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It won't be long before you can buy at least one new phone from LG. The VX8700 is on its way to Verizon and should be available late next month. The 8700 is the first of the Shine series to come to the US, and it is pretty. Like most metal phones, it exudes quality. The weight and solidity are noticeable, but it is not too heavy.

LG has been paying alot more attention to detail and the shine really shows it. Not just the finish of the metal pieces or the way the external display fades into the surface of the phone, but also working details, like the hinge. The VX8700 has one of those hinges people rave about - if they're into that sort of thing - it feels smooth and solid. Plus it's a back opening hinge like on Apple laptops, so it looks good too since the ugly parts are out of sight.

The cut metal keypad is nearly flat - there are no ridges between keys or any other visible indicators that seperate one key from another. Yet it is very easy to dial or text with on the 8700 and i suspect that it wouldn't take long before you could do it without even looking.

There is also a new brushed metal look to the Verizon menus on this phone, at first blush you might think it's to match the brush metal exterior, but it is similar to the ones on the VCAST TV models. It appears as though Verizon has decided to use this style across all their new devices.

8700 / 8600

The 570 is still under development but the unit we got to try was the final size and shape. The square shape and circular external music controls certainly bear more than a passing similarity to the Fusic, however the 570 is much less, well, square. It is much thinner than the Fusic and the sides are completely rounded instead of flat. Between the round sides and the elimination of that nasty external antenna, the 570 sits in your hand very comfortably.

The keypad felt almost as good as the Fusic's, which we liked quite well when we reviewed it, but like the Fusic and the 8700 it is almost totally flat.

Though the software on the phone wasn't final, it had clear Sprint branding, even though Sprint hasn't officially acknowledged the phone. That's not a surprise considering the design and features, but it's nice when our suspicions are confirmed.

8600 / 570

We were shocked that LG, who usually announces an avalanche of phones at every show only announced two. However they've promised us that more are coming. This summer we expect to see a Chocolate II, which will most likely come to Verizon as well, however that is not definite. It is not known what form factor it will take, whether it will be like the slider currently available in Korea and Europe or something more American like a clamshell.

Eric has been covering the mobile telecommunications industry for 17 years at various print and online publications. He studied at Rutgers Newark and University of Kentucky, and has a degree in writing. He likes playing guitar, attending concerts, listening to music, and driving sports cars.

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