Review: LG Chocolate BL40

Phone rating:

In a nutshell: The new LG Chocolate is simply stunning. Looking more than ever like a bar of chocolate, the touchscreen Chocolate BL40 stands out from the iPhone clones with a massive widescreen cinematic display and a uniquely stylish look and feel. It also packs in all the features that you could want, including a 5 megapixel camera, media player, FM radio, GPS and WiFi. Add in 1.1 GB of built-in memory with support for up to 32GB memory cards and the bonus of an FM transmitter, and you appreciate that the phone's beauty is more than just skin deep. Check out the top 10 independent deals for the BL40 below, or click to read the full review and user reviews.

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LG Chocolate BL40 Review

Review: September 2009.

The original Chocolate phone caused a sensation in the phone world. It was a glossy black slide phone with hidden touch-sensitive buttons that glowed red when in use, and was probably the coolest phone of 2006. Fast forward three years. It's 2009 and sliders are oh so 2006. Classic-shaped phones with huge touchscreens displays and fast internet connections are everywhere. It's not a phone any more, it's a portable communications device. Enter the Chocolate version 2 ...

The new LG Chocolate is the fourth in LG's Black Label Series. In a world of near-identical touchscreen slabs, the new Chocolate stands out from the crowd with its unusually long form, enormous display and general air of coolness and mystery. Pick the phone up and hold it. The phone radiates quality with its solid weighty feel and tempered glass screen. With its slender form and sleek piano-black cover with red accents it looks more like a bar of chocolate than ever. Resist the temptation to eat it. Turn the phone on and marvel at the fabulous HD display with its unusual cinematic aspect ratio. It's a bright TFT display with 16 million colours and a monster resolution of 800 x 345 pixels, and measures a full 4 inches diagonally. It comes into its own when viewing HD videos or full screen web pages.

The phone uses the S-Class user interface that appears on LG's other touchscreen phones. In some modes the screen splits into two, providing a dual screen interface, that works very well. In portrait mode a virtual alphanumeric keypad is used for text entry, and when the phone is turned to landscape mode, a full virtual QWERTY keyboard is available. Multi-tap zooming is available when browsing web pages. You can also copy and paste with a single touch. It's an intuitive UI, although not really up to iPhone ease of use. The huge screen should have made for a simple touchscreen interface, but LG have instead used the screen real estate to cram in more features and icons, making the whole thing more confusing than it needs to be. Still, its fun and colourful and shouldn't prevent anyone with half a brain from using the phone.

The Chocolate BL40 is an expensive phone, and when you spend this kind of money it's nice to feel that you're buying more than simply style. Fortunately, the new Chocolate packs in pretty much all of the features that you could ask for. To start with the camera is excellent. It has a 5 megapixel sensor with an LED flash and autofocus. Using the camera is very easy indeed via the touchscreen. It may not have the 8 megapixels of a Cyber-Shot or Nseries phone, but it will take excellent pictures under good lighting conditions, although slightly grainy ones in poor light. Video recording is impressive, with full VGA-resolution recording at 30 frames per second, for good quality videos. You can edit videos with the built-in video editor and view them directly on a TV if you buy the optional TV-Out cable. Video calling is also available.

The music player is excellent, with good sound quality, and there's a 3.5mm headphone jack so can plug in your own headphones, or use a wireless Bluetooth headset. The music player controls are very easy to use and the music player is fully featured. The new Chocolate also comes with an FM radio, and there's the added bonus of an FM transmitter that lets you stream music to a compatible hi-fi system or car stereo. We'll mention here too that the media player supports playback of DivX and Xvid movies.

Other features that you'd expect from a high-end handset such as email support and GPS are also present. The Chocolate may not benefit from a huge range of downloadable apps, but at least it has all the essentials built into the S-Class interface, and you can download Java apps to add to the 7 built-in games. Connectivity is outstanding, with USB, Bluetooth and WiFi present, as well as TV-Out and the FM transmitter. Not only is the phone dual band 3G with HSDPA for fast data downloads of up to 7.2 Mbps, but it also supports quadband GSM making it usable globally.

The memory is excellent too, with 1.1 GB of built-in memory and the option to augment this with a microSD card - cards up to 32GB are supported, providing a huge amount of storage for photos, music and videos. Battery life is surprisingly good. In fact, an ultraslim 3G phone with a huge display is a recipe for abysmal battery life, but in fact the BL40 performs better than a lot of modern high-end phones.

We've been looking forward to reviewing the new Chocolate since it was first announced. Now that it's released, it lives up to our expectations. LG are always pushing into new design territory and the Chocolate BL40 pushes the touchscreen phone into a stunning and original form factor. This is a phone that not only looks amazing, but it feels great to hold and use too. Sure, it's expensive and the user interface isn't as intuitive as it could be, but the combination of looks and features makes this phone really stand out - and in a good way.

Features of the LG Chocolate BL40 include:

• 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• Video camera (VGA, 30 frames/second) with video editor, plus video playback with DivX and Xvid support
• Display: TFT, 16 million colours, WVGA 345 x 800 pixels, 4.01 inches
• Music player (supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, AAC++ and WMA file formats)
• FM radio
• FM transmitter
• Speakerphone
• MP3 ringtones (64 voice polyphonic), vibration alert
• Messaging: SMS, MMS, email
• Java 2.0 games (7 built-in games)
• GPS receiver
• Document viewer
• Memory: 1.1 GB plus microSD slot (supports up to 32GB)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB, WiFi, TV-Out, 3.5mm audio jack
• WAP 2.0, full screen web browser
• Quadband GSM plus dual band 3G (UMTS 900/2100), HSDPA 7.2
• Size: 128 x 51 x 10.9 mm
• Weight: 129g
• Battery standby: 370 - 400 hours
• Talktime: 5 - 6 hours

LG Chocolate BL40 Consumer Reviews

Love your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review this phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!

Average rating from 28 reviews:

Reviewed by Lambo from GB on 29th Jan 2010
fantastic phone, let down by issues. my biggest problem is texting, without the use or predictive the touchscreen is slow and dim-witted i make countless errors and deleting a letter in the middle or a word is painful as the only way is to touch the screen several times in a hope it levels with the right letter to correct your mistake, another as previously mentioned is the phonebook takes an age to find a contact to ring unless you know the first 4 or 5 digits of every number, on the other side though a fantastic phone with gd features and effortless class looks at home in your bedroom as it does in the ritz hotel! internet browsing is easy and videos look fantastic although converting vids to widescreen ratio is nearly impossible. overall a gd phone let down by minor flaws but for me ruin an otherwise perfect phone.
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Reviewed by YumYum from Canada on 27th Jan 2010
Just bought LG BL40. Everything is awesome about this phone. Amazing sound and video. Very user friendly. I have few problems with this phone. 1) should have a memory slot outside the phone (minor problem) 2) little heavy for a phone (but most use headset to talk) 3) battery life is poor, charge almost twice a day (extreme problem) I wish LG comeup with better battery right away for this phone 4) can't get lot of apps (iPhone got tons of apps)
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Reviewed by ndubz rule from GB on 25th Jan 2010
ITS A GOOD PHONE I MEAN WORTH BUYING IT PLZ DOO
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Reviewed by Jack from UK on 20th Jan 2010
AMAZING PHONE THANKS FOR THE REVIEW GUYS I NEVER WOULD OF GOT IT IF IT WERENT FOR THIS REVIEW. CHEERS!!
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Reviewed by James from England on 15th Jan 2010
Initially I was sceptical as it can take a day to tweak to your preferences and get used to the operating system. However once set-up it really does the job, it is easy to navigate the screen graphics are excellent and copying movies/music over is simple. There are nice touches everywhere including camera, music, and dual screen. With regards to battery it may take a couple of charges to get the maximum out of it but for all the bells and whistles it is good. I usually get bored easy of new phones but this certainly is a cut above (barring IPHONE) and you will be rewarded with patience. The interface is not as slow as people have commented in the press yes there is a slight delay but not to the detriment of use. Note that for O2 users the google apps have been replaced with a Yahoo Search and apps like Opera and google maps are not full screen which is the only blemish on what is a great phone. Overall a well built and stylish phone a few gremlins but nothing that can't be fixed if LG release an update.
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Reviewed by Russ from Wales on 31st Dec 2009
Had this phone for a couple of days now. But after owning both Sony and Samsung phones in the past, I have to say the BL40 blows them out of the water. Easy and logical to use and if bought from the Carphone Warehouse you get two films free to show the stunning screens full potential. Yes, it is a bit on the long side, but please don't let that put you off, it really isn't that bad. And as for the battery life........as long as you charge it fully before you start to play with it,you should have no problems. Like I said, I have had it for two day's now and still on the first charge and that's after a lot of playing around. I had the Samsung Tocco before.........Now that did have poor battery life for the size of the phone! Connecting to the Internet was as easy as it get's via my router(WiFi) and the speed......Stunning! Overall if your looking for something a little different and want an item of quality then look no further.
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Reviewed by Andrew from UK on 30th Dec 2009
Best phone I've had - my wife has the Iphone & the BL40 beats it hands down. Especially love the FM transmitter so I can listen to the music from the phone in the car. The video quality playback is stunning so you can watch videos if your away from home. The only gripe I have is that there is not a lot of apps yet so I'm busy searching for them.
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Reviewed by Ali from England on 17th Dec 2009
I got this phone with my contract, as i was due for an upgrade, and I exchanged it with 2 days, as it was the worst fone ive ever had. The battery life doesnt last longer than 8 hours, and its already down to one bar, after i have barely used it all day. the handset is too long to text if you like texting vertical, its too hard to as its too long to reach the top. I hate this phone!! The screen has froze within about 1 hour of getting it, also you have to buy a memory card with the phone if you take alot of photos or video's because it just wont hold many at all, including texts aswell. Wouldnt recommended this phone to anyone at at all. I have only ever had LG phones, and they have all been great. But this is just horrible compared to all the ones ive had.
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Reviewed by Ryan from England on 8th Dec 2009
No doubt about it, this phone is a stunner! It looks beutiful,and the screen is amazing for watching you tube clips (which are streamed perfectly from the super fast web). The only downside is that it is REALLY long. I cold only recomend this phone if you have a carrying alternatenative to a pocket.
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Reviewed by andy from mars on 23rd Nov 2009
neverthought i'd say this, but the screens actually too big, but still, amazing pone though.
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Reviewed by sarah from uk on 15th Nov 2009
this phone is 1st class it has everything a owrking woman needs and anyone else who is also on a go
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Reviewed by JOHN from NORTHERN IRELAND on 10th Nov 2009
IT IS AWSOME THE BEST PHONE I HAVE EVER USED AND THAT IS OUT OF ABOUT TWO HUNDRED
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Reviewed by Dan from Devon on 9th Nov 2009
Further to my comments last month.. i went back the Carphone Warehouse and they changed the battery without any issues. Now I'm gettin 2 or 3 days which is much better (also better than my mates iPhone). I still agree that the main fault with this phone is the size, a case of design over function i suppose. Oh and i'm far too protetive of it.. still using my old Samsung Soul for work!
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Reviewed by Jay from England on 7th Nov 2009
My friend has this phone. It is FAR too long. The features are awesome, but the shape just puts me off. When I was looking after it for him, only half of it fit in my pocket. The camera is awesome, it make your photos look cool and the slide shows are cool.
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Reviewed by Nick from England on 6th Nov 2009
Great phone. My issue is with O2. Why have they taken off the ,supposedly pre-installed by LG, Google applications? Or is it just my phone? Otherwise, I love it. Mind you, I do use an iPod for my music :-) No problems texting at all, and the browser is fine. And it's proper touch sensitive like the i Phone and unlike the Samsungs.
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Reviewed by Chris from England on 3rd Nov 2009
The phone is awesome. Enough said.
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Reviewed by Lizzie from UK on 1st Nov 2009
THIS PHONE IS NOT WORTH GETTING, IT FREEZIS ALOT AND THE TOUCH SCREEN IS REALLY BAD-DONT GET THIS RUBBISH PHONE!!
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Reviewed by Jovis from England on 30th Oct 2009
This phone is HUGE! It's way too long, if you have it in your pocket and sit down I get the feeling it's going to snap! The looks however are fantastic and the widescreen web browser is a hit!
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Reviewed by Nammy from England on 21st Oct 2009
A great phone if you're unconcerned with video quality. Feels really solid and has a great widescreen display totally wasted by the fact that recorded video doesn't display at full widescreen resolution and is in crappy 3gp quality. Why didn't LG stick with the video recording capability of the viewty giving the capability to shoot great quality widescreen - a case of shooting themselves in the foot I suspect. I have small fingers but texting on this phone is infuriatingly slow and awkward and the flash on the camera doesn't work. I like the programmable shortcuts to unlock the phone but if you want to quickly redial well then that's impossible and you have to waste time jumping through hoops - I agree with previous contributors in that the touchscreen is a bit temperamental and another retrograde step is to have the address book not broken down from A-D, E-H etc - it can take ages to access contacts by scrolling down alphabetically and almost as much if you use the infuriatingly slow search function. Although it looks beautiful - just like the monolith from 2001 - user-friendliness is poor and I'm fuming about the video quality having also rejected the Viewty Smart, Arena and GT505 on the same grounds - Can't find a Renoir anywhere so I'm gonna return this and try the Samsung 8910HD instead. (PS - I had no problem connecting to wi-fi with my Orange Livebox - just remember to hit the pairing button"1" on the front of the Livebox before hitting "OK" on the phone and after entering the WEP key with no spaces)
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Reviewed by Dan from England on 18th Oct 2009
I've only had this phone for a few days but I love it. The screen is amazing and makes your photos and videos look awesome. Normally I go for the smallest phone I can find so yes this does feel a bit large, but it still fits into my trouser pocket. I have to admit that the interface isn't as fast as my mates Samsung Jet, but its still quick enough. I'm not keen on the 'drop-down' menu to change words during texting.. but thats down to my fat fingers not the phone! The only issue I do have is the battery life. I am only getting about 36hrs from a full charge. Granted I am playing with the phone all the time so I'll have to see if this improves when I use it normally. What sort of battery life are other people getting? Overall though this is the best phone I've had since my faithful old SE K800i
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Reviewed by Alan from UK on 14th Oct 2009
Had this phone for a couple of days now and am completely taken with it. The touchscreen may be a bit laggy at times but in the main not a problem with it. Loaded a few films and MP3's onto it, all played well. (Adam, try loading your SD card with your music without going thru LG's less than brilliant software, and Ashling, keep the phone .. ditch Orange instead)
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Reviewed by Ashling from UK on 8th Oct 2009
Great phone to look at. Touch screen is a bit tempermental and unfortuntely I cannot get access to our WiFi - on my 2nd phone from Orange within a week and still cannot connect. orange have now said it is uncompatible with LG!!!
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Reviewed by Adam from UK on 6th Oct 2009
Lets not beat around the bush, the main reason to buy this phone is because of the looks, and it does look as stunning as the pics show. If you want a phonee with gizmos then stick to the iphone, hero or n97, the s-class ui is a major drawback, what you get on the phone is more or less all you will ever have. That said its not such a bad phone. The camera is decidely average, the flash is just freaking insane though and close ups in the dark are just impossible because of its power, however its unmatched for lighting up midrange shots. The music to my picky ears is easily on par with the iphone and the included earphones are more than you would expect. I did have a better set of earbuds which really show what the MP3 player is capable of but most people would be more than happy with the standard set. However to get MP3s on to the phone takes way too much fiddling and most people would give up. MP3s greater than 192 kbps simply cannot be copied onto the phone requiring me to reconvert alot of my MP3s, as well as certain tags (track number, album artist, etc) causing the same problem. requiring you to overwrite your tags (use a freeware program like Tagscanner). Organising playlists are also a major pain in the a*se and the LG sync tool is probably the worst I've come across. The end result is great but I'm warning you now its too much unneccesary hassle. The browser is awesome, especially when you have it in landscape, not seen any problems and flash sites work perfectly. General lag people were complaining about is there ever so slightly but not to the level of annoying and the hapctic response (slight vibrate when you perform an action on the screen) makes it easier to live with. There are alot of flaws with the UI though simply in terms of ease of use, theres so many things that could have been made simpler and more intuitive, it can beautiful at times but just as often it seems like its an initial alpha version and nobody bothered to refine it. Battery life is as much as youd expect from the brightest and most vibrant screen I've ever seen, never in danger of running out in a single day but 2-3 days of charge would only come about from less than 30 minutes use. It also fits neatly into all my trousers and jeans and doesn't ever seem to bulky, the small width makes it excellent for one handed use which I dont think is possible with some of the other touchscreen phones, for women however it might not be doable. Would I recommend it? If you're looking to use your phone as a mobile computer thingamijing with loads of apps then no it sucks, if you want an excellent camera then dont bother, if you have any problems with technical stuff and want to transfer any apps/files to your phone then the lg sync program will make you tear your hair out. But if you just want the baddest looking phone that can take decent pictures and has excellent mp3/vid/email/web capabilities and nothing more then go for it. Just accept that you're paying a premium for the cool.
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Reviewed by Richard from UK on 26th Sep 2009
I have just received my BL40. It is without doubt the coolest phone out there - it is much, much more sylish than any of the pics or video's I have been looking at over the last few weeks. I took it to the pub last night and my pals didin't believe it was a phone; when the tried it they flipped and ALL said they have to ahve one!
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Reviewed by soniya from India on 22nd Sep 2009
utstanding. very stylis mobile with more feature and also good luking i m so glad
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Reviewed by big jake from scotland on 22nd Sep 2009
for a phone costing over 400 quid it should have at least a 8 meg camera it is also to long to fit most pockets more suited to girls handbags
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Reviewed by adrian from england on 22nd Sep 2009
The best phone I have ever owned barr none a stunning piece of kit!!
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Reviewed by darren from england on 18th Sep 2009
best phone ever it a little expensive but once you brought it it will be worth it
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You can read more LG Chocolate BL40 reviews at RecommendedBuys UK.

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