The scoop: The LG Chocolate phone (model VX8500), by LG with Verizon Wireless service, about $150 (after $50 rebate and two-year agreement).

What it is: A heavily hyped mobile phone, the Chocolate has many multimedia features (music player, video downloads, 1.3-megapixel digital camera) in addition to normal cell phone features. The phone is designed as a slider, which means the keypad slides out from under the phone, rather than as a clamshell, which you have to flip up like a "Star Trek" communicator to open.

Features include a microSD card slot with support for cards as large as 2GB, a GPS radio that supports Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator driving-directions service, and Bluetooth (for listening to music or talking on the phone wirelessly).

Why it's cool: Finally, a cell phone arrives in the Cool Tools office that comes with a number of features I've been looking for in a single device, such as access to an evolution data optimized (EV-DO) high-speed network (sorry folks, Verizon Wireless does have the best network coverage in New England); Bluetooth support (until recently Verizon Wireless has been notorious for waiting on Bluetooth support); a decent digital camera (1.3 megapixels, while not perfect, is passable for camera phone-type images); MP3 music player and GPS support. Having a GPS application on the cell phone rivals stand-alone GPS devices that can cost $500 to $800 - the VZ Navigator service costs $10 per month, or you can pay $2.99 for 24 hours (if you don't travel as much). Even after a couple of years with that service, you won't have paid as much as you would have for a GPS device.

The phone's EV-DO network allows fast downloads of music and video files through the VCAST service - but you're not required to use it. The microSD card slot is very cool, and the card (sold separately) comes with an adapter that fits into a standard SD card for music and photo file transfers. The Chocolate phone might not replace an iPod as your primary music player, but it can be a good alternative (2GB holds a lot of songs) if you don't own an iPod at the moment.