LG Phone Prada

Slim, sophisticated and very user-friendly, the Prada KE 850 is also completely touch-sensitive, removing the need for a key pad. However, this gem is a little slow on the uptake when it comes to texting.

Prada on the outside, LG on the inside

* LG Prada KE 850 phone
*$1,288
*Get it from all authorised LG dealers

Polished. That's the new LG Prada KE 850 phone. It's shiny, stylish and looks more like an expensive Italian accessory for the haute couture set, than a Korean phone for the office girls.

Polished also because you need to give it a shine all the time to get those fingerprint smudges off. Definitely not for those with sweaty palms.

But not to worry. Your package comes with a cloth - Prada, no less - to wipe away the marks.

The first thing you notice about the packaging is that it looks like a Prada box. In fact, if I were to give it to my wife, she would probably think there was a Prada wallet or a watch inside.

The LG brand is so understated that you would be hard pressed to see it right off. The front of the phone and the supplied leather case carry only the Prada brand. The LG logo is found only at the back of the phone. But open up the battery cover and LG is everywhere. Think of it this way - it's Prada on the outside but LG on the inside.

This featherweight (85g) is so svelte, it is slightly slimmer than a small pack of Virginia Slims. It fits snugly into the topless leather hard case that covers about 90 per cent of the length of the phone. When it comes to design, you can definitely tell that Prada was in charge.

There is no key pad on this phone so everything is controlled through the generous-sized touch screen, which covers almost the entire length of its front panel. The default black and white theme is exceptionally cool and you will see an analogue clock right in the centre of the screen. Touch the clock and the alarm menu flashes before your eyes. Neat.

The user interface is also well-designed, making it easy to get to where you want and to find what you need. For instance, it's easy to manage your calls and SMS logs, search for a contact, and turn on Bluetooth.

The phone comes with nice extras like MP3 player, 2-megapixel camera for stills and video, a voice recorder and an FM Radio. There is GPRS but 3G and Wi-Fi are lacking.

My one gripe is that texting just takes too long because there seems to be a slight pause between every letter entry made on the touch screen.

- By Oo Gin Lee

FINAL SAY

Overall, this is a great phone for the ladies who aspire to be head turners, and who have $1,288to spare. For the guys, try somethinga little more masculine.