News - LG unveils the G Flex curved-screen smartphone

[HEXUS]

Another interesting novel feature is its “self-healing” back cover.

Read more.

[virtuo]

That self-healing coating sounds pretty good, but it still looks stupid. Can't imagine I'd ever want a curved phone, having a normal shaped head and everything.

[Meowmatt]

Also if its in your pocket and you walk into anything good by screen... It will split right through the middle where all the force will be located. Samsung's shape is much more sensible as it hugs the shame of your leg.

[The Hand]

Yes, just imagine if you sit on it... *crunch*

[AETAaAS]

That self-healing coating sounds pretty good, but it still looks stupid. Can't imagine I'd ever want a curved phone, having a normal shaped head and everything.

I'm confused. How does a curve work against a "normal shaped head"? Unless you have a cube shaped head, a curve kinda contours to your head better than typical phones.

[Cog]

I've never once scratched the back of my phone and thought "damn that's completely ruined" A self-healing screen would be nice but to me that's just a gimmick.
Besides, clean scratches are rare, most of the damage that the back of the phone with get is scuffing which the self-healing material wont be effective against.

[virtuo]

I'm confused. How does a curve work against a "normal shaped head"? Unless you have a cube shaped head, a curve kinda contours to your head better than typical phones.

I do have quite a square head as it goes.

Through years of conditioning using flat phones, I hold it against my ear and the mouthpiece is a few inches to the side of my mouth. Comfortable, no spittle in the mic hole and my conversation partner can hear me fine due to the nice microphone technology.

Having a curved handset (and using it as presumable intended) means that the screen is likely to press against even more of my greasy face, the mouthpiece is going to be right in front of my mouth catching my lips and spittle and I can imagine having to hold it between my thumb and first 2 fingers.

The only people I can see benefiting from a curved screen phone would be those with a tooth infection that's causing huge swelling around the cheekbones. And even then it's only going to be good for specific amounts of swelling.

[jimbouk]

I have to agree with the shape not being good against your face comments. I had a Motorola V300 back in the day and it was never comfy to hold for extended calls. Just too curved.

[pvee]

well it looks interesting but I don't know how this self healing of scratches will work. I'm also not sure if this will help other people who place their smartphones in their pockets will it lessen the risk of scratches and damages knowing that its curved like a banana shape.

[virtuo]

I can only imagine the "self healing" feature to be some sort of dense rubber (or maybe something along the lines of memory foam?).

[Cog]

I can only imagine the "self healing" feature to be some sort of dense rubber (or maybe something along the lines of memory foam?).

Nope. The plastic is filled with tiny capsules of liquid, when it's scratched the liquid leaks out of the capsules into the scratch and then sets solid.

As I already said it's really only effective against single scratches, it'll do nothing to fix the sort of prolonged scuffing that the phone can suffer from.

[OilSheikh]

Am I the only one who does not find this whole curved screen craze appealing at all ?

[crossy]

Also if its in your pocket and you walk into anything good by screen... It will split right through the middle where all the force will be located. Samsung's shape is much more sensible as it hugs the shame of your leg.

I was inclined to agree with your sentiments, until I saw something posted elsewhere on this. The poster was pointing out that Samsung's vertically curved screen is great for protection if your pocketed phone is lying parallel to your leg - as it would do in these "map pockets" that cargo pants have.

On the other hand your business suit's trouser pockets tend to lie across your leg in which case Samsung's phone design doesn't do anything beneficial whereas LG's will sit comfortable across hip to inner thigh.

Protection aside - which personally I think is a daft "requirement" anyway - I much prefer LG's "banana" phone to Samsung's offering. Only plus for Samsung's is that it'll fit in the "cup" of your hand better.

Would I buy either? No - as I'm quite sceptical of the benefits of either design. So in the meantime I'll stick with my boring flat-screen Galaxy S3.

[McEwin]

Am I the only one who does not find this whole curved screen craze appealing at all ?

No you're not!

[loyal986]

Naaaah, its so stupid, self healing tech is a good feature but Cureved, really, when it falls what happens, Roll baby roll.