Live shots of the NEC L1

Man, it is such a cliché, but thin is definitely way in right now, at least as evidenced by these live shots PConline.com.cn has of NEC's superskinny new L1 cellphone.

P.S. - And, no, it's still not coming out over here.

[Via Slashphone]

[Patrick Bennett @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Thin may be in, but that phone looks pretty damn ugly. The keypad and the weird, big space above the inner display appear as key offenders. It's one thing to chase the RAZR on thickness, but no one seems to be coming close when it comes to a sleak awe-inspiring design.

[Cutter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

UGLY

[Wolfe @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

UGLY!

[Hajo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

dudes.. it's about functionality.
plus i don't find it ugly.

as long as it doesn't crash twice a day like my s65 does and lasts longer than 4 days on battery it's fine for me.

[Daniel Ross @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

BUT SKINNY!

[mikesf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Reminds me of my Sony Clie NR70!!!

[flip @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

friggen ugly

[binaryc @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

it's like paris hilton

[TC @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Why do all these thin phones look so cheap and plasticky? I liked the look of the RAZR until I saw someone demonstrating it in the shop. It would be nice if either of these phones were redesigned by a company who spends (too much) on their design department (apple,sony,etc) to make it look as expensive as it is.
Interestingly the keypad on that NEC looks a bit like a cool thin upside-down ipod, so maybe apple needs to learn design from NEC! (maybe not)

[Dereck @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

No... it's not about functionality.

It's about looks. Seriously, when buying a cellphone, looks/size usually have a bigger factor among most consumers, aside from carrier.

This looks incredibly outdated imo, and rather... flimsy. I thought the Razr looked great in ads and on commercials, but when I actually saw it in store... I thought this must be a joke, or some sort of toy display... but no, it was a real phone. I just don't get the new slim style, what's the point when it's so wide? It's not even comfortable to use...

[Fahad Fateh @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

RAZR is much better.

[Ken @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Amazingly horribly UGLY!
They must stop letting engineers design phones!

[fabulously @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

come on, why a rush for the superskinny?

[PauldG @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Ugly, I agree, and lacking much functionality of the RAZR (which i think is a slick looking phone)

[Arpad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

I really don't understand how people can say the RAZR has a "cheap and plasticky feel"...
For its size, it is pretty hefty, and you must have huge calluses to think that it feels like plastic. Sure, the one little piece along the bottom is plastic but that's just so that the antenna has better reception. Would you rather have crappy reception?

#9 why superskinny? Have you used a RAZR? You can actually put it in your back pocket and sit down... or your front pocket without it giving you a charliehorse... or your front shirt pocket if you want. Yet it still has a nice size display, and is long enough that the microphone actually comes close to your mouth so that it doesn't have to pick up every last fart in the background while you're talking to chicks.

[wim @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

what's the deal with this thin thing, i had a motorola startac 130 back in the days, and that thing was revolutionairy compared to all the fridge like bricks everybody was carrying then. I don't think these phones are so thin when compared to a startac from 1998 (which is pretty ancient in mobile terms)

[fabulously @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

#10,
agree.

#11,
my father has got a Moto v3, and I had kept it for a couple of weeks. actually, I appreciate RAZR's skinny design with the cool look, STILL I would prefer smartphones. I have got a symbian Nokia 6670 and a windows mobile .I guess I just can't waste my money on the superficially clever skinny phones WITHOUT featured expand functions.

[ori takemura @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

razr looks ugly not L1, L1 has a metal back, not so ygly keyboard as the one in razr, 1,px camera, go to http://www.pconline.com.cn/mobile/market/hk/0508/689881.html and you will find nec l1 very cool.. if you have a sense of style...

[Arpad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

#13 I would definitely like a smartphone, but right now you have to choose between size or smartphone. Currently, my needs dictate a preference for size and portability.

#12 the RAZR is definitely thicker than the startacs, even without their battery...

[Brad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

I like the design very fashionable.

[silvscorp @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

I actaually like the design, a different taste. However, without actually touching the phone I can't say if it's as "flimsy". However, the biggest failure on the phone is the battery. You can't replace it yourself. They have "implant" the battery inside the phone, supposely you'll have to bring it to the NEC service center to get it replaced once it's completely drained.

[Psychojoe3354 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

I'm not a moto fanboy or nothing, but that phone is gross! Damn right it won't be coming here! USA demands style!

[Ryan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

this phone is way ugly, how can you say it is going to "kill the razr" - i love my razr, it slices up any other phone out there!

[TC @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

#15 Arpad: No one said the RAZR has a cheap and plasticky feel. It doesn't. I just think it visually looks cheap and plasticky, and the problem there is that as it is essentially a form-over-function phone (not a criticism, loads of phones are) the company should try to make the phone's form the best they possibly could. The phone has sold by the shedloads due to its slim size, deservedly so, but if you can honestly say you don't think either the RAZR or the NEC above can look any better, then I bow to your greater wisdom.

[Andy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Jeez, seems like as we advance in technology we also reggress. Does that phone not look like a cell phone from the early 90's with its width.UGLY

[AV @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Ugly? It is not. It is just a different style. New trend in fashion, people. Simplicity. Look at the latest asian phones, such as P701 for japanese NTT DoCoMo or lotsa latest phones for KDDI. And Panasonic VS series. Same thing. And u know... To my eyes RAZR looks ugly and outdated and this one is very stylish.

[Vivienne @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Um... ok. Based on all of the comments on this phone being UGLY, and not about it's FUNCTIONALITY, no wonder the USA is so far back in technology. I mean, hello. This phone not only looks slimmer, it has better features--like a better CAMERA. Yeah. And other japanese phones... they are way better. Their cameras are actually LIKE digital cameras--not just zoom a little, and click to capture. Japanese phones are thin. And some that are found in Tokyo are as wide as two of your fingers and a little long. They are light-weight and easy to carry around. Japanese mobile companies have a wide selection, meaning cheaper prices for phones. Also, as the USA is still switching to GSM, the Japanese are already going to G3--already past G2. Yeah. You think the razr is all nice and thin and nice? The Japanese have already had those kind of phones for YEARS. This NEC L1 is just one of them. So before you start bashing on this phone, do some research, people.

[IGotBoth @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

I'm a superslim convert and I've tried the RAZR, the Nokia 8800 and now the L1. None of these phones look or feel "cheap and plasticky". They all had their shortcomings though - the RAZR as a tad too wide, and the L1 would look so much better without the receiver jutting out at the top. Both don't have great functions but are adequate for normal use. They sure beat the Nokia 8800 (a crap phone with little or no function and many bugs) hands down, especially considering how much the 8800 costs!

[No way NEC @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

The RAZR still kicks this thing's butt. Nice try NEC, but I'd suggest adding a bit of style next time.

[Roy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Yep, no worries for Motorola there. Looks like they used the same moronic design team that Dell uses for its MP3 players. You keep wondering whether companies could be any more clueless, and then someone resets the "bar"...

[IGotBoth @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

Motorola still needs to get with it as far as the functions and memory are concerned. If they got that sorted out the RAZR would be THE dream phone!