LG Shine CU720 Phone, Red (AT&T) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I upgraded to this phone nearly 2 months ago, and overall I like it a lot. I have not taken advantage of all the features on this phone, so I will only talk about the things I have experience with: cell-phone quality, camera, and audio/video player ability. There is a silver version available, but I was more partial to red.
First off, the cell phone is sleek and smart looking. The not-too-slim profile fits easily in any standard shirt or pant pocket. The 2.2 inch screen is very generous for a cell phone, and is easier on the eyes when watching videos, surfing the web, etc. You can receive calls without having to open the phone and thankfully the audio quality of the calls is very good.
The 2 mega-pixel camera is good for a cell phone. The pictures taken are crisp and lack the fuzziness that some other cell-phone cameras have. The zoom is not all that great, but certainly it is better than having none. However, when taking pictures, you cannot zoom in when your resolution is set to the highest setting. You can also take pictures on the fly without having to open the phone to access the camera. Good enough for still photographs, but pretty useless for anything fast. Pretty much what I would expect from a cell phone.
I am not that impressed with the video-capturing option, though you can use zoom during filming. My old cell phone was not able to do that.
I am very happy with both the audio/video player functions. With a 4 gig microsd card, you can play a lot of music or videos on the shine with little noticeable skip between different songs/videos. With the ear-buds, music is surprisingly crisp and clear. This can function as a good audio player. You can create folders on the microsd card, which can be similar to playlists.
The video quality was clear in the small portrait view, but suffers in quality when the larger landscape view is used. Although, it is not so bad that you cannot tell what you are looking at. For me, the landscape view quality was adequate (not good or great).
However, what is great is that if you find a good converter for the .gpp video file extension, you can play full length movies fairly well. You can find a .gpp converter for free on the internet.
The skip forward function is useful because it speeds after a little while (good for long video files), but takes some time to get used to because of the joystick navigation.
And speaking of the joystick navigation, it does take time to become proficient in it. But it does not detract from using the phone at all.
There are two negative things about this phone that I want to mention which prevent me from giving it 5 stars:
I can see how this phone would not be a good text-messenger phone, since the keys seem a little squished and can be difficult for people with big fingers.
While I like this feature a lot, it can be argued that the landscape video quality is poor.
I wanted a phone that could play music and videos, have expandable storage capacity, and looks good. The LG Shine fits the bill very well.


Click Here to see more reviews about: LG Shine CU720 Phone, Red (AT&T)

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 ServiceThis 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.
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.

Click here for more information about LG Shine CU720 Phone, Red (AT&T)