It’s never happened before, but we have a real problem with the Sony Ericsson Jalou. Sure, this tiny, good-looking clamshell is a good media device with a superb Facebook app – but it’s also outrageously difficult to open up.

Clamshells are great because they feel like mobile phones used to. You can flip it open when it rings and snap it shut at the end of the call with a businesslike click. All very Star Trek and satisfying. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work so well when you have to struggle to open the thing – it’s too glossy to get a grip on, too closely fitting to open one-handed and the hinge mechanism is heavy and hard to manoeuvre.

Appearance for the Sony Ericsson Jalou

The Sony Ericsson Jalou is a good-looking handset that comes in a choice of jewel-like colours with nicely bevelled edges. Our model was deep amethyst and it was lovely. If you want to go all designer, there’s even a Dolce & Gabbana model available. The tiny handset is about half the size of your palm, adding to its jewel-like quality.

Once you managed to get it open, you’ll find a nice matt-black plastic keyboard with flat, silver, diamond-shaped keys. The hexagonal D-pad has four customisable shortcuts, and the menu is a grid of stylish, vibrant icons.

Messaging on the Sony Ericsson Jalou

Sony Ericsson’s updated messaging menu combines your email, texts, Facebook messages and Instant Messenger, which is a handy feature. The IM program is quite difficult to set up, though – you are required to fill in details like ‘Server’ and ‘Connection Type’ without any form of guidance, which seems a bit much to ask of the target audience. That audience is hardly tech-heads. If the design and specs weren’t enough to convince you of that, the fact that the screen turns into a mirror might.

Facebook on the Sony Ericsson Jalou

The Jalou has a Sony Ericsson-optimised full Facebook app that makes for an excellent experience. Notifications are pushed to your home screen with desktop-like efficiency, and you can check your profiles as well as those of your friends, comment on and Like posts, hit links, wall-post or message people and even directly text or call friends who include their contact details.

Leave the app running in the background – which you need to do to receive push notifications – and a Facebook widget appears on your home screen. Use the up and down keys to scroll between status updates, an update feed and your message inbox. Click on either one to be taken back into the app. You can take and upload photos directly from Facebook. If you’re not in Facebook, taking a picture on the Jalou’s camera will offer you the option to upload, as well as share it on MySpace, Picasa or Blogger.

Camera and media on the Sony Ericsson Jalou

The camera has a three-megapixel lens, which is low spec but enough for internet publishing, and no flash or autofocus. But it does have night mode, other modes including sequenced shots and panorama, and a selection of effects and filters. You also have Photo Fix, which allows you to sort out any problems with light or sharpness on your snaps.

You also get a good amount of media features including a music player, video player, YouTube, radio and access to the PlayNow Arena, Sony Ericsson’s download store. From here you can download games, videos, movies and music, although they can be pricey.

Another bonus is high-speed HSDPA internet access, which is particularly handy if you’re planning on downloading a lot of YouTube content, although no Wi-Fi. Unbelievably, movies don’t look too bad on the teeny screen, but the bundled headphones are tinny and there’s no 3.5mm headphone port.

One problem was that the phone did tend to lag, especially when loading or exiting apps, thanks to its small processor. There was often a freeze of a few seconds after exiting too.

Verdict on the Sony Ericsson Jalou

Fashion phones often suffer in the specs department, but the teeny, jewel-like Jalou manages to combine both fairly successfully. The Facebook app is excellent, giving you push notifications to your home screen – it’s actually superior to some smartphones in that respect. HSDPA internet means you can stream YouTube and download apps from the PlayNow Arena, and the small screen doesn’t do a bad job with movies. Now, if we can just get it open..