The Price: $180 after $50 mail-in rebate and 2-year contract, but remember that includes the Bluetooth earpiece.

The Verdict: The combo is obviously useful at a time when law enforcement is getting increasingly hostile to people who hold their phones while driving. My wife is the only person I know who actually got a ticket for talking on a cellphone—and who still refused to use Bluetooth on the grounds that it was too much to remember to charge and carry—so it made sense that she'd be the perfect candidate to give the Decoy a test spin.

"I love it," she told me, after a few days of using the Bluetooth headset everywhere she went, then diligently snapping it back on the phone when she was done. It's comfortable, especially for a one-size-fits-all piece, and it sounded perfectly fine when she was using it to call me. (Traditionally I have not been impressed with LG's Bluetooth execution, so that's a good thing.) When you plug in the phone, the screen says it's charging both batteries.

This being otherwise a fairly run-of-the-mill Verizon slider, there are no big surprises with the interface. Thankfully, it's not a faceful of RED when you turn it on—in fact, you can see here it's a cool, non-Verizony blue. It has a quick launch, so unlike on older LG phones, you don't have to dig deep into menus all the time for favorite functions. My wife's biggest gripe is that, since the directional stick in the middle is also a button, it sometimes points up or down when she's trying to hit OK, or vice versa.

It's no big deal for her, though, since she abhors touchscreen phones. Though I myself am excited by the new touchscreen phones from Sprint, Verizon and of course AT&T, I don't think my wife is alone in her lack of touchscreen interest. And for those people, the good news is that the LG Decoy may be a one-trick pony, but it's a pretty useful—and unique—trick. [LG]

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.

VERIZON WIRELESS AND LG INTRODUCE WORLD’S FIRST WIRELESS PHONE WITH BUILT-IN DETACHABLE BLUETOOTH HEADSET

Stylish LG Decoy™ Offers Convenience of Hands-free Conversations

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and SAN DIEGO – Verizon Wireless and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) announced the availability of LG Decoy™ – a stylish slider phone that integrates a Bluetooth® hands-free headset into its sleek design. Available today, Decoy is the first mobile phone with a built-in detachable Bluetooth wireless headset.

Decoy’s compact integrated Bluetooth headset has a discreet docking port on the back of the phone for convenient storage. In addition to its unique design feature, the fashionable phone sports a two-tone finish with a glossy front, a satin back, and a 2.2” mirror-like LCD screen. The phone also comes with a five-way directional joystick to make navigating through all of the hottest multimedia features from Verizon Wireless even easier. Plus, Decoy operates on the Verizon Wireless network, the nation’s most reliable wireless network, to ensure that customers are able to count on their phones to place their calls and access all their favorite multimedia features easily and in more places.

Additional features and capabilities of LG Decoy include:

* V CAST Video-capable – download or stream video from the best names in news, sports, entertainment and more
* V CAST Music-capable – access more than 3 million full-length songs from well-known and independent artists that can be purchased and downloaded over-the-air directly to the phone
* Music player – for .mp3, .wma, .aac and unprotected .aac+ files
* microSD™ card memory port – with up to 8 GB support with an optional memory card
* 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. Customers in 75 cities from coast to coast can access information about traffic incidents on major roadways, obtain traffic updates and find detours around traffic congestion and accidents
* Media Center-capable – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more
* Mobile Web-capable – customizable, enhanced wireless access to the latest in news, sports, weather and more
* Mobile Web Email – access MSN® Hotmail®, America Online® and Yahoo!® accounts to exchange e-mail
* Bluetooth capabilities
o Supports Version 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
o Integrated Bluetooth headset for voice and for music
o Support for headsets, hands-free car kits, dial-up networking, advanced audio distribution (stereo), phone book access, basic printing, object push for vCard and vCalendar, file transfer, and basic imaging
o Supports multiple Bluetooth connections – connect up to two Bluetooth devices to have one on standby
o Ability to send all contacts and calendar events via Bluetooth
o Print and send user-generated pictures (.jpeg)
* 2.0 megapixel camera and camcorder
o Camera resolutions: 1600 x 1200 (default), 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 pixels
o Video resolutions: 320 x 240, 176 x 144 (default) pixels
o Image Editor: zoom, rotate, crop
* Text, picture and video messaging
* Mobile IM and chat capabilities
* Display: Large 2.2” mirror-like LCD, 262K Color TFT, 240 x 320 pixels
* One-touch speakerphone
* Speaker-independent voice commands
* Frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA
* Data Transmission: High-Speed EV-DO
* Hearing aid compatibility (M3/T3)
* Dimensions: 4.01” (h) x 1.97” (w) x 0.67” (d)
* Weight: 4.05 ounces
* SAR: head 1.22 W/kg, body 0.718 W/kg
* Handset battery times:
o Usage: Up to 230 minutes or
o Standby: Up to 330 hours
* Headset battery times:
o Usage: Up to 2 hours or
o Standby: Up to 80 hours

LG Decoy will be available beginning on June 16 for $179.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement through Verizon Wireless’ online store at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City.

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.