I've always been very happy with my LG-manufactured phones (been through three of them), though I've not used the one you link to. Most everyone else I know that has an LG phone feels the same.

I have always had Nokia (other than one of the early Motorola brick phones).

What use is bluetooth? It's an honest question. I am also with cingular and can upgrade next month so I am considering if I need to.

I have no use for bluetooth, either. I was thinking about those because cnet rates them very highly and they both have cameras that take near-real-camera-quality pics.

With one disastrous exception, I have always bought Nokia phones and have yet to have a bad one (currently have this one). Bluetooth is useful if you want to use either a wireless headset or a car kit but not much use otherwise, as far as I can see.

Here's what my experience with Bluetooth/voice recognition is like.

Why would anyone want a wireless headset? they're REDICULOUS!!.

I had that Samsung for about 4 hours. I actually liked the size and feel of it, and the UI was an improvement from my RAZR. But, I had to return it for two reasons: 1) it's not supported by iSync for Mac and I didn't care to bother with any work-arounds; 2) the exterior LCD screen is infuriating. I want to be able to press the button on the side and see the time and/or any missed calls immediately. The Samsung makes you hold the button for what seems like forever (2 seconds) then it forces you to launch the stupid music player. Totally worthless.

I returned the Samsung and got a Sony-Ericsson w810i, which is okay, but I'm not a big fan of the candy-bar layout and the text-messaging speed-typing software sucks. But, it syncs with my Mac, which the important thing.

mullacc, would you have kept it if it wasn't for the Mac compatibility?

kellydamnit: Good question. The exterior screen really bugged the crap out of me, but I really did like the shape/feel of it and the reception was pretty good. I probably would have kept it. I think there is a similar model without the music functionality, but I'm not positive--have you looked into that?

I take it back about the other model...I think I was confusing it with something else.

I'm with Cingular, and had an LG phone in Atlanta, where it worked pretty well, but when I moved to Jacksonville, it was worthless on the Cingular network. As in, wouldn't find network signal most of the time, couldn't make calls from my house at all, dropped more than 1/2 the calls it did connect. I talked to the Cingular people, and they said it was definitely the phone. They recommended Nokia, and offered me the $20 contract deal, with a 30 day no risk cancellation.

The Nokia has worked flawlessly.

Follow up question, since I know my reception will be fine with most any phone (I live downtown, so towers aplenty, most of my friends have Cingular, none have problems with reception in/around my apartment).
What's the best mid-range camera phone out there?

I got the Sony w810i last month. Other than smallish buttons easily the best phone I've ever had. Camera has a flash, which is good. Mac compatible.

I use the Opera Mini browser with it so I always have Wikipedia in my pocket, and check out Mefi when I'm bored.

So I went to Radio Shack today to look at phones in person. Unimpressed with the Sync.
I looked at the CU500, and then the girl working said "you came in wearing an mp3 player, did you plan on getting rid of it for an mp3 phone?" I said I wasn't, so she pointed me towards the CU400, which is similar, but without as many music features. It also has a vga camera, which I'm still iffy on, instead of megapixel, but it does have a flash, which I wanted and had trouble finding in megapixel camera phones (odd, no?).
And, instead of being $100 with $50 off on a mail in rebate... it was free.

So, I have a month to decide if I want to keep it or not. So far I dig it.