How did we not get this one from Shiny Shiny? LG's new VX8700 phone, now available from Verizon, is one sweet slice of glowing cellular goodness. Definitley based on the company's Shine phone, the slim clamshell (just half an inch thick) has a metallic finish that says, "don't look at me — I'll blind you." Bluetooth, access to Verizon's VCast for music and video, and a 2-megapixel camera all come standard. On the data side, the EV-DO connectivity lets you surf the Web at high speed while a microSD card slot is there if you want some more memory for songs and stuff.

And now the bad news: The phone costs $180, and that's after a $50 online rebate and submitting to a 2-year servitude agreement with Verizon. That's still way better than the iPhone, though, and if you're going to sign you life away anyway, you may as well shack up with a phone that turns you on. — Peter Pachal

Verizon, via Engadget