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One major failing of this handset is that you have no way of expanding the internal memory. Now, there is 128MB of this designated as multimedia storage. This is fairly generous, but it is nowhere near enough for you to consider using the Chocolate KG800 as a substitute for a dedicated music player. At least copying music across is no problem as the handset functions as a USB Mass Storage device, and you get a cable in the box.

The music player supports MP3, AAC and WMA files, and LG has thought about people wanting to use their own headsets. A proprietary connector on the right edge of the casing is shared by mains power, but the cable terminates at a nicely designed remote control with a 3.5mm adaptor on one end.

Additional software includes a calendar, alarm clock, unit converter, support for email, voice recorder, WAP browser, and just one game - a Sudoku variant. All standard stuff.

LG quotes the battery life as 200 hours with three hours 20 minutes of talk. I found myself wanting to charge every couple of days just to be on the safe side, but didn’t use the handset much for mobile music playing simply because its memory couldn’t hold enough tunes for me to make a serious choice while out and about.

Apart from the annoyances I’ve mentioned already consider these: the handset picks up greasy finger marks really easily so you are going to need to do a lot of cleaning.

There is no speakerphone. Now, I don’t use a speakerphone very often, but I do regard it as one of the basics for any handset.

You can’t answer a call with the slider closed. You have to slide up to take incoming calls, and can end them by sliding down.

Verdict

In the end, the Chocolate KG800 is much more style than substance. I found using the touch pad a bit irritating - accidentally pressing its keys when using the handset with the slider open is very annoying. Also, the handset’s amazing ability to pick up grease from my fingers spoils the effort that LG has put into the design.

Ultimately, the KG800 Chocolate is a nice looking phone. It really is. It’s just a bit impractical at times, and short on some important features.

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