Shiny Review: Elle No. 3 Glamphone

This is definitely a Marmite phone. For some, the fashion-focussed features will be precisely what they're looking for; for others that'll be the biggest turn-off.

The Alcatel-manufactured Glamphone actually offers reasonable standard features. There's a still / video 1.3 megapixel camera, a media player that benefits from the microSD card slot expansion and Bluetooth. Elle is keen to create hype around the accessories, too, with ads for the Bluetooth Jewel (a metal magnetic headset pendant that means you can wear your Bluetooth like jewellery) splashed all over the packaging.

Colour is a major part of what the Elle Glamphone is all about. It's available in plain white, that sulphurous green that Lily Allen made prom dresses in, a rich purple and the watermelon red-pink that I suspect is the most attractive of all. The phones come laden with themes in all these colours which can be installed and customised. The menus are glittering, shimmering animated works of migraine art that will either make you completely fall in love with this phone or drop it in bewilderment. Everything is accompanied by a "ding", "ping" or similar tune, so be prepared to locate the "silent" setting quickly. The screen is also not the clearest, most attractive resolution I've ever encountered, although I'd say it's still completely usable.

Layout-wise, this is a sensible and easy-to-use phone. It's a slim, easily pocketed slider with an attractive metal keypad, and when shut you have access to the round central menu control, two side buttons and dedicated buttons for media player. It's just as well nothing happens if you press these buttons when not in player mode cos if you're being a moron like I was, you'll keep accidentally pressing these instead of OK and Cancel for the first day or so.

The basic features are all as they should be, with the camera offering very decent quality snaps and all media easily accessed.

When I received the phone, it was new out of the box and the battery had never been charged. It subsequently took twenty minutes for the phone to recognise the charger, and a further ten minutes of charging before I could turn it on. Checking the instructions I was somewhat perturbed to see that that lack of recognition can happen whenever your battery is completely empty (something I let happen far too often). To have to wait that long just to begin charging - and then not to be able to use the phone while it's plugged in for even longer - seems unnecessary and I've not come across it with any other handsets I've reviewed recently.

This phone wears its fashion credentials on its sleeve; it's all about having a colourful phone with pretty accessories, so if that's your main requirement (and why not? You might, after all, not want to do anything more exciting than make calls and write a few texts) you'll be getting a reasonably good phone. If you're looking for fashion and the height of technology, however, keep looking. There'll be a video review along in a few days, and in the meantime you can check out the website for more details.