Sitting pretty as the number three cell maker in the world would make many of the bigger names happy -- not to mention the usurped Sony Ericsson and Motorola a bit green -- but not LG, as it's now gunning for spot number two. In an interview with Yonhap, LG's president of its mobile business, Ahn Seung-kwon, stated that the company hoped to bump Samsung to the wayside by 2012 with the help of a serious new set and a premium brand. While the gaudiness of really expensive handsets disturbs us at times, we'll admit that mention that LG's looking at a foray into the über high end of the spectrum -- with the likes of Nokia's Vertu -- piques our curiosity a good deal. And what about that serious new set we mentioned? Apparently in Q4 of this year, LG will launch a new Black Label-branded device to compete directly with iPhone, which when coupled with dreams of more success from yet another Prada device (and if we're super fortunate, some more Transformers-branded stuff) is part of the master scheme to start down the path. Will they crack it? Well, if we were betting types, we'd lean towards not likely as long as the Samsung juggernaut's standing in the way -- but we're all for watching them try.

Got a Prada Link Bluetooth watch? Of course you don't, but if you did, you'd be able to take comfort in the knowledge that your pricey, excessive accessory just got a little more useful. Good ol' smartWatchM has been updated to support the Prada Link, meaning that Windows Mobile sets of all kinds can now take full advantage of the watch's capabilities: time sync, call and text notifications, the whole nine yards. Like its Sony Ericsson, Fossil, and Abacus brethren, smartWatchM intends to eventually trick out the Prada Link to do some bonus stuff like to-do lists, weather reports, and more, which means it just got a little closer to practicality -- more than we can say for most Prada-branded products, eh?

[Thanks, maflow]

Most people try to keep carrier branding on their phones to a minimum -- it's gaudy, loud, and unnecessary -- but for the burgeoning KIRF industry, anything goes. Take for example the SciPhone S18, brought to you by the same company that saw fit to clone a free platform, Android, of all things. It sorta looks like a cross between an Incite, a Vu, and a Prada (which never launched on AT&T, coincidentally), but the kicker is the big ol' AT&T logo top center. We're pretty sure it wouldn't take more than a couple days on an American carrier for these dudes to decide that the logo's doing more harm than good, but then again, maybe they know something we don't. Doubtful.

[Thanks, Andrew]

You've had ample time to look LG's Prada II over, and by now, you know good and well whether or not you're dreaming of one under your tree. If you just so happen to be parked in Europe (or you don't mind the rather atrocious exchange rate for a possible import), you or your Secret Santa can snatch one of these handsets up for around €600 ($832) -- and no, that's not including the watch. Remind us again how much of that sticker is dedicated solely to five little letters?

We spied LG's Prada II strutting its stuff in some fancy photos yesterday, and here we are just over twenty-four hours later with a gossip-worthy video spectacular of the luxury house's second foray into handset branding. The lucky gent in the film beautifully demonstrates how the Bluetooth-enabled watch can perform such wonders as silence your ringer and retrieve text messages, all without laying a finger on the touchscreen, slider keyboard-boasting phone. We're pretty sure that you'll agree the video of the device is "not long enough," but just do what we did: watch it twice in a row (while lounging by the pool in a diamond tiara sipping a martini) after the break.

Well, that didn't take long. Merely hours after LG's Prada II was treated to a dedicated microsite, along comes the hands-on photographs we've been expecting. CNET's UK branch was able to wrangle one in, and as predicted, the mobile didn't hesitate to pose for a few nice snapshots. Eagle-eyed readers will notice that it certainly put on a little heft since the first go 'round, but the slight downturn in attractivity is more than compensated by the inclusion of a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Have a peek at the read link for more hands-on goodness, including a look at the matching Bluetooth wristwatch.

[Thanks, T.I.]

Not that it wasn't official already or anything, but nothing demonstrates dedication to a product like an exclusive home on the web. Yep, LG has just launched a standalone microsite for the altogether sexy Prada II, and while you already know about the specs -- HSDPA, WiFi, 5-megapixel camera, 3-inch 400 x 240 pixel capacitive multi-touch display and quad-band GSM connectivity -- you probably weren't aware of the matching Prada Link Bluetooth watch. As you'd expect, the timepiece syncs with your Prada II and shows your incoming calls / texts, and we'll go out on a limb and presume that it tells time, too. Sadly, the tidbits we're most interested in (a release date and pricing) aren't clearly available on the site, but we'll be refreshing like madmen hoping for that to change.

[Via UnwiredView]

We think that phones like the Touch Pro and X1 sort of limit the market for pricey dumbphone QWERTY sliders, but be that as it may, LG clearly has every intention of making the Prada II one of its headline devices in the waning months of 2008. The rumored 7.2Mbps HSDPA 850 / 2100, WiFi, TV-out, an FM radio, and a 5-megapixel camera have all been confirmed to go along with the full keyboard for a launch in Europe in the end of October or beginning of November, running something in the range of €600 (about $816). Don't get us wrong, it looks alright -- but would this be your first choice of ways to part with the better part of a grand?

In a brief press release, LG has announced total sales of one million Prada handsets worldwide. Not bad for a March 2007 launch. The bigger news though is that LG and Prada will launch a new handset in Europe in Q4 of 2008. Prada II, we're ready.

Looks like LG wants some bite to back up the PRADA II's bark -- assuming both the device and its specs are real, of course, since we've been basing everything we know about Lucky Goldstar's rumored fashion monster on rumors thus far. The latest word on the street has the phone packing a what's-what of good things, ranging from a 5-megapixel autofocus cam, wide QVGA display (with capacitive touch, we can only imagine), HSDPA 850 / 2100, motion sensing, an FM radio, and a WiFi radio for those poor US souls who find themselves surrounded by more 1900MHz 3G than 850. It certainly all sounds real enough -- not as revolutionary as the first PRADA may have been, but a solid upgrade. While we're waiting for LG to sort this business out in a slightly more official capacity, we'll be working on the Armani, we s'pose.

Remember those rumored specifications for LG's so-called Prada II? Yeah, particularly the part about the slide-out keyboard? If the image above has any traces of legitimacy, you could be looking at the Prada II. Good thing an image is worth quite a few letters, 'cause that's all the details we've got to go on for now.

What sort of sick, twisted world did we just wake up inside where NTT DoCoMo is getting rehashed has-been phones launched many, many months ago elsewhere? We're kidding -- sort of -- but we do find it a bit strange that Japan's favorite omniscient megacarrier is just now getting around to announcing its own LG Prada after the original KE850 model entered our hearts and minds almost a year and a half ago. Some of that embarrassment is salvaged in the form of NTT DoCoMo-specific changes and upgrades, or so they allege, anyway; all we're really seeing is the presence of 7.2Mbps data, even though the press release insists that the new model has been "redeveloped specifically" for 'em. Otherwise, fashionistas of the Far East will be treated to a 2 megapixel autofocus cam and a 3-inch wide QVGA display when it launches next month.

Can't leave the comforts of your speedy, reliable network, but aren't ready to carry the brick-like Voyager to appease that touchscreen hankering? Verizon might finally have a solution with the LG VX9700, which just passed the FCC. The above leaked image of the phone shows it to be similar to LG's Prada phone, but apparently there's no designer branding to be had here -- just like AT&T's upcoming Prada-inspired LG Vu. Other than that, erm, innovative menu, rumored infos include a 3.2 megapixel camera, micro USB, microSDHC, and an on-screen QWERTY keyboard for text input. Word is the phone was slated for the end of the month, but now might be delayed until April. We suppose we'll be finding out soon enough.

Mmmm, the LG Prada (AKA, LG-KE850) was just turned out in silver. 18 European countries including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy will see the new version of LG's touchscreen later this month. Besides the color change the phone now features a proper on-screen QWERTY, not just T9 -- thank you LG! Really, that's all we could hope for.

[Via Akihabara News]