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If you're looking for a stylish phone that can also offer some of the latest technologies and at a high standard… then this is the device you should get. Nevertheless, LG's latest Chocolate is yet again more look than substance; still, it's the most technologically advanced out of the Black Label series. LG's KU580 is the living proof that the Korean company pays attention to customer feedback and tries to improve its firmware. Even if you'll not be able to correct some of the flaws in the older LG mobile phones, at least you'll be able to buy a new one which doesn't have the same bugs over and over again.

LG KU580 was announced in April 2007 as a Vodafone exclusive mobile phone which cannot be bought from another mobile network operator. Even if this considerably limits the phone's market, the latest of the Chocolates will certainly not be overlooked by fans. Chocolate Multimedia can be bought only from Vodafone starting last month for about 400 USD without any plan.

Design

Even if the design of KU580 doesn't go too far from its predecessors, it still has a different look that sets it apart from the entire collection. The same touch-sensitive keys that made the entire Chocolate collection famous is present in the KU580 model, but this time there is no responsive delay to the keys. The handset has a smaller display than other Chocolates, but this is backed by a very good resolution. In fact, everything is smaller compared to the other models of the collection, including the touch-sensitive keys placed right under the screen.



The phone supports video calls, thus you can notice the secondary camera right above the display. If you slide up the handset, you'll notice that LG finally decided to opt for a more stylish etched set of keys that are easy to use. The backlighting of the keys looks reddish and enables users to make calls in dark areas with ease. The touch-sensitive keys include a big 5-way multimedia key, 2 soft keys, the Accept call key and the Back key. I noticed and was disappointed by the lack of an End call key on the front of the phone, which was placed on the right side of the phone instead.

Right near the End call key you'll find a small slot covered by a rubber which can be used to attach headsets or to charge the handset. On the left side of the phone you'll notice the volume key and, a small button that will give you access to the music player as well as the microSD slot card for memory expansion. If you turn the phone you'll be able to notice the 2 Megapixel camera which unfortunately lacks any flash capabilities. Maybe there are too many external controls for such a small device, anyway, it’s better to have those than lower the functionality of the phone.

The glossy black plastic feels warm to the touch, especially after talking more than 10 minutes on the phone. Moreover, it scratches very easily no matter what you do, and that also includes the screen. Almost identical in sizes with older Chocolates (94 x 53 x 16.5 mm), the LG KU580 is the least heavy weighing only 73 grams (battery included), that's almost 20 grams less.

Display and Camera

Even if the Chocolate Multimedia features a smaller display than its older brothers it still supports 262k colors and 320 x 240 pixels resolution. Unfortunately, the low processor doesn't help too much and gaming test scored a little bit lower than Nokia's 8600 Luna, as seen in the screenshots.

There's nothing that could protect the screen and after only a few days of heavy use you'll be unpleasantly surprised to notice how easy it scratches. Brightness of the display assures a good visibility in the sun even in Power Saving Mode. Perhaps LG thought that a smaller sized screen will consume less power and thus will extend the talk time of the slider. Maybe, but why give the phone rich Internet capabilities and shrink the screen? This certainly limits the Web surf experience and makes it difficult for users to visualize Internet pages. Other than that, it's an up-to-date display that will surely amaze the user with its vivid colors and strong brightness.

Menu and Software

Obviously, the menu of the phone has been changed, just like every Chocolate that tastes different. I still prefer the Platinum Chocolate's menu over this one. Users will be able to set the menu in Grid mode or in List mode, but as you can see from the screenshots you won't have the description of every icon unless you put the cursor over it. Anyway, if you previously owned an LG mobile phone this one is not much different.