Believe it or not, the NEC L1 has features that you don't expect from a phone so small.  This 2.5G, tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900hz) handset has a 1.9 inch 65k TFT color screen (176 x 220 pixel resolution) on the inner fold and a small (96 x 39 pixels) mono OLED display on the outer fold.  Though admittedly it has resolution than the Razr, it is nonetheless brilliant.

The sub-screen with an organic light emitting display is convenient for scrolling text messages, and identifying callers.  A tiny multi-color light on the outside fold of the phone alerts you to missed calls and unread messages, so that you can check your phone without having to unfold it. Unless, of course, you check your phone frequently to get a kick out of the way people react when they see it; the L1 is, indeed, something of a show-stopper---just like the Razr was when it was first introduced.

In addition, it has a 1.3 mega-pixel camera capable of 4x zoom, 2 minutes of video, and adjustable photo size; you can even choose whether the resulting photo is sepia, negative, or normal.  You can personalize the phone by using the MP3 player's 64 chord polyphonic output.  A hands-free speaker is integrated into the phone, although the stylish headphones may preclude the use of this feature.  Interesting note: a cable included with the package allows you to use any headphone as a hands-free set so long as the headphones' pin is compatible.

GPRS, IR and Bluetooth connectivity, SMS, EMS, MMS, e-mail, Java MIDP 2.0, calculator, currency converter, and an organizer keep the phone from becoming purely frivolous.  There are games included with the standard phone, although if you're a serious gamer, you may want to choose a phone with a bigger memory.  This is a fashion phone in every sense of the phrase, after all.

Only trouble is, the phone is so new that personnel at the service centers of the major cellular phone networks weren't sure how to activate GPRS and MMS; hence, these features weren't tested.  Composing MMS messages, though, is quite easy, especially if you already have used an MMS-capable phone in the past.  The phone can recognize MMS messages, and will alert you if someone tries to send you one; although it cannot, without the correct settings, automatically download the MMS.

T9 text input, vibrating alert, and voice dialing are standard features as well.  Wireless Web Browsing is possible via WAP 2.0 (again, an untested feature), and the transfer of data between your PC and the phone can be done via Bluetooth, or the IR port via the NEC software suite included with the phone package.  The interface of this suite is quite easy; simply drag and drop items in the folders you want.  Video transfer is a bit patchy, though; the phone will refuse to process large data, as though protecting its scant memory.  More on that later.

Nokia and Sony Ericsson users won't have a hard time getting used to the phone's interface so long as they can remember where the delete and space keys are.  One little glitch that may keep some users in the dark is that the L1 has English menus but a Chinese file structure.  For example, the folder containing MP3s has a Chinese name.  There appeared to be no way to rename that and similar folders, so the solution was to create new folders, name them in English, then move files there.  That, or get a Chinese friend to read for you.

The base internal memory is 32 MB; although it is not expandable, it's good enough for loading a few cool MP3s for the perfect ring tone.  The problem though is if you have lots of numbers or messages; you'll simply have to choose what to delete: numbers? Photos? MP3s? Wallpapers? Anonymous text threats?  Breathe easy, though; you can input 500 numbers before having to do this.

Reading through your SMS is also easy; the phone has its own message shortcut.  You can scroll back and forth through messages without having to exit to the main screen as you do in most phones.  In addition, you can place shortcuts to frequently used features on the "desktop" or main screen of the L1.

The keypad is ideal for small fingers; this phone isn't likely to be popular with manly men.  Despite its delicate look, NEC assures that the L1 can withstand a fair amount of drops and bumps.  Not that you'd really want to do that now, would you?

Another thing you'll like about the L1 is the very fast response time to commands.  Just don't try hitting the escape button in the middle of a task; it won't obey you.  Also, think hard before sending an angry text message; there is no way to cancel the command once you've hit "send."

The black and silver finish of the L1 adds to its sleek feel.  It's the kind of phone you whip out during a fashion show to shut up the competition, and given that the closest place you can get it is in Hong Kong, the shock and awe factor should last at least six months.

In terms of features, many other cell phones on the market can duplicate the L1's features.  But if you're a fashionista with a taste for flashy phones, then the L1 is for you.  Designed to attract attention, what with its slim body and modernist design, this phone attracted many stares (and even questions) while being road-tested.

At 11.9 mm, 2 mm smaller than the Razr, it's currently the thinnest clamshell phone on the market and has yet to be introduced in the Philippines—making ownership of it the last word in fashionista snobbery (at least until another, skinnier model comes along).