Call it the Verizon Shine, since the LG VX8700 is a member of LG's Shine Black Label Series of phones. That's right, the GSM, mirrored KE970 Shine isn't alone, there are actually 5 phones in the series, with the Korean version of the phone we're reviewing and our own as the only CDMA members (CDMA is the network type used by Verizon and Sprint). The Moto RAZR started the fashion trend, and this year is all about looks for phones. While the original RAZR was feature-poor, the LG VX8700 delivers with a good but not overwhelming feature set, which means we get the good stuff, but not so many features that the device becomes confusing and overly expensive.


Though at intro, the VX8700 isn't cheap (Verizon's hot new phones usually fetch a good price), it's not a bad deal at $179 direct from Verizon's web site. After all, the phone has Bluetooth 2.0, a good 2 megapixel camera, a music player, microSD card slot and a stainless steel body. Think of it as the next step up in style, casing durability and camera quality from the already good LG VX8600.

The brushed stainless steel LG VX8700 is incredibly attractive. Not one to fall for good looks easily, every time I spied it sitting on my desk I remarked out loud that was one nice looking phone (my poor co-workers grew tired of this by day two ). Generally, the prettier they are, the more they show fingerprints. The VX8700 has an advantage over piano black and mirrored fashion phones, it shows fingerprints less. That's less-- you'll still find yourself polishing off the prints from time to time, though mostly off the back and outer display. Verizon and LG include a nice micro-fiber-like slip case that does double duty to polish the phone.

Metal phones feel solid and the 3.77 ounce LG is no exception: it manages to feel reasonably light but seriously sturdy. To be clear, the front and back panels are brushed metal while the bottom cap and keypad surround are plastic. The keypad and d-pad are made from one piece of flat metal like the RAZR not the best for tactile feedback or ease of use, but great for looks and keeping the phone thin. Shallow lines between the keys and depressed numerals give a slight clue as to where your finger is, and the 5 is raised to help home yourself on the keypad. The keys are evenly backlit in white, and are easy on the eyes. The phone is a bit narrower than the RAZR (but not as narrow as the KRZR) which makes for a good fit in average hands. The flip hinge is stiff and sturdy and the battery latch is easy to operate.

Source:http://www.mobiletechreview.com/phones/LG-VX8700.html