Don't want to be caught dead with a phone straight out of the eighties? Slim is in, and as one might expect there's plenty of choice - here are our favourites from CeBIT 2006.
LG KG320
 Rarely have we seen a slim phone which leaves such an admirable first impression. The elegantly designed KG320 is the first handset which doesn't compromise on ergonomics in order to achieve a slimmer form factor, resulting in the inclusion of a high-quality keypad and an excellent display in a wafer-thin form factor. Advanced functionality is expectedly absent, although Bluetooth and USB 1.1 support makes for decent connectivity - for as long as its modestly sized battery will last. Due out in May 2006, it even includes the obligatory useless music player.
BenQ-Siemens EL71
 The one that gets the basics right, the tri-band GSM/EDGE EL71 is BenQ-Siemens' slider alibi and impresses with a sizzlingly sharp high-resolution display, comfortable keypad and good looks courtesy of an aluminum-magnesium casing. It's a little short on multimedia functionality with its 1.3 Megapixel camera, but does well in the music department - all at 16.5 mm thick and equipped with Bluetooth and a microSD memory card slot for expansion.
Samsung SGH-E900
 Sporting an impressive high-resolution screen and similarly sharp looks, the Samsung SGH-E900 makes a lasting first impression - which quickly takes a turn for the worse upon closer inspection. One of Samsung's dime-a-dozen models, its stand-out feature is the slick-looking touch-sensitive keys which surround the navigational pad and are flush with the screen bezel; unfortunately, they are severely prone to accidental activation and as such represent a royal pain in the arse. In contrast, the numerical keypad is excellent, while Bluetooth and a 2 Megapixel camera contribute to pulling up the average score of this slider.
Samsung SGH-P300
 Unbelievably small, the SGH-P300 is a masterpiece of engineering. Thin and lightweight, it manages to cram a 1.3 Megapixel camera, Bluetooth and a striking OLED screen into a credit card size package - but in the process sacrifices usability at the altar of small. In fact, the SGH-P300 feels quite like one of those pocket calculators of yore, and even its petite size cannot hide the fact that it's a rather unattractive handset which is likely to offer very poor battery life indeed. More...
Motorola RAZR V3i
 Once the leader of the slim pack, Motorola's RAZR series is now under fire from all angles and struggles to maintain its allure in an increasingly crowded market. Beyond its unarguably good looks and a good display, it falters with regard to general usability and a poorly designed user interface, leading to a less than favourable impression from otherwise interesting capabilities such as its 1.3 Megapixel camera and iTunes compatible music player. Still, 3G performance is first-rate, even though its browser is woefully incapable of exploiting this benefit. More...
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