Sections
- Page 1 LG Smart TV Review
- Page 2 Voice Recognition and Recommendations Review
- Page 3 Interface Review
- Page 4 Apps and Video Content Review
- Page 5 Second Screen Support Review
- Page 6 Verdict Review
LG Smart TV 2013 – The LG Cloud
The
last feature to discuss in this review is a nifty innovation from LG
that we’re sure others will adopt at some point: the LG Cloud.
This
provides 5GB of free storage space to which you can upload videos,
photos and songs so that you can access them from any of your connected
devices – including LG’s new Smart TVs – without needing to connect
other hardware sources. The system is even clever enough that if you
stop streaming something from the cloud onto your Smart device it will
resume from the point you left off if you start playing it on your TV.
This is a great way of taking the ‘hardware connection’ step out of
sharing your content.
How does the LG Smart TV system compare?
While
we’re not sure many people would buy a TV solely on the basis of its
Smart TV offering, there’s no doubt that LG’s 2013 Smart TV engine is a
compelling option that certainly adds to the appeal of LG’s TVs.
The
Magic Remote proves to be the best alternative navigation system we’ve
seen this year (trouncing the touchpad remotes of Samsung and
Panasonic); LG’s TV Remote app is well-featured and elegantly executed;
and its onscreen interface is elegantly and efficiently designed, as
well as being customisable.
In an ideal world LG would offer
more of the UK’s terrestrial catch-up TV services and its TV Remote app
would offer greater feature parity across Android devices. But the
platform remains a great effort overall.
Verdict
Although
it’s not as sophisticated or ambitious in feature terms as Samsung’s
latest Smart TV system, and could do with being more selective with its
apps, LG’s latest Smart TV offering is brilliantly user friendly, easy
to personalise, and much more stable than LG smart systems of the past.
In
fact, thanks in particular to the brilliant Magic Remote control
system, LG’s new Smart TV service is up there with Panasonic’s
wonderfully friendly My Home Screen system at the top of our 2013 Smart
TV league table.
How we test televisions
We test every TV we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Trusted Score
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
