LG Versa's a clever device, but it's hardly sleek

Wireless Phones
I don't have much patience these days for phones that drive you into lengthy contracts and force you to use a carrier's own data plans. But I must admit the LG Versa (about $200 from Verizon Wireless, after rebate, and with a two-year contract) is a clever device, with a fine three-inch haptic (or "vibrotactile") touchscreen.

The Versa clips into a leatherette case that doubles as a thumb-keyboard for SMS and e-mail addicts. To use the keyboard, you must hold the phone in your hands.

The case also includes an LCD screen, through which you can check the time and your remaining battery life (among other things) without lifting the lid.

The Versa's case makes it a chunky monkey, a bulky device that reminds me of the 1980s-era phones traveling salesmen would plant in the middle of a restaurant table to impress clients.

(The Versa, of course, would be a 21st century version of this. But in all fairness, it's only about half an inch thick and weighs a bit less than four ounces.)

You can remove the case and clip a thin plastic backing onto the Versa to give the device more of an iPhone feel.

Another iPhone-like feature: The Versa has a built-in accelerometer, so the image on your screen switches between portrait and landscape modes as you change the device's orientation.

The accelerometer makes mobile games, such as those in which you steer a motorbike or a car, a bit more interesting.

The Versa has a 2.0-megapixel camera, a bump up from the still-standard 1.3-megapixels. The phone records up to an hour of video, which you can download to your PC. You can also snag 30 seconds of video to send via e-mail.

The Versa's HMTL Web browser supports Flash, which is critical for viewing video and audio slide shows on many mainstream media websites.

Since the Versa is not a WiFi device, you will need to sign up with one of Verizon's data plans to surf the Web and view Verizon's multimedia programming.

Verizon's plans for the Web and other streaming media services start at $15 per month.

Entertaining

This high-tech wine chiller may burn a hole in your pocket

The device monitors the internal temperatures of uncorked bottles, through wireless sensor probes that double as seals for the vino.

LEDs on the wine cooler alert you when your wine gets too hot or cold.

The new wine cooler holds two bottles.

It cools each one individually, to the temperature you set, in either Celsius or Fahrenheit.

The plug-in machine, which can also run on batteries, takes about a foot of counter space.

If you are merely trying to look the part of a wine snob (I prefer to imbibe with down-to-earth French Canadians, who enjoy their wine without putting on airs), the wine cooler comes programmed with preset temperatures for white and red, and champagne.

The cooler will set you back about $200, however.

That should be no obstacle if your executive bonus check has cleared.

But my wife, Lisa, would remind you that a bucket of ice will do the job well enough.

And it will do it for free.