LG Shine

Shine Sports Form Over Function, But Offers Crisp Optics

You wouldn't expect some mail-order bride to manage your investment portfolio. So if you're cool with form over function, this pretty stainless-steel slider is a safe bet. The 2-megapixel camera snapped surprisingly clear pics, thanks to high-quality optics — you can even use the mirrored display to check for errant nose hairs beforehand. In short, the LG Shine is the sharpest tool in a drawer of ... well, spoons.

WIRED Crisp photos at up to 1,600 x 1,200 pixels. Feels solid, comfy in hand. 3G! Main nav joystick translates well to games like Pac-Man and Tetris. Always-on flash good for dimly lit close-ups.

TIRED No 3.5-mm headphone jack. Grainy video clips limited to 42 seconds. Joystick (oy stick!) can be hypersensitive. Heavy at 4.2 ounces. A faux-Razr keypad in 2008?

Motorola Moto Z10 $500
This slick, media-centric slider curves to your face and has a nice 3.2-MP camera. But its OS is harder to penetrate than Falken's Maze.

Sanyo Katana LX $250
Beneath that lustrous LCD-laced indigo shell lurk a pixelated display and sluggish OS. Pass.

Nokia 6205 $240
A chintzy case with V Cast-handcuffed media, 1.3-megapixel camera, and a Dark Knight decal? Jokers!

• Service Provider: AT&T;
• Camera Resolution: 1 to 3 megapixels
• Manufacturer: LG
• Price: $275 as tested