IT'S ONE OF today's most common fashion crimes.

More and more of us feel naked without e-mail connectivity.

So we carry a cinderblock-like phone/e-mail device in our pocket or, even worse, on our belt.

The sheer weight of it makes our pants fall down. And not in a cool, hip-hop way.

No. Our e-mail function compunction is causing the most serious form of wardrobe malfunction.

It doesn't have to happen, bubby.

Verizon Wireless' Samsung SCH-u740 can save us from that indecent exposure charge, the police mug shot, the fingerprinting.

Like me, the SCH-u740 is so much cooler than its name.

Unlike me, it's slim and sleek, and it features a dual-hinged form factor that transforms it from a standard handset to a tiny but effective messaging center, with a full QWERTY keyboard the makes e-mailing and text messaging a reasonably easy.

The keys are a bit on the small size. But the reason you want this phone in the first place is because it's small and light, so that's not a major complaint.

This is a good-looking phone. It has some "wow" factor because it flips up like a traditional clamshell for use with voice, then flops sideways to allow a wide keyboard for e-mail, texting and surfing the Web.

Because of its dual-hinge, letters and numbers are oriented oddly on the keys and that can take some time to get used to.

Call quality isn't great, but it's more than acceptable, especially for those who are e-mail oriented.

The SCH-u740 also allows access to Verizon's V Cast offerings including on the go TV and music downloads. Unfortunately, Verizon's network doesn't support that yet in the Fredericksburg area. But commuters will be able to use it once those functions make it to the Dale City area on their way to work in D.C. or Northern Virginia.

The phone also is compatible with Verizon's VZ Navigator GPS service. And it works with carrier's new Chaperone service that allows parents to keep tabs on the location of their children who also have Verizon phones via GPS.

Still, because of its small profile, its cool two-way hinge and its solid e-mail and browsing capabilities, the SCH-u740 is a good deal at just $149.99 with a two-year service agreement.

A friend of mine who's a Realtor told me recently that she's tired of lugging around a bricklike smart phone and is looking for an option that's easier to carry. But she still needs a device with solid browsing and mail capabilities to check listings and stay in contact with clients.

This could be the one.