Alltel announces the LG AX8600

LG AX8600 in marine blue

(Credit: LG)

Alltel has just announced the latest addition to its lineup, a sexy music flip phone it has dubbed the LG AX8600. The phone is almost identical to its Verizon counterpart, the LG VX8600, except that the LG AX8600 comes in marine blue, shimmering gold, and apple green. Most of the features remain the same: a 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder, a microSD card slot, EV-DO support, a music player with MP3 and AAC formats, a customizable equalizer, external music player controls, and stereo Bluetooth. Replacing Verizon's V Cast and V Cast Music is Alltel's own Axcess TV application with the ability to stream satellite radio via XM Radio Mobile. The AX8600 also features Alltel's innovative Celltop technology that consists of interactive "cells" on the phone's display that provide easy-to-access shortcuts (You can read more about the Celltop technology in our review of the Samsung SCH-u520.) The LG AX8600 is available from Alltel for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate.