The lowdown
LG's hype machine has been in full swing for a while now, building up the KG800, aka 'Chocolate', to take the UK by storm. It launched last week in a fashionable London venue, to which I was lucky enough to be invited and even managed to come away from the event clutching the very phone in hand.
The phone itself is pretty non-descript from a purely specifications standpoint: it boasts a 2” 256k colour LCD, 128MB of internal memory and 1.3 megapixel camera. But what has made it so popular in Korea, where over 300,000 units have sold, is it's sleek black chassis, light weight and smooth slider action. It also has dimensions intended to directly rival that of last year's hit, the Motorola Razr, at 9.5 x 4.8 x 1.5cm.
What's good?
Well, yeah you guessed it, it looks good, but luckily there's more to it than that. Sliding the phone open reveals not just the numerical keys, but also illuminates what at first glance seems to be buttons on the front. However, this is in fact all part of a so-called 'hidden' LCD which makes the supposed buttons more like touch-keys and looks exceptionally smart. I am usually a bit suspicious of touch-key ideas as there's always a strong risk they won't work properly, but no, they work absolutely fine with a good level of sensitivity.
The phone's other main strong point is the MP3 player which is surprisingly good quality and comes with a remote concealing a 3.5mm headphone socket - top marks there LG. The remote plugs into what is another cool feature; the power socket, USB port and remote all plug into the one single slot on the side of the phone. This has presumably helped to keep the phone's very slim form factor.
What's bad?
Like the previous LG phone we looked at, the UG880, the Chocolate doesn't have the most straight forward of menu systems and everything you do can be achieved in at least 2 or more indirect ways. The problem is also made worse when you first start using the phone because you will inevitably end up raising it to your ear prematurely, thus pressing all the buttons simultaneously with your face. However, this problem does clear up once you get used to the controls.
One other thing I've noticed with the phone is that if you leave it on for long periods of time the numerical buttons can start acting strangely. It could be a fault in this review unit alone, but it can end up mistaking 1, 2 and 3 for the side control buttons which makes texting and dialling numbers nearly impossible. However it does only happen in isolated circumstances and goes away when you switch it off and on, so I'm prepared to forgive it.
I was disappointed by the limiting 128MB of internal memory. The MP3 player is undoubtedly good quality but 128MB just isn't enough to make it a worthy replacement to a stand alone player, 3.5mm socket or not. There's not even a card slot so there's no real work around - a pity.
Do you need it?
If you value fashion over squeezing as many gizmos into a phone at once, then this is definitely the phone of the moment. On the whole it will give you a solid mobile experience that just oozes style. Even the box it comes in looks like it should hold a bottle of perfume - actually the phone is remarkably suitable for men and women alike, which is pretty unique itself. The LG Chocolate is available now and can be picked up from free depending on the contract.
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| Useful Links: |
Zoodex
, http://uk.lge.com/ |
| Features: |
Skinny dimensions: 9.5 x 4.8 x 1.5cm, weight 85g
1.3 megapixel camera
MP3, AAC and WMA support
Hidden LCD, touch keypad
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| Verdict: | 
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