Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17157 in Cell Phone Accessories
• Color: Black
• Brand: LG
• Model: CU720
• Released on: 2008-05-05

Features

• Quad-band slider phone in black with high-speed 3G network connectivity for multimedia streaming
• Innovative multi-angle vision LCD stays hidden when inactive; brushed stainless steel body
• 2-megapixel camera with video capture; MicroSD expansion; Bluetooth connectivity with music streaming
• Up to 3 hours of talk time, up to 240 hours (10 days) of standby time; measures 3.93 x 1.99 x 0.59 inches (WxHxD)
• Includes: battery, AC adapter, printed user guide

Amazon.com Product Description
Combining glamorous form with advanced multimedia function, the LG Shine is available exclusively from AT&T. It can access AT&T's tri-band HSDPA/UMTS high-speed 3G network, which makes it easy to download music purchased from AT&T Mobile Music, stream tunes from Napster and eMusic, and watch video streamed from CNN and Comedy Central via AT&T's Cellular Video. It also supports AT&T's Video Share service, which offers a one-way video stream during a mobile-to-mobile phone call. This elegantly minimalist slider phone has a unique, reflective mirror finish that activates into a brilliantly colorful LCD screen and a brushed stainless steel housing. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, MicroSD memory card expansion, Bluetooth connectivity for both communication headsets and stereo music streaming, mobile email and instant messaging, and quad-band GSM network capability for global roaming.

AT&T Service

The stylish LG Shine has a brushed stainless steel body that slides up to reveal a backlit keypad.

This AT&T phone can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T's 3G mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas. The AT&T 3G network uses the dual-band UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900 MHz network (also known as WCDMA), making it possible to enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless multimedia services with speeds up to 3.6 Mbps. It also gives AT&T the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services.

In areas where the 3G network is not available, you'll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it's fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go. You'll also enjoy quad-band GSM connectivity, which allows you to make calls in more than 190 countries and access data applications in the more than 135 countries where AT&T offers international data roaming.

With 3G connectivity, you'll be able to access AT&T's Video Share service, which enables you to send a live, one-way video stream to another compatible phone during a standard voice call. The service also allows you to switch the direction of the video stream during the same phone call. (Customers must be in an area served by the company's 3G network and have a Video Share-enabled phone.)

It's packed with multimedia streaming and download capabilities. AT&T's Cellular Video (CV) service features content from CNN, The Weather Channel, iFilm, Comedy Central and exclusive premium content from HBO and much more. And you get access to AT&T Mobile Music, which enables you to buy tracks while on the, access the Napster subscription music service, stream music video, discover what's playing with Music ID song-recognition software, and find out what's hot with The Buzz music news portal.

The handset is XM Radio Mobile-capable, so you can enjoy streaming live digital radio as well. It's also MobiTV capable, which enables you to stream or download video content from providers ranging from MSNBC, ABC News Now, and CNN. MobiRadio lets you listen to more than 50 channels of digital radio. (A MEdia Max subscription bundle is recommended for accessing AT&T's Internet, video, and music services.)

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T's MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

The large 2.2-inch screen is hidden when inactive and offers multi-angle vision technology for easy viewing.

Phone Features
The centerpiece 2.2-inch screen is hidden when inactive, a key feature to save battery life or when keeping a low profile is a must, and it has a 240 x 320-pixel resolution and 262K color support. The multi-angle vision technology enables you to view display contents from all different angles. A five-way navigation joystick and is found just beneath the screen, and it's joined by two softkeys. The top of the phone smoothly slides up to reveal the light blue backlit numeric keypad. The unit's advanced camera lens and flash can be found on the backside, just above the battery cover.

This phone also shines as a mobile digital music player, with compatibility for MP3, WMA, AAC, and AAC+/eAAC+ files, customizable equalizer, playlist creation and management, and large capacity storage via MicroSD memory cards (up to 4 GB in size). Synchronize music from your PC (including music files from online services such as Napster and eMusic) via USB 2.0. The phone also offers USB mass storage capabilities for storing your most important documents and files.

This phone provides Bluetooth version 1.2 wireless connectivity, and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, object push, file transfer, and audio/video remote control. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server. Send contacts, calendar events, and pictures/videos/voice memos wirelessly. The phone stores up to 20 Bluetooth pairings.

The Shine is also great as a digital camera/camcorder, with a 2-megapixel resolution for still images (including five resolution settings ranging from 160 x 120 to 1600 x 1200 pixels). Other imaging features include a 2x zoom, integrated flash, brightness and white balance controls, multi-shot capability, self timer, and an in-phone image editor (for resizing, cropping, rotating, and adding color effects). You can capture video in two resolutions--320 x 240 (QVGA) and 176 x 144 (QCIF)--and the phone can record small files up to 42 seconds for sending via MMS or as long as you have capacity on an optional MicroSD memory card for saving.

In addition to voice calls, text messaging, and MMS capability, the phone is also compatible with mobile email from services including Yahoo!, AOL, Windows Live, AT&T Yahoo!, and BellSouth, as well as instant messaging (IM) from AIM, Windows Live, and Yahoo!. The Shine also comes stock with a built-in web browser for downloads and mobile web browsing via MEdia Net (with WAP 2.0, WML, iHTML, xHTML, and WCSS compatibility). T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for entering text on handsets, is built into the unit--a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

Other features include:

• One-touch speakerphone
• Speaker-independent voice commands
• Voice memo recording (MMS and general modes)
• 10 unique ringtones, vibrate and silent modes, and music ringtone support
• Address Book with 500 contacts--each stores 5 numbers, 2 e-mail addresses, & a picture ID
• Flight mode
• USB charging via PC
• Tools: Alarm Clock, Calendar, Notepad, Calculator, Tip Calculator, World Clock, Tasks, Stop Watch, Unit Converter, Date Finder, D-Day Counter
• Java 2.0 support for application and game downloads

Vital Statistics
The LG Shine weighs 4.28 ounces and measures 3.93 x 1.99 x 0.59 inches. Its 900 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3 hours of talk time, and up to 10 days of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as 850/1900 WCDMA (3G) frequencies.

Customer Reviews

Sleek and Handsome. Good Sound Quality and Reception
Pros:
- Good sound quality.
- Good reception.
- It is a nice sleek looking phone. Really handsome with simple lines and shape. Has a nice feel on your palm. I like the color of my wife's "Shine" even better which is deep red. Mine is silver.
- MicroSD for additional memory.
- Capable to record short videos
- Long battery life (I tested the phone for a week without using the MP3 player and video. It lasted longer than my older phone which has a smaller screen). If you use the phone as an mp3 player, then that is another story.
- Bluetooth, games, calculator, notepad...

Cons:
- The joystick is not quite a joy to use.
- The back of the phone is too scratch prone.
- Keypad has grooves to to help with identifying the keys by touch but it is not as intuitive as a regular keypad. It is difficult for texting.
- Interface is a bit annoying. Got a little learning curve to get used to.
- Heavier than most phones.

Speaker phone is usable but does not sound very exciting. I like the easy slide that has a snap feel of the front cover to expose the keypad. It feels pretty solid.
The camera is OK. Very slow lens, but I am not really expecting much because most cell phones have extremely small lenses to gather enough light. 2 megs of resolution. Surprisingly it is equipped with a flash albeit it is tiny winy and almost next to useless. I am happy that It is big enough leap from my previous phone.

A few 'ifs' but seems a good product.
I replaced a 2 year old Samsung slider with this instrument (necessary after dropping the Samsung into cole slaw--don't ask). It's very similar in size and shape to the Samsung and seems to be of similar construction quality, which is to say, pretty good.

Reception is excellent and I live in a weaker signal area.

My main objections are two. The voice dialing function in the LG is markedly INFERIOR to the Samsung. The old phone almost always recognized my instructions and the internal voice responses were clear and useful. The LG has difficulty recognizing my commands, even after training, and it's internal voice responses are very hard to understand. This may be minor, but after knowing how well the function COULD work, it's a disappointment.

Second annoyance is the scarcity of USB connectors that fit the phone (I ordered one from Amazon that did not fit the connector). Also, it seems, even after you get a USB connection, it will not sync with common computer contact lists such as outlook. This is a major annoyance in this day and age.

One other minor note, compared to the Samsung, the camera, while superior, has an external lens even when the slider is closed. Some may consider this an advantage, but the Samsung's slider covered and thereby protected the lens while it was being jostled in a pocket or out in the weather.

All in all, it's a good choice for a modern slider phone, but has some limitations.

Looks great, but doesnt deliver
I have had the LG Shine for about 2 weeks now. No doubt its a beautiful phone, but it does preform very well.

Cons:
One of my main gripes is the sound, which is too soft. If you're in a quiet room, you arent gonna miss it. But if you're on a bus or engaged in something else, is very easy to not notice a phone call. However, the only time the sound does kick in hard is when you set an alarm.

It just be my phone on this one though, but I noticed that the ear piece volume will go from high to low when talking with people. It would go up and down throughout conversations. It also happened when listing to voice mails. Very annoying. I also had issues with dropped calls. I had full bars and 3G connection, but it wouldnt connect. Phone calls would be immediately dropped when I made them. Turned the phone off, then on, and it worked fine again. Still, annoying.

The phone is also very sluggish. Navigating through menus is fairly quick, but when starting to dial numbers or adjust the volume, you notice a lag between the time you push and the time it finally pops up. After pushing three numbers or using the tactile buttons on the side to increase/decrease the volume, things finally started to pop up. So you can be left wondering if you did actually pushed the button or made a mistake numbers finally start popping up.

The calendar is disappointing and pretty much useless. There is only one alert type for the calendar, and it is a little jungle noise that goes for like 5 seconds. Their will be a alert on the screen, but its nothing more than a picture of a clock bouncing around. It is very easy to miss and wouldnt wake a person up. You are better off using the alarm.

Pros:
There are some great features of the phone that can get a little getting used to though. You cant customized the directional pad settings, they are set to certain tools/functions, but you can customize and assign your own list which is very helpful.

The phone also have a very durable feel to it. It doesnt feel like cheap plastic. It is also a bit heavier, but you wont notice any more drag in your pants.

I also text often, and I like the feature to insert your own words into the dictionary so it pops up when you use T9. So you wont have to switch between when you have to input proper nouns, street names, etc. VERY convenient.

The camera also takes good pictures. Its not gonna be as good as a stand alone digital camera, especially in action shots, but it is decent for quick snap shots.

Again, its a beautiful phone, but it doesnt perform very well. It's decent, but if you are looking for user friendly phone, the shine really isnt the first one to consider.