It wouldn’t be particularly functional to have the main display work off of e-ink, but Hitachi has managed to integrate the technology into their new W61H clamshell phone. The 2.7-inch e-ink display is on the front cover of the phone, in a place usually occupied by a small external display for telling you the time and the number of an incoming call.

Hitachi has dubbed this imaginative second display as the “silhouette screen” and users can choose from 95 different patterns, each expressing a certain personality. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much all the e-ink display can do, as it’s not “robust” enough to handle the display of text message, email, and other useful information.

Rounding out the specs are an internal 2.7-inch color display, 100MB internal memory, microSD expansion, Felica mobile payments, personal GPS, and 1Seg TV tuner. The Hitachi W61H will be available in three colors when it launches in Japan in March.