LG Optimus 7 Play To DLNA feature demoed

Engadget have reviewed the LG Optimus 7, and as part of this have demoed the unique DLNA feature.

They write:

The real star of the show here is the Play To media streaming feature. It allows sending your pictures, music, or video (in non-DRM formats) over to the nearest DLNA-capable device, meaning that any HDTV, Windows 7 PC, or Xbox 360 on your WiFi network can be instantly turned into a canvas for your Optimus 7’s content. Now, frankly, we tend to be reluctant to dive into such options because of the usual hassle of getting devices to talk to each other, but LG’s implementation is ridiculously simple. It comes with a quick help section to get you started and from there it’s just a matter of selecting the type of content you want to beam out and picking a compatible receiver connected to the same wireless network. On Windows 7, all this required was to allow remote control under Windows Media Player’s Stream settings and we were away.

You should be cognizant of the fact that Play To does have its little delays, both in processing on the phone and in transferring over to the receiving device, but "little" is the operative word. We found the app a pleasure to use and imagine it’d be something we’d keep coming back to on a regular basis. In fact, if there’s one thing we don’t like about this streaming app, it’s the refusal to handle DRM content which disqualifies Zune Pass media streaming. We’re pretty sure that’s Microsoft’s decision and not LG’s, but it would have been neat to have. As it stands, Play To is still probably the best manufacturer-added app for Windows Phone 7 we’ve come across yet.

We cant help but agree, and feel this feature should really be part of all Windows Phone 7 handsets.

In their review of the device itself they conclude:

We feel somewhat odd giving such a high grade to a device that really brings nothing new to the table in terms of hardware. LG might be making gorgeous retina displays for a certain other phone maker, but that IPS goodness is nowhere to be seen here. The camera is also only mediocre, while the internal spec can be had on literally any other Windows Phone 7 device. What’s really got us hooked, however, is the inescapable feeling of a quality piece of mobile kit. From the very first time we picked it up, the Optimus 7 has been delighting us with its look and feel and that emotional connection just refuses to go away. It’s a minimalist interpretation of what the best possible Windows Phone should be like, and its small stylistic flourishes are augmented with an almost perfect record of intelligent design decisions. Throw in the actually valuable Play To media streamer and the fun Panorama Shot from LG’s own software labs, and you get a very competent contender. It’s hard to quite crown it the finest WP7 launch device — after all, Samsung’s Omnia 7 has a bigger and significantly better display — but the LG Optimus 7 might just be the one we most enjoyed using.

Read the full review here.