Nokia debuts totally fugly 7500 Prism in China

By all accounts, Nokia's designers are either on a cutting edge so far into the future and so deeply advanced that we can't understand it, or they've all gone off their medication. The bizarre 7500 Prism (which may or may not be the similarly styled 7900) made its debut at a Nokia fashion event in China today, along with the 8600, 8800 Sirocco, 6110 navigator, 5700 XpressMusic, 6500 classic, 6500 slider and the 3500 -- though none of them were as totally zany looking as the Prism. The phone's specs are at least fairly normal, featuring a 2 megapixel camera, microSD slot, a QVGA screen and rocking the S40 (version 5) OS. It's unclear at this point why the company believes people will want a diamond shaped keyboard, but since the FCC has already approved this model, we'll soon learn if they really do.

[Morrison @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:32PM]

I for one like the design.

You guys have been staring at your Iphones too long.

[Anthony @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:17PM]

I totally agree. Plus I want that screensaver!

[josh @ Jul 4th 2007 1:39AM]

i agree it looks cool

[fontendet24 @ Jul 4th 2007 4:06AM]

It will be interesting - how you'll make any text message on this thing...

[b @ Jul 4th 2007 9:15AM]

Hear hear!

I about wore out my scrolling finger getting past all the iPhone articles. C'mon, how much spank material do we need?

[duntuk @ Jul 4th 2007 1:18PM]

WHAT?! that phone looks dope! no doubt engadget is the one trippin' on the iphone....

[Sergey @ Aug 30th 2007 8:13PM]

Anyone had a problem opening the back cover? I can't open it. Manual says - slide button and open cover. I tried a number of times and doesn't work.

[Chris Clark @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:33PM]

I kind of like it. It's a break from the omnipresent slider phone or thin flip phone. It's something that's new and creative for a change!

[GamerGuyX @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:35PM]

I think it looks awesome!

[Peter @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:37PM]

I love the Engadget headlines!

[Passarinhuu @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:40PM]

Those keys seem to need the user to actually jump on them to get a keypress...

[smartygus @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:42PM]

FYI, S40 is not a Symbian operating system - it's Nokia's own phone OS for their "Non-Smartphones".

[DSFARGEG @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:44PM]

Looks cooler than the iphone to me...

[oki @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:47PM]

i like the design too, im with morrison, i think u guys been starring at the iphones too much

[Electromodo @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:46PM]

I welcome the diversity in sex, food and gadget design! Not everything should look like iPhone and Blackberry! ;)

And I really like the Prism's design, it looks very futuristic!

[Hernan Paredes @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:47PM]

i think your wrong ENGADGET, i think it looks innovative and sleek.

[MaX PL and the 360 r4pe Tr4iN @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:50PM]

that phone looks awesome.

engadget got payed by apple for all the iphone news.

[top @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:51PM]

I think it look okish in bizare way thought I wouldnt buy it.
I'm more intrested on 6500 classic and 6500 slider some of those 2 will be my next phone defo!

[js @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:52PM]

Matches women's Chanel handbags.

Looks classy to me.

[jpmidura_305 @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:57PM]

What a piece of crap.

[desmond @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:01PM]

+1 to engadgets.... I think it look like a POS too

[Tweedper @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:15PM]

Real winners are those fancy looking 6500 c and slide.
http://www.nokia6500series.com/

[Tweedper @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:06PM]

Who cares about 7500. Real winners are 8600 and both 6500.
http://www.nokia6500series.com/

[QTap @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:24PM]

Cool site.

[Austin @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:06PM]

Wow, Nokia made a good looking phone?

Seriously, not bad and a first for nokia!

Keep it up and I might buy a Nokia.

[Phred @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:11PM]

The above comments just go to show people's tastes vary. I like the iPhone design and I find this one pretty attractive too.

As for diamond shape keyboard - BS, it is a conventional grid of buttons, the buttons are just triangular with alternating orientation. No diamonds. Who knows, this approach may actually assist users in identifying which key they are pressing.

[Arturo Rodriguez @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:22PM]

what i think this phone looks awesome... yall probably think its ugly because all you look at is the IPHONE.

[Solomon @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:22PM]

This is awesome, not fugly at all. Diamond plate has always been my favourite texture, since I was eight. The iPhones are getting to you all... Besides, I give Nokia credit for having the guts to break the current standard texture of brushed metal.

Now, if I were to predict the future of tech-texture, I would say: wood (like the Asus EcoBook).

[top @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:29PM]

"Now, if I were to predict the future of tech-texture, I would say: wood (like the Asus EcoBook)."
If that would happen Nokia would have its wood from a walk distance (Finnish based company if someone dosent happen to know it). =D

[Kei @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:33PM]

I like it. Not fugly at all.

[nikster @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:32PM]

Don't think it's awesome but it's not bad either. It's a perfectly fine design - look at what other manufacturers put out there *cough* moto *cough* and it's not so bad.

It's no iPhone, but then, what is.

[dglaz @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:42PM]

I was on the fence until saw the back of it...its a nightmare.

[Adz @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:44PM]

Yeah its different, and thats why I like it.

[teo @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:01PM]

what are you guys smoking? that phone looks really cool!!

jeez...

[Leonard Nimrod @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:07PM]

While it may look cool that number pad is not user-friendly at all.

Looks: 10
Practicality: 1

[Top @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:17PM]

Thats 7xxx series for you. Thought I wouldnt be so sure you havent tried it am I right? That diamond pattern tricks a bit. By not looking and just pushing buttons as in normal phone you should be able to do the same as in normal lay out. Its 4 rows of numeric buttons.

[Deluxe @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:03PM]

The number pad is an identical grid pattern. It's just an optical illusion.

[Vissionary @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:15PM]

Fugly is right.

[az1324 @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:08PM]

It would go great with my fortress of solitude motif.

[logyk @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:10PM]

Cool, it doubles as a thigh scratcher, can your iPhone provide relief from a bad case of Jock itch? i think not..

[Pun B @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:21PM]

Ambiguously crystalline; looks like a remote control for all the stressed-out overhead lab displays in the sci-fi movie Andromeda Strain. Maybe we should call for a Wildfire Alert.

[emergencyBrake @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:27PM]

Agree with engadget completely. The overall body is kind of ok but the buttons are just completely ugly shaped.

[emergencyBrake @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:27PM]

Agree with engadget completely. The overall body is kind of ok but the buttons are just completely ugly shaped.

[Brian @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:29PM]

I think the phone looks great. I'd buy one... if it was a smart phone :p

[Paul @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:49PM]

That design looks like it would be pretty hard to text with it.

[naus @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:18PM]

Here are some better pictures of the 7500:

http://www.intomobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/7500july.jpg
http://www.intomobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/7500-2july.jpg

It looks good. I like it.

[Ziad @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:42PM]

That is one of the most ugly phones I have ever seem.

[Dan @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:57PM]

Not bad. Unique. I wouldn't call it ugly though

[Bobo @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:58PM]

So THAT'S the phone they use in the Phantom Zone...

[NineT9 @ Jul 4th 2007 12:08AM]

that design is absolutly beautiful! wow, im impressed