AT&T has recently introduced their new LG Shine™, a stylish multimedia device offered exclusively through AT&T. This is one of several phones offered that feature Windows Mobile 6 as an operating system. The LG Shine has a brushed metal red exterior with a glossy 2.2-inch mirror LCD screen. The Shine supports playback of both video and music (MP3, WMA and AAC) and features Bluetooth®1.2 connectivity. The built-in 2-megapixel camera not only takes pictures, but can also record video clips. The phone has 70MB of internal memory and includes a microSD™ memory port for up to 4 GB of additional capacity for music photos and video clips. The Shine has a solid feel, but is not too heavy. The top of the phone is designed to slide up to expose the keypad on the bottom. The sliding action is smooth and snaps into the open or closed position. The exposed keys illuminate, making it easy to see in poorly lit environments. Closing the top locks the keys to prevent inadvertent button pushes. The 5-way joystick is surrounded by two (soft) keys on the top of the phone. The LG Shine is also available in a more subtle silver exterior.

Camera & Video
The built-in digital camera is capable of taking high resolution still photos (1600x1200, 1280x960, 640x480, 320x240, or 160x120) or video clips. Digital zooming for still photos is possible with all but the two highest resolution modes. A built-in flash can be turned on to illuminate dark areas. Users can also adjust White Balance and Color Effects (Color, Sepia, Mono, and Negative). Video clips can be captured in resolutions of 320x240 or 176x144 with full digital zoom capabilities. Primary memory storage can be assigned to the Handset or the installed Memory Card (MicroSD). We placed a 1GB Kingston MicroSD card into the phone during our testing. This provided ample storage for the media we captured.

USB Interface
The Shine can be connected to a PC for file transfers from a compatible PC to the memory in the phone using the Mass Storage mode. When you connect the phone to a PC using the USB cable, the phone memory will be displayed as a removable drive with full drag and drop capability.

Performance
The Shine has a great look and is stylish. Text is easy to read and the graphics looked fantastic. Unfortunately the joystick was a bit difficult for me to master and there were many instances when upon moving the joystick laterally, a button press was inadvertently detected. This made it more error prone when making calls and E-mailing. The keypad was also prone to entry errors due to the way the keys are designed. Those issues aside, the user interface was intuitive and user friendly. Phone calls sounded good and the one-button speaker phone came in handy. The phone also worked in areas where my Verizon RAZR V3m let me down.

Conclusion
The LG Shine offered by AT&T is a great looking mobile media device. The punchy LCD screen looks great and provides users with a wide viewing angle. The sliding top makes the compact phone more usable during calls and is a nice alternative to the standard flip-phone. The build quality was excellent with the metal finish and solid chassis design. Customers can choose between two colors (red or silver) options. The shine performed very well for us during our review period with no major complaints other than those mentioned. Currently AT&T is offering the LG Shine for $99.99 with a 2-year contract and the $50 mail-in rebate.

- Kevin Nakano

• Elegant Full Metal Body
• Unique 2.2” Wide Mirror LCD
• Music Player with Customizable Equalizer
• 2.0 Megapixel Camera with Video
• Video Share
• Bluetooth® Capability for Music and Voice
• CV over 3G Network
• Messaging: Mobile E-mail, IM, & MMS

• Elegant, Slider Design with Durable Stainless Steel Body
• Mesmerizing 2.2” Wide Mirror LCD
• Multi-Angle Vision Technology – view display contents from all different angles
• Auto Key Lock – prevents unwanted key actions
• 5-Way Navigation Joystick
• Unobtrusive Internal Antenna

• Music Player for MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+/eAAC+
• Customizable Equalizer & Visualization
• Sync Music from PC to Phone (Napster® & eMusic)*
• Create & Manage Playlists
• AT&T Music – music services, communities, & apps†
• MusicID – music recognition service†
• MobiTV & XM Radio – streaming live TV & digital radio†
• Billboard Mobile – music news, ringtone catalog†
• CV – fast, on-demand access to video clips†
• microSD™ Memory Port with 4GB Support*
• USB Mass Storage – transfer files between phone & PC*

*Transferring music to phone requires a USB cable and a microSD card (sold separately).

• Supported Profiles: headset, hands-free, dial-up networking, advanced audio distribution (stereo), object push, file transfer, A/V remote control
• Save up to 20 Bluetooth Pairings
• Bluetooth Stereo Headset Support for Music
• Send Contacts, Calendar Events, & User-Generated Pictures/Videos/Voice Memos via Bluetooth

• 2.0 Megapixel Camera & Camcorder with Flash
• Landscape Viewfinder Usage for Real Camera Feel
• Camera Resolutions: 1600x1200*, 1280x960, 640x480, 320x240, 160x120 Pixels
• Video Resolutions: 320x240, 176x144* Pixels
• Video Record Modes: MMS (up to 42 sec.)* & General
• Zoom: Up to 2x**
• Customizable Shutter Tones, Brightness1, White Balance1, Color Effects1, Quality1, Multishot**, Self-Timer
• Image Editor – resize, crop, color effect, & rotate
• Mirror for Self-Portrait Capability

• One-Touch Speakerphone
• Speaker-Independent Voice Commands
• Voice Memo Recording (MMS & General Modes)
• 10 Unique Ringtones + Vibrate & Silent Modes
• Music Ringtone Support (clips from hit songs)†
• TTY/TDD Support

• Mobile Email – Yahoo!®, AOL®, AIM®, Windows Live™, AT&T Yahoo!®, & BellSouth Accounts†
• Text/Picture/Video Messaging†
• Instant Messaging – AIM®, Windows Live™, Y! Messenger®†
• MEdia™ Net – faster with 3G†
• Java™ 2.0 Support for App & Game Downloads†