#1 Phone concept: fuel-cell powered, full-body LCD

Cellphones seem to be among the most popular products for industrial designers to play around with, which we find both exciting and frustrating. Exciting, because they really do come up with some creative ideas that usually have at least some basis in current technology; frustrating, because so many of the frackin' things will never, ever be made. The latest never-to-be-produced concept phone is Roman Kriheli's #1 Phone (also referred to as the Nano Phone; we can't imagine what might have caused Kriheli to drop Nano from its name). The entire surface of the diminutive phone is an LCD display, which, of course, means it can change its function, from keypad to caller ID screen to playlist, at any time. And since this is a concept phone, why not get totally crazy: it includes an induction-charged battery. Just put the phone down on a special pad, and it'll suck up the juice. Ah, it's great to have an imagination.

[Via textually.org]

[Felix @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

i take it you guys watch bsg?

[R @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

That's really cool. I only wish for it to be an OLED, phone.

[Jordan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Weren't they just mentioning in the podcast that the OLED screen on the new Zen player had a terrible viewing angle?

I dunno much about OLED, but that just popped into my head.

I really wish Apple would make a phone and let Ive design it!

[G-lo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

The phone he made that's next on the list is pretty amazing as well.

[Dan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

That think looks like an iPod nano, minus the face.

[Le` @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Well, it doesn't have OLED or anything really new, because it's like 3 years old..

[greg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

A fuel cell that's charged by induction? That sounds really clever. I hope they make this...

[cecil @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

charging by induction rocks. Been out for years. Engadget ran a story not too long ago about the pad used to charge with. This is old tech yet we still have not yet seen it on any phones. I guess my sonicare toothbrush will for now, and forever be, the only magnetic induction charged device in the house. Its like waiting for bluetooth was after I saw it at COMDEX '99.

[eskimo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Oooh.. I like it. But the full LCD screen might be a problem, I mean, imagine your talking on the phone and your ear touches the pad and you hang up accidentally. That would get REALLY annoying.

[Midnight Run 6.91 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Looks great, any hope in hell of this actually being adopted for production?
Kinda like all those fantastic concept cars we all love, yet never reach production...
Possible exception=Chrysler (Viper/Prowler/Cruiser/Ram V10 SRT/Charger...)

Re:#3
Jonathan Ive fone I'm sure would be sweet!

Re: #8
Happens to me frequently w. my Sony Ericsn P900;
They have a large (& IMHO badly placed) 'soft button' on LCD to 'end call'. I have to remember to hold phone at an angle away from face to prevent my cheek from activating said button... grrrrr

Baring this, & a few other annoying little quirks; what makes SE P900 my favourite smartphone to date IS the fact that it is about the ONLY one w. a portrait disply that occupies pretty much the whole front panel, & yet is [relatively] compact in overall size.

FWIW Unfortunately, the change to this layout is one of the big reasons I prbly WON'T be buying a P990/Hermione... (oh & down-featuring of old 5-way scroll thumbwheel to a 3-way)

Are you listening SE?????

[Handsome Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Make it in a wide screen aspect ratio.. add bluetooth headphones and a harddrive.. hoooweee that'd rock.

[Ror @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Very cool.

[Samuel Lago @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Some of the finalist websites from 2003 are really good, check them out!

[ug @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

--
Oooh.. I like it. But the full LCD screen might be a problem, I mean, imagine your talking on the phone and your ear touches the pad and you hang up accidentally. That would get REALLY annoying.
--

Use a lock switch like the iPods and/or a bluetooth headset.

[sunz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

eskimo .. add alock button on the side like on ipod(s) and various ohter devices ..

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

The key in my MINI charges by induction - yawn. --> I want fusion powered cell phones. Or at the very least nuclear powered cell phones. Then we can settle the whole "Cell Phones: Safe or Unsafe?" debate.

[jnasato @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Oh, man...

That's crazy.

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

it would be cool to watch video on that thing.

[Chris jones @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

just when fuel prices were getting higher

[Middle school teacher @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

It's great that they finally have an induction-charged phone. My electric toothbrush has been able to do that for TEN YEARS now. :)

[JREAU @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Make it and I'll buy it.