LG VX8700 "Shine" Set for Spring

LG's silver, sexy Shine phone has been glittering for months now—glittering everywhere but in the U.S., that is. Well, the news out of CTIA is that we'll finally be getting our own version of the eye-catching flip-phone. The VX8700 is essentially the same handset as the earlier VX8600 Chocolate, except this time it arrives in the Shine's cool, brushed-metal shell. At just 3.8 ounces, the phone felt much lighter than I expected, and the etched-metal keypad was relatively easy to use.

I also got a kick out of the VX8700's slick menus, which have a brushed-metal design—nicely done. Also neat is the mirrored, semi-transparent external display, something I've been seeing a lot of here at CTIA. Under the hood, you get EV-DO data access for video streaming and music downloads, along with support for stereo Bluetooth headsets, a 2-megapixel camera, and a slot of microSD memory expansion—which, regrettably, is hidden behind the phone's battery. Look for the VX8700 to land in Verizon Wireless' lineup by the end of April.

LG was also showing off another flip-phone, the slightly bulkier, jet-black LG570, which (although no one was saying as much) is clearly the successor to the LG Fusic on Sprint. Like the Fusic, the LG570 comes with an FM transmitter that lets you play tunes on the phone over a nearby FM radio. Music downloads and streaming video via Sprint TV are also on the menu, along with microSD memory expansion and a 1.3-megapixel camera. There's no clear word on stereo Bluetooth headset support, but since the original Fusic played nice with wireless headsets, it's a safe bet that the LG570 will too. LG reps say the phone should arrive sometime in the spring; no official details on carriers, but my money's on Sprint.