Virgin Mobile, UTStarcom unveil SLICE handset

Years ago, the hackneyed joke in many schtick comedies was the ever-shrinking cell phone (Dumb & Dumber, for one); as we all know the current climate calls for thinner and thinner, mostly thanks to Motorola's blockbuster handset, the RAZR. Virgin Mobile and UTStarcom launched a contender today, called SLICE, measuring in at an impressive 0.4 inches thick. The companies bill it as "the thinnest cell phone currently available in the U.S. without a contractor and activation fee," which is quite a caveat. The phone will retail at $49.99 once it's available on November 2nd. Over the summer, Motorola said it would launch its thinnest phone ever, the Motofone, for emerging markets. The phone is 9 millimeters thick, which just edges out the SLICE once its .4 inches are converted: 10.16 millimeters.

For more on SLICE:
- see this article on phonemag.com