Most Sony mobile phone handsets offer a distinctive "keitai" (mobile phone) look and feel. The design, thanks to Japanese heritage, often tends to be clean, simple and laden with features. Company's latest model, Sony Erricsson Z610 is no exception.

If you are style conscious and also love features, then this phone may be the one for you. It is elegant yet oozes charming personality that will appeal to those who want an elegant and not too flashy-looking handset.

Sony claims that its design is inspired by nature. Well, it is for you to decide. What impressed me is its clean 3G clamshell, glossy mirror finish and top features that include the standard 2-megapixel camera, 18-bit display, bluetooth, flight mode and storage expansion capacity. Result �C a stylishly designed handset that promises to offer more than just great looks.

If you are image conscious and also want features that are useful to your every day life style then this phone will seriously impress you and your friends. Its push email and inbuilt RSS news feed reader features mean that you are in constant touch with the world �C from anywhere. The media player that supports MP3, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+ music formats means that this phone can play your favourite music that offers highest quality. Expandable memory to 1GB will allow lots of music.

The feature that we found most impressive, in addition to RSS news reader, is its ability to upload your pictures directly to your blog. Gone are the days when you will take a picture, transfer the picture to your laptop, start an ftp program and then upload the picture to your blog. None of that with this phone �C click a button and your picture is available for the world to see. Cool, eh!

This phone can not be all great because every thing has to have some downside �C because this is law of nature. Despite its great looks and progressive features, its smooth surface can be a haven for scratches. If you are one of those who like to keep their phones in pristine condition at all times then Z610i will be a challenge.

Oh, and another thing I found lacking was FM radio. I suppose Sony could just insert that in there somewhere. And there is no cover on the camera �C if that bothers you at all.

So, what is the verdict �C the Z610i is probably one of the prettiest clamshells from Sony Ericsson to date. If you are usually a careful type and comfortable with natural wear and tear of phones then the combination of strong features and elegant design of Sony Ericsson Z610i will make a good impression on your stylish outlook.