Vertu's 3G Ascent Ti hits FCC

You've gotta give credit to Vertu for maximizing the life of its Signature and Ascent models by tweaking colors and precious metals ad nauseam, but at some point, you knew they had to just gut the thing and start anew. This here "Ascent Ti" just passed through the FCC, taking the Ascent formula and updating key specs to bring the luxury phone well into 2007. Namely, the Ascent Ti offers UMTS 2100 (for 3G data pretty much everywhere but here), a whopping 3 megapixel autofocus camera with flash, and what appears to be a well-updated, Vertu customized build of Series 40. No word on release date, but unless your last name happens to be "Rockefeller," you may need the time to save the dough anyway.

[Steve Jobs @ Jul 5th 2007 11:38AM]

But it's not an iPhone®

[Boynamedsue @ Jul 5th 2007 11:42AM]

what the crap is that? its the phone equivalent of "LA face with an Oakland booty."

except more like, dollar store front with a steampunk back.

[Ken @ Jul 5th 2007 11:52AM]

Exactly what I was thinking. Too bad though, I like it's backside. I just wish the front represented the steampunk as much.

[CowboyGA @ Jul 5th 2007 12:54PM]

"dollar store front with steampunk back"

That is absolutely correct. I love the steampunk pic on the right, though. If they made a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus and a glass lens that looked entirely like the pic on the right, without the dollar store front, and without the Vertu pricetag, I'd buy it immediately.

[kuzu-b @ Jul 5th 2007 2:33PM]

Lol, I was just listening to "Baby Got Back" yesterday. And anyone who buys this phone should receive a free smack upside the head along with it for being a dumbass.

[rince @ Jul 5th 2007 11:46AM]

This phone is unbelievably ugly.

[Boynamedsue @ Jul 5th 2007 11:53AM]

the front is ugly and looks like a 7-11 impulse buy toy for your 7 year old kid.

The back is well done. Must have had 2 teams working on it, that didn't check in with each other... at all.

[Electromodo @ Jul 5th 2007 11:54AM]

My girlfriend wants one and I can not understand why.

I can understand she is attracted by the high price of this phone, but for that high price of several grands it is not even made from gold, IT IS JUST GOLD-PLATED!

I tell her: get the Prada phone (at least it looks sleek) or the iPhone, but no...

This is just above me. ;)

[Blake Kachman @ Jul 5th 2007 12:21PM]

Oh God!! It's hideous. Take it away, take it away!

[John @ Jul 5th 2007 12:21PM]

And people talk about the iPhone being expensive...

[trev @ Jul 5th 2007 12:50PM]

Perfect way to say "look how freaking rich I am...LOOK HOW FRE" etc etc

There is somthing appealing about the back plate, the sides and keypad are indeed hideous.

[NHAnimator @ Jul 5th 2007 1:09PM]

Wow. Guess I'm in the minority, but I actually like the look of it (and JUST the look). Reminds me of how things were built in the 1950's, and I wasn't even alive then.

[jpmidura_305 @ Jul 5th 2007 1:25PM]

That's definitely for someone with more money than taste.

[gary @ Jul 5th 2007 3:05PM]

Goddamn it, if they want a good phone, they have to really try to reduce it to at least the size of the Constellation. That thing is not only hideous but its like the size of a 9300 and the weight of a brick.

[n.p. @ Jul 5th 2007 7:26PM]

as a former designer, the phone to me, is not ugly in any sense of the word. it's not an iphone and maybe that's the point. some of us find the iphone hideous. this phone has drifted slightly off the beaten path and tried a different design aesthetic and made a nifty design. i can't fault them for that. the 3mp camera is a big improvement over most camera phones -- 3mp is a resolution most people won't notice when shared as a standard sized print. and the thing that this phone has over most phones in the states - 3G.

3G is pretty sweet. i definitely live outside the states. :D

[M@ @ Jul 5th 2007 9:35PM]

Yikes! Can you say "fugly"?

[flyriviera @ Jul 8th 2007 5:32AM]

Vertu is the Nokia's luxury brand name.

Yeah, it's not an iPhone... but iPhone hasn't got a bottom where to call to vertu's service and say: "I need to organize a wedding, can you help me? And answer yes, and don't be worried about.

[tont @ Sep 11th 2007 9:47AM]

Indeed fly. I dont either dont like the front.... not super ugly, but not 5k looks either. And you have to test it on your hands before you say anything its something realy realy great, but agen this phone is for someone that for sure has too much money and cant be put on the Nokia E90 gategory =D