HP shows the HTC of yesterday as concept of tomorrow

We've seen concept phones galore over the years, but a recent prototype spotted at the If Design Awards at this year's CeBIT convention piqued our interest a bit more than usual. Purportedly envisioned by Teague, the sure-to-be-renamed "Data Center Communications Vision of the Future Server" for HP looks to be a Pocket PC / rugged handheld hybrid with a slideout QWERTY keyboard, oversized touchscreen display, and quite a chunky motif. Of course, we doubt this will turn out to be your average PDA / phone, as it reportedly boasts "integrated hardware / software mobile technology to allow IT personnel to monitor data center equipment, diagnose and track problems, and perform system services" as well. Essentially, this presumably beastly device is intended to interface with HP servers and data centers rather than catering to the typical style-conscious consumer, as it even touts RFID / Bluetooth connectivity options to assist administrators in resolving outstanding issues sans wires. As with most products still stuck in the Photoshop stage, there's no word on whether this thing will actually hit the market, nor if it'll show up primarily through enterprise channels if it makes it that far, but it looks like the diagnostic handheld market is just starting to get interesting nonetheless.

[Andrew Fong @ Mar 20th 2007 7:01PM]

There's actually a market for rugged phones in general (a la Toughbook). I'm surprised there aren't more of these already.

[KIFF @ Mar 20th 2007 8:46PM]

For some reason I fancy the above design a hell a lot more than HTC's. If it is rugged enough and comes with GPS this would be a moutain biker's/walker's dream device.

[John @ Mar 21st 2007 2:36AM]

Well congrats to HP for envisioning in the future what I do now with my TyTN: One-button secure access to all my clients' servers.

Way to go HP. Really cutting edge. Hey, I have an idea you might like: its a portable MP3 player linked to a online music store. I call it HyPe-tunes.