched display. When the Intuition is billed as an entertainment device, it's disappointing the multimedia features are so flawed.

Verizon's LTE provides a fast connection, and an enormous 2,080 mAh battery makes sure all your video streaming needs are met, without draining the power. I lasted through the day with moderate use. Qualcomm's speedy 1.5-gigahertz dual-core chip, meanwhile, is identical to the one that powers the Galaxy S3, so you'll get smooth performance without any stalls or delays. It comes pre-loaded with a generous 32-gigabytes of storage, so you'll have plenty of room to stock movies and songs. One warning: it lacks a microSD slot, so you're stuck with what you have.

The Intuition has a great screen, but the aspect ratio problem kills it for me. Samsung's Note 2 is a better product in every single way. And if you're looking for a jumbo-phone, go with that instead. The Intuition has its moments, but the flaws are too big to ignore. ♦

Other Reviews From Around the Web:

• AllThingsD
• CNET
• The Verge
• Engadget
• PC Mag
• Laptop Magazine

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