In Pictures: LG's VX8550 Chocolate Phone

The Chocolate's top level slides up to reveal the phone's keypad. In addition to the standard alpha-numeric keys, LG has added an extra row of buttons--send, camera, and end/power--that were absent in the previous iterations of the Chocolate. The change is a positive one: It puts standard cell phone buttons--send and end--where you'd expect them. However, relocating the power button beneath the slider means that if the phone is off, to use it for other functions--such as playing music--you have to first push up the slider so you can power up.

Call this phone the red M&M to the original Chocolate's brown M&M. The new Chocolate is available in three colors, the original black and what's officially referred to as Black Cherry (pictured here) and Blue Mint. The Black Cherry model is easy on the eyes, with the red color scheme extending even to the buttons beneath the top layer. One oddity: the phone has red LEDs beneath its touch-sensitive front buttons, a less-than-ideal color that makes a poor contrast to the phone's maroon veneer.

The new phone has literally shaved just a bit off its profile. It measures 3.85 by 1.87 by 0.67 inches, as compared with its predecessor's 3.8 by 1.88 by 0.69 inches. Its weight has dropped by about half a gram. On this, the left side, you can see the headphone jack, volume controls, and a button for voice controls. The accessory charger port (at far right) is protected by a sturdily constructed flap.

Here, on the phone's right side, you can see some of the Chocolate's handy controls. The music button (left) takes you directly to the music playback screen. This shortcut only works if the phone is powered on, or in sleep mode. The glider (middle) acts as a no fuss way to lock and unlock the phone's buttons. And at right, you can see the microSD card slot; the slot handles up to 4GB cards, something the original Chocolate couldn't do. The slot is also protected by a sturdy cover.

The new Chocolate still has four capacative touch buttons on front. This model adds a vibration to the phone when you invoke the touch-sensitive controls--a nice feedback touch so you know you've activated a button. Also new: the multidirectional navigation wheel. The mechanical wheel spins around so you can scroll through items; you can also press on the wheel's four points (left, right, up, and down) to navigate through menus.

On the back of the Chocolate, you'll find its speakers. Slide the phone's display up to reveal its 1.3 megapixel camera and camcorder mounted on the back. To activate the camera, you press the new dedicated camera button, located at the top of the keypad. Video recordings can run up to 30 seconds (for sending); for saving, the video's length is limited by your storage capacity.