The chromed plastic volume rocker, power button and screen orientation lock switch nestled in the plastic radio reception strip at the top of the device are decidedly less luxurious, however -- the travel of each was shallow, and the finish on the plastic appeared a bit cheap to our eyes.

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The design is simple: it's just a plastic shell with a shutter button, a dial for controlling shutter speed and a hand grip -- the sort you'd normally find on a compact camera.

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Located directly on the strip nestled between the top and bottom plastic pieces, the power button and volume rocker are set incredibly close to the body of the phone, which makes it more difficult to press.

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Its body is constructed entirely of plastic, save the aluminum power button up top and volume rocker on the side, plus the sliver of metal serving as the earpiece grill.

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Such materials might include plastic or photovoltaic glass, which changes from transparent to opaque at the flick of a button.

ECONOMIST: Mies van der Rohe