LG Optimus Vu Goes Up For Sale As Pricing Info Revealed

Whether you look at them as jumbo-sized smartphones, mini tablets, or have come up with some cute portmanteau to try and cram the words together, there's no denying that the mid-size five-to-seven-inch range has been getting a lot more attention as of late. That's due in no small part to Samsung and its Galaxy Note, with a 5.3-inch display that really pushes the limits of how large a display a device can get away with while still being a phone. We learned last month that LG had been toying with a similar idea, and would be giving its upcoming Optimus Vu Android a five-inch screen in an atypical 4:3 aspect ratio. Today LG announces initial availability for the Vu, but with a price tag that may have you rethinking just how much a large screen is worth.

Sales of the Optimus Vu begin today in Korea. If you go to check out the Android at a retailer, make sure you bring a high-limit credit card, because off-contract sales of the Vu work out to the equivalent of nearly $900.

There are plenty of good reasons why smartphones are so expensive, and we could probably live with a price that was just a hundred dollars or so cheaper, but it really starts to get difficult rationalizing the sticker price as we approach the $1000 mark.

From its specs, it sounds like the Vu could be a very solid phone, and though it's not for everyone, we're sure that the unusual size and shape will win it a few big fans. Unless LG makes the handset more affordable as it spreads to additional markets around the globe, though, it could be difficult to convince consumers to give the Vu a chance.