LG Chocolate (VX8550) Review - Introduction / Design

Introduction

When the LG Chocolate was launched in 2006, the stylish phone in the shape of a chocolate bar became the "It" phone of the year. The new version, the LG Chocolate VX8550 for Verizon, looks just as sweet and packs more functionality into its minimalist slider design.
Chocoholics will find the phone slimmer and lighter than its predecessor while enjoying many of the same features, such as the phone's 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder, Bluetooth capability, and access to Verizon's VCAST multimedia at ultrafast 3G connection speeds. The designers added a much-needed speakerphone function to their updated version and fitted it with a user-friendly scroll wheel for easier navigation as well as a vibrating touch keypad.

When not taking calls or streaming video, the phone transforms into a MP3 player and includes a micro SD expansion slot that takes up to a 4 GB card.

Combining beautiful design with rich functionality, the LG VX8550 won't disappoint fans who have sampled the first LG Chocolate and are eager to come back for a second taste.

Design

With its rounded contours and streamlined form, the sleek, sexy LG Chocolate VX8550 takes its cues from art deco design. When closed, the phone resembles a dark iPod. At the slightest pressure from the thumb and forefinger, the bottom half of the phone slides down to reveal the keypad.

In the hand, the phone has a perfect weight and feel. Users can answer an incoming call by opening the slider and end a call by closing it.
The designers have replaced the problematic touch-sensitive navigation wheel on the front of the phone with a shiny, mechanical scroll wheel that features a middle selection key. Four vibrating touch-sensitive keys are positioned outside of wheel and exude a warm red glow when the phone is activated. The scroll wheel also has a trace motion light that makes it look like it's shooting off red sparks as it spins. This light can be programmed to illuminate in patterns when there's an incoming call or can be turned off altogether.

The touch-sensitive buttons on the front of the phone respond to a gentle touch with a slight vibration to cue the user that it's responding. To the right and left of the scroll wheel, two soft keys near the top provide quick access to the message and contacts menus. Chocolateers will appreciate the touch-sensitive speakerphone key on the bottom left corner of the phone, a feature sorely missing from the original version. A touch-sensitive clear key on the bottom right corner of the phone enables users to back out of functions without opening the slider. When pressed, the top, bottom, left and right points of the scroll wheel also act as shortcut keys.

On the left side of the phone, users will find the volume up and down keys near the top and a voice activation key and charger port towards the bottom.

The right side of the phone houses a microSD slot, a lock function and a music shortcut key. One of the biggest complaints by users of the new Chocolate is that they have to unlock the phone if a call comes in when it's closed or when a user is on a call, a task that quickly becomes a chore.

The Chocolate's lustrous sheen resembles a piano finish which attracts fingerprints easily and is available in three colors, or rather flavors: Blue Mint, Black or Black Cherry.

Out of the box, the LG Chocolate (VX8550) comes with a standard 800 mAh Li-Ion Battery, AC Charger, Headset Adapter, and User Manual. Verizon also offers a Chocolate "Music Set," featuring additional accessories such as a Stereo Headset, Music Manager Software, USB Cable, and a 4.0 GB microSD memory card and adapters.

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