The Price: $130 with 2-year Verizon Wireless contract, $300 retail.

The Verdict: For a phone that will be in millions of people's hands no matter what I say, I think the Chocolate 3 has decent specs but isn't worth the money. The browser sucks and it doesn't have nearly as many features as other phones just outside its price range. It's good for making calls, taking pictures and playing music, but not much else.

Still, it's noticeably better than the last version, and supports 8GB microSDHC cards so you can get a decent amount of music on it. The new front screen is very useful and gives access to the bare essentials like music, camera, and text messages when the phone is closed. The control-wheel is responsive, and not as twitchy as old Chocos. It also takes good pictures, and calls and music sound clear.

Since they got rid of the haptic feedback and turned the slider into a clamshell, I don't see how they can still call it a Chocolate, but this isn't a bad phone. It's just not worth the price tag. [Verizon Wireless]

V CAST MUSIC WITH RHAPSODY GETS EVEN SWEETER WITH LG CHOCOLATE 3 FROM VERIZON WIRELESS

New Flip Form Factor Turns up the Summer Heat with Enhanced Music Subscription Capabilities, Built-in FM transmitter, 2.0 Megapixel Camera and Camcorder

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and SAN DIEGO – The latest eye candy from Verizon Wireless and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) will make its debut on the nation’s most reliable wireless network on Sunday, July 13. The new flip style LG Chocolate™ 3, the third-generation of the iconic Chocolate music phones, supports all of the latest features in mobile music technology including Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music with Rhapsody subscription music service. The LG Chocolate 3 will be available in black or light blue beginning Sunday in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City, and through the company’s online store at www.verizonwireless.com.

The marquee music phone for the new V CAST Music with Rhapsody service, LG Chocolate 3 allows Verizon Wireless customers to access more than 5 million songs, create playlists and load hundreds of songs on their phones to take with them wherever they go. Designed to be a powerhouse music player, the LG Chocolate 3 sports a built-in FM transmitter so customers can play music through a car or other stereo system, dual speakers, Bluetooth® headset for wireless stereo sound, and multitasking capabilities while listening to music. An easy-to-use external front navigation wheel and center select key makes music navigation easy, and the phone will satisfy music appetites with its optional expandable memory using a large 8 GB microSD™ card.

“We are proud of the success and popularity of the Chocolate series of handsets, and are excited about the upgrades made with this new edition,” said Mr. Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president of product strategy and marketing for LG Mobile Phones. “The LG Chocolate 3 helps Verizon Wireless customers minimize the number of electronic devices they need to carry at one time, allowing for a large capacity of music storage and connection to a car stereo without any wires.”

Entertainment doesn’t end with music on the LG Chocolate 3; this feature rich flip phone also packs a 2.0 megapixel camera and camcorder and supports V CAST Video and ESPN MVP, giving customers an on-demand link to news, scores and more. The LG Chocolate 3 can be charged via a computer with its micro USB charging port.

The LG Chocolate 3 is the first Verizon Wireless phone to feature Dashboard, a graphically rich portal powered by Adobe Flash® Cast™ technology, which delivers personalized multimedia information and entertainment services directly to the phone. Dashboard features 13 channels – Mobile Web, VZW Showcase, Get Channels and Search, as well nine more to customize the wireless experience. Verizon Wireless customers can select from News, Community, Comedy Central, MTV News, IGN.COM, FOX Sport, Tones & Extras, Sports, ESPN, Music, Entertainment, Weather, Business, and Games channels to appear on their phones.

Additional features and capabilities of the LG Chocolate 3 include:
Additional Music Features
Music player that supports .mp3, .wma, unprotected .aac and unprotected .aac+ files
Dedicated music key and preset sound effect equalizer
Create and manage playlists
Music library – organized by artist, genre, album
Music only mode (RF off except Bluetooth) – supports up to 24 hours of music playback
2.0 Megapixel Camera/Camcorder Features
Camera resolutions: 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 pixels
Zoom: up to 2x
Image editor – zoom, rotate and crop images
Video resolutions: 320 x 240, 176 x 144 pixels
Video recording time – 30 seconds (for sending) or up to 1 hour (for saving) depending on available memory
Video player for WMV, MP4, 3GP, 3G2 formats
Customizable brightness, white balance, shutter sound, night, photometry
Self-timer: off, three, five or 10 seconds
Color effects: normal, negative, aqua, sepia, black and white
Self portrait/video recording capability with flip closed
Mobile Web-capable – customizable, enhanced wireless access to the latest in news, sports, weather and more
Mobile Email – access MSN® Hotmail®, America Online® and Yahoo!® accounts to exchange e-mail
VZ NavigatorSM-capable – get visual and audible directions to thousands of destinations, locate businesses and other points of interest, get maps of a location and share directions with others
Media Center-capable – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more
Mobile IM capabilities
Chaperone® Child-capable – allows the LG Chocolate 3 to have its location shared with family members via the Chaperone Web site, the Chaperone® Parent application or Child Zone® SMS alerts
Bluetooth Version 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
Save up to 20 Bluetooth pairings
Supported profiles: headset, hands-free, dial-up networking, advanced audio distribution (stereo), phone book access, basic printing, object push for vCard and vCalendar, file transfer and basic imaging
Send all contacts and calendar events via Bluetooth
Print and send user generated pictures (JPEG) via Bluetooth
One-touch speakerphone
Speaker-independent voice commands
Voice-activated dialing up to 1,000 entries
Voice recording – 1 minute or 1 hour (standby) up to 1,500 memos
.mp3 music ringer support (clips from hit songs)
27 unique ringtones as well as vibrate and silent modes
Text, picture, video and voice messaging
Phone book with 1,000 contacts – each entry stores five numbers, two e-mail addresses and a Picture ID
Speed dial – 999 entries; one voicemail default
Calendar, calculator, EZ tip calculator, alarm clock, stopwatch, world clock and notepad
Flash® user-interface for clear images, text and fun animations
Simultaneous GPS for enhanced location accuracy
Standalone mode (RF off)
TTY/TDD support
Hearing aid compatible = M3
Headset jack: 3.5 mm
Technology: CDMA
Frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA (Digital Dual-Band)
Data transmission: EV-DO
SAR: head 1.26 W/kg; body 0.367 W/kg
Dimensions: 3.87” (h) x 1.94” (w) x 0.64” (d)
Weight: 3.36 ounces
Display:
Internal LCD: 260K Color TFT, 320 x 240 pixels, 2.2”
External LCD: 260K Color TFT, 176 x 220 pixels, 1.76”
Standard battery: 800 mAh
Usage time: up to 270 minutes
Standby time: up to 350 hours

The LG Chocolate 3 will be available for $129.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers can get the most out of their LG Chocolate 3 with Verizon Wireless’ Nationwide Premium calling plan. Starting at $79.99 monthly access, the Nationwide Premium calling plan includes unlimited messaging, VZ Navigator, Mobile Email and V CAST VPak, plus unlimited megabytes for Mobile Web and Media Center.

LG Chocolate 3 customers who want to manage or buy music from their phones can download V CAST Music with Rhapsody software for free at www.verizonwireless.com/music. Customers interested in a monthly subscription at $14.99 monthly access, may sign up online or by visiting a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, including those in Circuit City, or by calling Customer Service at 1-800-2 JOIN IN.

five million songs in your pocket – every one is yours to DISCOVER, play and enjoy

Verizon Wireless Teams Up with Rhapsody to Enhance the Leading Mobile Music Service with Unlimited Subscription Music for $15 a Month and the Simplicity of Digital Rights Management-Free Songs

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and SEATTLE – Mobile music enters a new era today as Verizon Wireless and Rhapsody®, the digital music service from RealNetworks® (Nasdaq:RNWK) and MTV Networks, launch V CAST Music with Rhapsody. Combining Verizon Wireless’ world-class, over-the-air mobile music service with Rhapsody’s leading desktop solution, V CAST Music with Rhapsody delivers unlimited monthly access to music on up to three Rhapsody-compatible mobile phones and players and online on multiple PCs and web browsers, for less than the cost of a single CD. In addition, customers who purchase music over-the-air are able to download the master copy of the songs or albums to their PCs free of digital rights management (DRM) software that restricts how and where music can be played.

With V CAST Music with Rhapsody, Verizon Wireless customers are still able to purchase songs over-the-air for $1.99 and get two copies of the song: the first for their phones, the second for their PCs in the DRM-free MP3 format. When customers download the V CAST Music with Rhapsody Software to their PCs and sign up for the monthly subscription, they have the ultimate music management service, including:

o Unlimited subscription syncing with access to more than five million songs







o Creating and accessing playlists, viewing playlists of other users, including celebrities







o Burning, importing and converting CDs to play anywhere







o Managing an existing digital music collection for free and syncing it to their mobile phones







o Buying non-protected MP3s of songs on the PC for 99 cents per song







o Buying songs on the phone, over-the-air – get two copies of the song for just $1.99 (one is over-the-air, the second master copy is the MP3 file customers download onto their PCs)

By subscribing to V CAST Music with Rhapsody, customers can discover new music from millions of songs, without breaking the bank. Whether a hard core music fan or a casual listener, customers of all music appetites will love the flexibility that 5 million songs give them to discover new music, listen to old favorites and find just the right song to suit their mood.

While Verizon Wireless customers continue to have the ability to get their favorite music while on-the-go via full song over-the-air downloads, ringtones and ringback tones, V CAST Music with Rhapsody also provides them with an award-winning desktop music application, allowing them to sync their favorite music quickly and easily, directly to their mobile phones. Now music lovers will be able to manage their collections with the most comprehensive music management tool and take their music with them anywhere.

John Harrobin, senior vice president of digital media and marketing for Verizon, said, “V CAST Music with Rhapsody fulfills Verizon’s promise to deliver the best mobile experience to our customers. Now, music fans can not only get the benefit of immediate access to music over-the-air, but also – in partnership with Rhapsody – customers can seamlessly integrate the leading mobile music service, available on a choice of devices they carry with them everyday, with the ultimate desktop experience.”

Rob Williams, senior vice president of music products for RealNetworks, noted, “Working with Verizon Wireless, we are able to extend the reach of the award-winning Rhapsody service to millions of mobile phones. V CAST Music with Rhapsody gives mobile phone users the best experience of any music service on the market while also giving them access to unlimited music, whether at home or on-the-go.”

Verizon Wireless customers who simply want to manage or buy music can download the V CAST Music with Rhapsody software for free at www.verizonwireless.com/music. Customers interested in a subscription may sign up for $14.99 monthly subscription online or by visiting a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, including those in Circuit City, or by calling Customer Service at 1-800-2-JOIN-IN.

V CAST Music with Rhapsody will be available on the marquee V CAST Music with Rhapsody device, the Chocolate 3 by LG, when the phone becomes available in July; the service is also available today on select phones, including the LG Decoy™ and LG Dare; MOTO™ W755; Samsung SCH-u550, Samsung Glyde™ and Samsung Juke. Customers using the MOTORIZR Z6tv, MOTORAZR² V9m or LG VX8700 may bring their phones into a Verizon Wireless Communications Store to receive a free software upgrade on their phones to access the service.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT WITH HOT NEW LG PHONES FROM VERIZON WIRELESS

Touch-screens, Music and More Offer Customers an Array of Mobile Options

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – For the hottest looks and coolest features in wireless phones this summer, Verizon Wireless is expanding its LG line-up with three devices that offer unique features with loads of possibilities. The LG Dare™, LG Decoy™ and the new LG Chocolate™ 3 are scheduled for their debut on the nation’s most reliable wireless network through July.

“These summer phones join our other popular LG phones – the enV2™, the Voyager™ and the Venus™ – to offer our customers an array of applications, downloadable games, music and other content that is unparalleled in its variety and ability to enhance customers’ lifestyles,” said Mike Lanman, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “By unveiling these devices now, we are giving our customers the opportunity to choose the device that’s right for them, backed by the most reliable wireless network in the nation.”

LG Dare
From the sleek, slim appearance, to the all touch-screen operation, the LG Dare will be the talk of the season. Loaded with multimedia functionality, this 3G V CAST-capable phone has VZ NavigatorSM, V CAST Music, and a 3.2 megapixel still and video camera that automatically adapts to low or unevenly distributed light for better quality pictures. The photo editing tool lets customers turn their photos into personal masterpieces with features that include borders, landscape and a fun doodle feature right on the screen. Customized photos can be uploaded to a social networking site directly from the phone. The intuitive and graphical contact list allows customers to find the right number with the flick of a finger for speedy texting, e-mailing and phoning. Favorite contacts can be reached with a drag and drop photo interface. Additional information on the LG Dare will be available later this month.

LG Decoy
A dream for the multi-tasking consumer, the glossy front and satin back LG Decoy is the world’s first phone to have a Bluetooth® hands-free headset integrated into the design. The headset slips into the back of the device for easy transport and charging. The slider phone also sports a five-way directional joystick for easy navigating through all of Verizon Wireless’ multimedia features such as V CAST Music and V CAST Video. Customers planning to hit the road this summer can download VZ Navigator on the Decoy to get visual and audible directions to thousands of destinations, locate businesses and other points of interest, get maps of a location, and share directions with others. The Decoy will be in stores on June 16.

LG Chocolate 3
Chocolate gets even sweeter this summer, and the latest iteration of this iconic mobile music phone is even more stylish and functional than its predecessors. The new LG Chocolate 3 trades in its slider form factor for a slim flip style that brings with it the quintessential music player complete with control wheel on the outside and an FM transmitter to play music through a car stereo. The new Chocolate is the perfect MP3 player for listening and accessing more than 3 million songs from Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music library. It has dual speakers and Bluetooth for wireless stereo sound, and inside is a Gigabyte* of memory to store the latest tunes. Add in the option of expandable memory with an 8 GB microSD™ card, and customers can pack thousands of songs onto this new version of a rock solid winner. The new Chocolate has a 2.0 megapixel camera, so customers can capture the best of summer fun to share with friends. The phone also supports V CAST Video and ESPN MVP, making this marquee mobile music device more than just another phone. The LG Chocolate 3 will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and available online in July.