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The LG Shine is the Korean company’s next attempt to change the landscape of the cellphone market. Though one can argue that the Chocolate phone has made little effect when compared to the Motorola RAZR, I believe that it was the handset that brought music to the forefront of consumers’ minds when purchasing a new cellphone.

The next model up from LG is the Shine that we had dropped back in October. Where the Chocolate phone excels in music geared to teenagers and other music junkies, the Shine’s positioning has it for professionals. Named for its shiny mirror-like facade and stainless steel casing, the Shine features a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, an MP3 player, and a scroll wheel on the front.

No longer will it be exclusive to Korea, as LG plans to introduce it to the European and North American market next week at CES. In their effort to make it a big bash for the sleek stainless-steel Shine, the LG folks plan to set up a booth made entirely of stainless steel. The GSM version will be released in Europe in the first quarter of 2007 and soon thereafter in the rest of Asia and the United States. No pricing information has been announced yet.

Read [FarEastGizmos] Via [SlashGear]

After weeks upon weeks of mouth watering rumors, you can finally satisfy your craving and sink your teeth into the official White Chocolate phone by LG (aka the Verizon LG VX8500) this Halloween.

If you were internet/TV-less for the past 3 months, the Chocolate offers V CAST Music, touch-sensitive navigation keys, a music/video player, 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth, and a microSD memory port.

Trick or treat!

Product Page [Verizon] Via [SlashPhones]

The next super sexy handset from LG, after the Chocolate phone look a lot less than a bar of, well...chocolate. The LG Cyone, “Shine,” is a full metal handset with a mirror-like LCD screen, scroll functionality, and a 2 megapixel camera.

The phenomenally successful Chocolate phone, which sold more than four million units worldwide since its launch six months ago, proves the success with the Black Label Series and the music-phone. The LG Shine will be the second edition within this premium brand targeted to a slight different customer, but still someone who is looking for a stylish handset that is different from the rest.

The LG Shine will be tailor-made to accommodate the different needs of the global market and is currently under research prior to its global launch. Detail of global product specification, global launch date and pricing will be available early 2007.

Read [Cellular-News]

LG has announced that a new handset within the Black Label Series (currently known as Chocolate) will be launched early in 2007.

As of now the details are sparse, but LG is keen to build on the phenomenal success of its first handset within the Black Label Series - called the LG Chocolate - in the designer-phone category. The new handset promises to be just as stunning as the Chocolate phone though totally different in styling and with an even better technical specification.

“With the Black Label Series, LG redefined the designer mobile phone category,” Jae Bae, Executive Vice President of Mobile Communications Company of LG Electronics at LG Electronics. “Black Label stands for so much more than just the look of a phone, though clearly that is important. Consumers want their phones to reflect their own personality and style, communicating a degree of individuality that sets them apart from the crowd, that’s what Black Label is all about.”

We also expect to see various versions of the Chocolate phone in the near future, including white chocolate, pink chocolate, premium versions with improved specs and luxurious styling called Chocolate Gold and Chocolate Platinum.

Who doesn’t love Chocolate? Why not head over to Verizon and purchase the long awaited LG VX8500, Chocolate phone. This is one part MP3 player, one part phone, and 100% sweetness. The models final specs include the black lacquer finish (see our hands-on Peep Show here), 1.3 megapixel camera, 210 min talk time, 38 hours standby, 3.53 oz, Bluetooth stereo capable, V-Cast, music player with support for MP3 and WMA files, VZ Navigator capable, touch sensitive navigation keys, voice recognition, EVDO Broadband Access connect (use the handset as a modem for your laptop), a microSD or TransFlash memory card slot, and a video camera with up to a 1 hour recording.

The phone will see with a new 2 ear contract for $149.99 (and $100 more for a 1 year contract). You can also pay $199.99 and get the music bundle kit (necessary to copy your own tunes to the phone), a leather case, and car charger or for $249.99 you get everything listed plus a 2 GB microSD card--a great deal!

So don’t wait, go indulge yourself in chocolate.

Besides our Peep Show, read on to see a pic of the RAZR and Chocolate phone compared.

Here it is in all of it’s glory, the LG VX8500 for Verizon, better known as the Chocolate phone. We were able to snag one before Monday’s releases date (July 31st), and as always wanted to offer a peep show of the super hot handset. Read on for more images of this heat-sensitive, music playing, slider phone.

Update: See a pic of the Motorola RAZR and LG Chocolate phone compared.

The handset came with a power adaptor, rather slim battery (that is covered in the same black glossy plastic), a headphone adaptor jack, and the regular manuals.

We also got the V-Cast music pack from Verizon that came with a USB cable, headphones, and all the necessary software, allowing you to download V-Cast content to your PC and phone as well as sync your own music to your phone. Finally, we popped in a 2 GB microSD card, with storage for plenty of music, pics, video, and more.

The handset has a 4 way jog dial on the front. The buttons are clearly labeled up, down, next, forwards, and OK...like almost every MP3 player interface. Once on (see below) there are two soft-keys as well as a send and clear “button.” I say “button” because none of these are buttons, they have no tactile feeling to them, all “buttons” are heat-sensitive points that are activated when your finger taps them—very cool. The right side of the phone as a dedicated end/power button, music button, and camera button while the left has volume up and down as well as a multifunction microphone button. Finally, once you slide open the phone you have access to a slightly cramped keypad on the front and a 1.3 megapixel (still and video) camera on the back. There is a mirror for self-portraits but no flash.