LG didn't release any major new phones at CTIA, but they did update some of their Windows Mobile offerings with the new Windows Mobile 6.5 interface. Plus, we got our hands on some of the stylish new phones LG is offering on U.S. Cellular and MetroPCS, two of the second-tier U.S. cellular carriers.
LG GM730, LG GM550, to customize or not to customize WinMo
 The touchscreen LG GM730 and the decidedly non-touch LG GM550 couldn't be more opposite on the Windows Mobile spectrum. The LG GM730 is an all-touch phone. Though the tablet runs Windows Mobile 6.5, with it's polished new interface, LG has also installed their high-end S-class interface on top of WinMo. The model we handled at Microsoft's Windows Phone booth at the Fall CTIA 2009 show was stuck on the Windows look, but we saw a few of LG's S-class phones at the Spring CTIA 2009 show. It's an impressive look, competitive with Samsung's TouchWiz interface design.
 On the other hand, the LG GM550 uses the non-touch version of the Windows Mobile 6.5 software, but the interface design is almost completely unchanged. However, there's built-in support for the Windows Marketplace for Mobile app store, and the phone can also backup using the MyPhone software. In our hands-on time with the LG GM550, we liked the keyboard on this phone. It was snappy and comfortable for typing. Just stiff enough to give us a responsive click. Otherwise, the hardware was completely unremarkable, like numerous other Windows Mobile phones on the market.
LG Tritan, a touchscreen phone with a hidden agenda
 The LG Tritan is available already on U.S. Cellular and Alltel, and this was our first chance to check out this phone in person. The phone is designed like the T-Mobile G1. The screen slides out, but leaves behind a small, jutting chin with the phone's main button controls. There's even a joystick in the corner of the lower ridge, and in our hands-on time with the LG Tritan, we found the joystick to be smooth and responsive, and the phone on the whole was attractive and easy to navigate. The menu designs are straight from LG's stable, and the icons and tabbed menus are attractive and colorful.
The large screen on the LG Tritan is also touch sensitive. The phone isn't running a traditional smartphone OS, but it still has a nice mix of mid-range features. There's a 3-megapixel camera with auto focus. The phone uses 3G, EV-DO networking, and comes loaded with a Web browser that can handle Flash Lite support for basic video playback inline with full-HTML Web pages. At the moment, the Tritan isn't available on one of the 2 larger CDMA carriers, but that doesn't mean Sprint or Verizon Wireless couldn't pick this one up in the future.
LG Bliss, LG Lyric, smaller carriers get all the cute phones
If you missed the LG Bliss and the LG Lyric when they were launched this summer, you'd be forgiven. The LG Lyric is slowly making its way to MetroPCS, while the LG Bliss is now available only on U.S. Cellular. Neither carrier gets much attention for their exclusive phones, but when we saw the Lyric and the Bliss at the Fall CTIA 2009 show in San Diego, we thought they deserved a look.
 The LG Lyric is a stylish, fit and trim slider phone. It has some light effects, and a shiny, metallic shell. The feature set is pretty basic, including a 2-megapixel camera, a small, 2-inch, QVGA display and 3G, EV-DO networking. Otherwise, the feature set is fairly basic, with a media player and stereo Bluetooth, but nothing too advanced beyond the style.
 The touchscreen LG Bliss is similarly light on features, but it's also a fairly inexpensive tablet phone. The 3-inch touchscreen display uses a proprietary LG interface, so this isn't a smartphone running Windows Mobile. It seems more like it competes with the Samsung Highlight on T-Mobile. But the LG Bliss has a great, striking design, polished and fun. The phone is banded with a shiny, mirrored bumper. With its thin shell and eye-catching shine, the LG Bliss should appeal to the younger crowd looking for a feature-rich phone without smartphone complications.
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