After reporting that the FCC has approved the LG CU500 for Cingular, the handset has finally been launched. The handset is the first of two HSDPA handsets that Cingular plans on launching. The HSDPA 3G standard is comparable in speed to EV-DO and is up to 5x faster than UMTS, which is used by Cingular's original 3G handsets.

The main phone features are as follows:

• Camera phone with 3x digital zoom
• Downloadable polyphonic/full-audio ringtones, graphics & games
• Mobile instant messaging using AOL®, Yahoo!® and ICQ® Instant Messenger
• Speakerphone to allow for a truly hands-free conversation
  Java 2.0 support for applications and games

• External caller ID LCD with color filter
  Operates on 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS systems
• Voice activated dialing & recorder
• Multimedia messaging - send text, pictures and sound
  Calendar with scheduler, alarm clock and memo
  Calculator, world clock, unit converter and tip calculator
  Color screen

The specifications are as follows:

• Weight: 3.40 ounces
• Dimensions: 3.49 x 1.81 x 0.96 inches
• Battery: LiIon 1000 mAh
• Technology: 850/1800/1900 MHz tri-band GPRS class 10
• Talk Time: Up to 3 hours
• Standby Time: Up to 10 days
• Warranty: 1 yr on the phone and accessories
• All talk, data and standby times are approximate and depend on network configuration