Vertu Ascent White Special Edition

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Anything's possible. Even finding a Vertu phone in your X'mas stocking this year-end. But let's get real, people. At a cool S$8,800 (US$6,262.01), the Vertu Ascent White isn't your typical stocking stuffer. Owning one is almost akin to having your own genie in a bottle 24/7. It's a symbiotic relationship that entitles you to special concierge services where, as one lunch companion related in awed tones, whatever your wish is their command. Feeling nippy for savory goose in Hong Kong? No problem. Just hit the special button on the phone and it'll connect you to Vertu's dedicated concierge service. The same makan kaki also revealed how one female owner planned her entire wedding using the same service.

Upside: Gratuitous pandering from Vertu's lifestyle experts aside, we're talking luxury item here. As such, expect the Vertu Ascent White to be birthed from the same mold as its other siblings in terms of engineering excellence and craftsmanship. To illustrate just one aspect of the Vertu: Each key is supported by a jeweled ruby bearing which contributes to the smoothness and sound of each key touch.

Exclusivity is also the buzzword here. In case you need to convince your pals, the handset is engraved with "Special Edition" on the back battery cover and comes with a matching white hand-stitched leather holster.

Given its price, it's good to know that the phone toughs it out well enough. The sapphire crystal screen is impervious to anything but a diamond ring. Vertu also claims that the holster is resistant to everything, from hand cream to lipstick. While the handset itself is made of a custom-developed Liquidmetal alloy that's even stronger than aerospace-grade titanium. At least it's durable enough to withstand being run over by a performance sports car, probably from the same Vertu owner. And just in case you drop your phone, you can relax. It's shock-mounted to limit damage.

Lest we forget that it's a phone, the Ascent White offers triband capability, Bluetooth, PC sync, modem support, email and MMS. There's Multilanguage predictive text input and storage for up to 1,000 contacts in the phonebook along with 150 short messages and 900 calendar notes. Talktime is pegged at a decent 3 to 6 hours, with standby of up to 270 hours or 4.5 days.

Downside: Given all that goodness in a portable package, the Vertu at 173g is one solid clunker. You can forget about slipping it into a shirt pocket or toting it around like a Moto Razr. Those anticipating all the advanced features of a high-end mobile will also have another think coming. There's no onboard camera, flashlight, expansion slot, 3D gaming chip, MP3 player, FM radio or 3G capability.

Though no specs were given on the screen resolution, we'd say that based on a hands on that we had at a recent media launch, the quality of the display isn't the best in its class. Those used to bigger, brighter screens sporting vibrant colors may be disappointed. Don't expect a typical Nokia interface, either, as there are no animated icons or grid system, which means scrolling sequentially through all the items in order to get to the desired one.

The concierge service is the Vertu's strongest suit. But like all good things, it's free for only the first year. After that this is renewable on a yearly basis where a charge is applied.

Outlook: Talk may be cheap, but the Vertu sure isn't. And with mobile phone theft rife, one can't help but wonder about the wisdom of such purchases. But as a wit once said of a Vertu: If you can afford to buy one, you can definitely afford to lose one. Not to mention that if you've got it, why not flaunt it? The Vertu Ascent White will retail at year-end.