LG Chocolate 3 Piggybacks On iPhone Publicity Wave

Now that iPhone mania is sweeping the globe, LG has launched the Chocolate 3. It's not coincidental that the new Chocolate was released alongside the iPhone; if anything, it's a sneaky move on LG's part to ride the media and advertising wave set in motion by Apple.

With all the hubub about the pros and cons of the new 3G, the Chocolate 3 is poised to get some of the limelight. The mp3 Chocolate phone is offered exclusively with Verizon wireless and connects to Rhapsody's subscription music service. Complete with a 2- megapixel camera, the Chocolate 3 will be priced at $179.99, with a two-year contract with the wireless provider. The price makes it twenty bucks cheaper than the iPhone for the same contract duration. (Source: pmptoday.com)

In addition to its basic features, the LG also features an "FM receiver and stereo speakers and comes with a microSD memory card that can store up to 8GB of data." For an additional $3.99/month, subscribers can also opt for the GPS package, which will allow users to "share their location and status messages, send proximity-based messages and view geo-tagged photos and content on-the-go. The location of users is updated every 15 minutes". Not bad for under $200. (Source: efluxmedia.com)

Unfortunately for LG, the iPhone already comes equipped with GPS and has a much bigger display area on which to view maps (3.5 inches compared to LG's 2.1). Nor does it have a web browser, something iPhone customers are chomping at the bit for, especially with the launch of the new Apple App Store.

For consumers who want fewer gizmos or can't imagine navigating the touch-screen function on the iPhone, the LG may be a viable alternative.