Samsung's SGH-E910 Bang & Olufsen "fashionphone"

Don't you just dig the intense irony that the fruits of Samsung's and Bang & Olufsen's getting together on a fashionphone rendered quite possibly the most busted looking piece of consumer electronics in recent memory? Mean, c'mon, it is B&O, it's not like we were expecting design to counter The Toy in White or anything, but still, when you bust out a Samsung SGH-E910, we have a feeling you're going to seriously get made fun of even by your metro bros. Especially when they find out the thing only has a two hour talk time, and VGA camera—though it does try to make up for that with a 2.1-inch QVGA display and Bluetooth.

[Thanks, Yianni]

[brian potopowicz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I agree thats pretty weak man. Form factor is really bad! User interface must be bad, come on! Samsung is a great company, something happened here!

[ac @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

WOW. that is one fugly phone. ouch.

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

It is an interesting design. However, I don't think David Lewis had anything to do with this. This product is a culmination of the Janitors at B&O and Samsung - NOT B&O's Design Team.

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

By interesting, I mean unique.

I wonder if one of those Janitors still has a penchant for rotary phones.

[Yianni @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

yea i feel like i should get my old Nokia 3650 out of the closet

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

By interesting, I mean unique.

I wonder if one of those Janitors still has a penchant for rotary phones.

[mastac @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

wow... i thought people would have learned from the Nokia 3650 keypad... guess not... it's amazing how you get two great companies, and end up with crap like that... i work in a design firm, and when two egos clash, nothing worthy lasts...

[Saif @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Is that screen supposed to double as a mirror? Because that's what it looks like -- it looks like the phone is supposed to be mistaken for a woman's pocket mirror or compact or something. Which means this kind of product is probably targeted at women who would rather carry something that looks like cosmetics paraphernalia than carry something that looks like a cell phone. So, probably no one who reads Engadget. Interesting, though.

[KC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

If there is one type of product that B&O has never done a good job designing it's phones. There cordless phones are all poor looking, featureless, uncomfortable devices.

Poor choice on the part of Samsung to let B&O design the phone for them.

This is an even worse attempt at an overpriced fashion phone then the Motorola PEBL

Come on this is just not up to Samsungs usual level of excelence

[Luis Antonio @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Doesn't this look like a make-up kit ?

[mastac @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

i strongly doubt that sophisticated women today would want a phone that looks like a makeup case... what the heck... when's the apple phone coming out?

[Arthur @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I liked it better when they called it the Gameboy Advance.

[Some dude @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

"it looks like the phone is supposed to be mistaken for a woman's pocket mirror or compact or something"

And notice the very birth-control-esqe layout of the key pad? I think you might be onto something....

I'm bummed. I dig B&O and this is horse$#*&

[Joe Schmoe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

B&O makes some of the ugliest, most pretentious, most expensive pieces of crap ive ever seen!

[Chir @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

What is this "The Toy in White" to which the article refers?

[kim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

yes, i agree. it does look a bit "birth-control-esque" with the whole case and the circular buttons.

i would hate getting poked in the face while talking on this thing.

[Poida @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

all cred to B&O for offending as many people as possible...something all good design houses like to do - but as a devotee and enthusiast of some of the classic B&O designs - this evokes feelings of nausea and lower intestinal cramping - butt ugly and brand damaging - if you (B&O) keep this up...you are setting up your own demise. The world has caught up to you and you look to be floundering (ex long-term employee) Peter.

[AFD @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Okay, the point of dropping MP3 playback and megapixel resolution was to achieve this particular design? At least Nokia's Vertu phones actually look like a luxury phone. Samsung made a very poor decision to team up w/B&O for this POS.

[J @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

That is enormously disappointing. I had high hopes for this phone....

[Patrick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

N-A-S-T-Y.

why would B&O pair up with Samsung? talk about wrong brand move.

[Red Hot Chili Pepper @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I'll bang your Olufsen if this is supposed to be a fashion-phone.

[Dick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Ed: David Lewis was the main man behind this. Believe it or not. Perhaps you were making a joke, but I still wanted to tell you. ;)

[Elias @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Why didn't B&O get together with Nokia? That would have made something that was definitely interesting, and much better than this POS.

-- Elias

[gujode @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

here is there website:
http://www.serenemobile.com/

[Pete @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Hey you guys take it easy...

When looking at the www.serenemobile.com I must say this product has some interesting qualities.

Looks like it could have the best sound quality, the best user interface (wheel navigation like iPOD) and best design/material quality of any mobile phone...wow...

Seriously, arent those qualities what really matters in a phone?

I'm tired of reading senseless feature focused reviews with little attention to what matters. Nobody can judge great products from just a list of features (if so, iPOD would be among the worst MP3 players). Until I can get usable convergence performance like 4 megapixel, 4GB for MP3, WiFi and PSP gaming performance I rather have a phone that can do the job well!!!

[Java_Junky @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

You're all a bunch of Freakin' copy cats. This phone is exactly what the industry needs. I'm so freaking sick of seeing ANOTHER standard clamshell phone touted as the coolest new design. The Razor is an ugly piece of crap. This? This is art and it's about time someone put their design team to better uses than how best to mimic a match box. Seeing as the model prototype Motorola phone is just a make belive, I think this is the next best thing to own. I'm on board.

Bravo B&O.

[kadajawi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Well, I usually like B&Os design, and Samsung has made a few rather good looking phones recently aswell.
But this... the Vertus are beautiful. This one has a few interesting ideas, but I don't really like the overall design. The keys look classy... seem to be a pleasure to press, but typing a SMS appears to be quite anoying. Although I can understand the designers problem on integrating a wheel into a phones design (which seems to be a good idea). Maybe they should have gone for something like the scroll thing on Creatives Zen (or so...) and a more regular design. At least it makes sense on the B&O, compared to that old Nokia.
Hm... the more I read about it, the more I like it. I had some of the ideas aswell. But why does it has to be so THICK?! And then the sharp corners... while it may look better, it appears to me that it will be quite uncomfortable.
Anyway it looks better than the RAZR V3.

[kadajawi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Actually... when looking at the press photos it looks pretty sweet...

http://www.mobile-review.com/review/samsung-e910-serene-en.shtml

[Card@ssian @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Nice looking phone. Rather expensive, though..
Set to cost �1100,- here in the Netherlands.
Good thing is that they left out all the unneccessary gadgets. Why then build in a 640*480 camera?

[Elmo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I'm guessing "The Toy in White" must be the iPod.

[Dan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Well I think this phone is completely fabulous, much more innovative than the so-called "Fashion" mobiles from Nokia!!This is the next "must have" high-end mobile, second only to the Vertu mobiles. Bang and Olufsen are renowned for their exceptional home entertainment systems and telephones so it was only natural a mobile was on the horizon. Admittedly, the cost will prevent a larrge portion of the population from owning one, but surely that just adds to its exclusivity?

[Evan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I see a lot of flames here from those who never even touched the thing. Although as an employee at a B&O dealer this is typical from those who will never own a piece of B&O because of this that and the other thing. I bet this phone is really cool, even though I have never tried it. I encourage some of you to atleast look past the spec sheet and go try this out. Then tell us what you think about it, atleast then your comments would be based on some level of experience and hold some small value.

Regards,

Evan