Cell phones have come a long way from their clunky beginnings in the 1990′s.  Back then, just successfully completing a call was an impressive feat.  Now, many modern phones have more processing power than the average PC a decade ago, as exemplified by LG’s 1GHz eXpo.  As the first phone offered by a U.S. carrier to break the 1GHz processor speed barrier, the eXpo has incrementally raised the cell phone performance and feature bars.

The eXpo, to be offered by AT&T, introduces three core new technologies to modern cell phone design.  First, as mentioned, it boasts a Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon processor, making it well suited for any demanding business applications required to run on its Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system.  Secondly, the eXpo features a “‘Smart Sensor’ fingerprint recognition” system (which doubles as a scroll bar) for unparalleled personal security.  And finally, the phone features a pico projector accessory capable of projecting business presentations or other content up to 40-inches in diagonal onto a surface 8 feet away.

While the eXpo is expected to cost $199 (with a 2-year contract) on its December 7th release date, the pico projector, as an optional accessory, will carry an MSRP of $180 – obviously only intended for the heaviest business users.  The phone’s 5MP digital camera with flash and 3.2″ 800×480 high resolution touchscreen display are complimented by its slide out QWERTY keyboard.  And while the spec’s and features of this device are very impressive, we’ll have to wait for its official release to see if it will truly become the standard by which others are judged.