The aggressively marketed LG VX8500 (or Chocolate) mobile phone is one of the more stylish models currently available. Only slightly larger than an iPod Nano, this sliding-cover phone has a large and vibrant 262K-color LCD while offering a 1.3-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth connectivity, and a microSD slot that can potentially hold up to 1000 songs. The battery life lasts for 4 hours of talk time and 16 days of standby, but if you're using the EV-DO high-speed data network, it's less. Other features include: a 400-entry phonebook, voice dialing, vibrating alert, and web browsing.

The major downsides of the phone are that it does not have a speakerphone and the buttons have poor sensitivity, which means that text messaging or just scrolling through the menus can often be more than irksome. Additionally, the MP3 player does not work well across platforms, and you must buy an additional kit for full operation. Though it is often deeply discounted, the Chocolate is unfortunately not worth the hype.

Pros: very stylish, small size
Cons: poor ergonomics, no speakerphone

Warranty
1-year limited