The LG Shine personifies its name perfectly. Not only does it shine, it positively gleams. It has a lovely polished-metal exterior and a downright sparkling mirror-finish display that exudes luxury and sophistication. In fact, you can use the display as a small compact mirror when the phone is in standby mode. Measuring 3.93 inches tall by 1.99 inches wide by 0.59 inch thick and weighing about 4.23 ounces, the Shine has a solid stainless steel body that makes it feel very sturdy in the hand. The Shine’s slider mechanism feels solid as well, requiring a firm push so it can slide smoothly. Similarly to the KE970, however, we do wish there was some kind of thumb grip near the phone’s chin to make it easier to slide open–as it is, our fingers often slipped on the phone’s glossy surface instead.

LG has made a name for their fashionable handsets. The appearance of the original LG Chocolate took the mobile market by storm. The next high-end mobiles by the manufacturer tried to retain the “wow” factor while in the same time developing the functionality more and more. The LG KE970 Shine really shined in our hands and in the eyes of all the people around us as it provoked deep interest and fascination. Well, we liked the device at first glance and we were more than hesitant to explore its capabilities.

Before we start with our review, let us just mention that the Shine has a 3G-enabled twin brother – the LG KU970 Shine. They are real twins but only as far as looks are involved. As it turned out the two handsets are totally different devices when it comes to user interface, hardware used and features implemented. Today we will start by reviewing the KE970 but expect our GSMArena review on KU970 within a week.

The phone comes with a built in music player which supports all popular music formats including MP3 format & provides high quality sound. The user can download their favourite tunes which can be played out loud as a ringtone or listened to thorough the headphones for a private listening experience. The LG KE970 Shine comes with all the organiser features the user will desire including a calendar, calculator, alarm clock, stopwatch & an easy to manage phone book. The user can play the preloaded Java™ games or download more games to suit their gaming requirements.

The LG KE970 comes with a built in Internet browser which the user can access from the phones main menu. The user can access the WAP Internet browser & enjoy a mobile Internet experience on the their mobile phone. The LG KE970 Shine comes with Bluetooth® Technology which allows the user to enjoy a wireless connection between their LG KE970 Shine & any Bluetooth® compatible device including a wireless headset. The phone comes with a USB connection which allows the user to connect their phone to their home or office PC using a USB cable which makes transferring file easily for the user. The user can use their phone in Europe & the majority of the USA as the LG KE970 Shine comes with tri band technology which works over GSM 900, GSM 1800 & GSM 1900. The phone will automatically switch better GSM network bands without the user knowing.