Samsung, Bang & Olufsen get official with Serenata

Who would've thought that the bizarre Serene handset (if you can even call it a "handset") would see a successor? Samsung and Bang & Olufsen must think that they have a good thing going, extending their design partnership by officially announcing the Serenata musicphone. Rumored as the Serene II, the predictably strange lookin' device holds a triband GSM radio (no 850 -- sorry, North America) plus UMTS 2100, a 240 x 240 touchscreen display (augmented with a scroll wheel for UI navigation and control), Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and an integrated stand for displaying your pricey toy on a desk while busting out tunes or calls. Look for it to show up in your friendly local Bang & Olufsen boutique, and if you have to ask the price... well, you know what they say.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[ajmuir @ Oct 1st 2007 2:03PM]

Beautiful phone, even more beautiful website!

[js @ Oct 1st 2007 2:18PM]

iPhone FTW

[Bogdan @ Oct 1st 2007 2:28PM]

C'mon, Samsung, we already know that Myriad is a nice font, we all saw those silly Apple ads. There are more than enough great fonts that don't cause associations with oh-so-famous Cupertino company.

[kevinm @ Oct 1st 2007 2:55PM]

I believe Bang & Olufsen designed the phone and the site. It's an awesome design.

[Ronald McD @ Oct 1st 2007 7:47PM]

I didn't know Apple owned the exclusive rights to Myriad. Myriad is a wonderful typeface for this application. They used it because it works. Quit being such an Apple fanboy.

Hate 'em or love 'em, there's a reason that B&O products are found in art museums. B&O is known for striking designs. The Serenata is no exception. The brand is targeted towards a certain lifestyle that values design and exclusivity. Snobby, sure, but that's reality and it's no different than fine art and fashion. Their demographic clearly excludes the majority of Engadget readers, so the hate for B&O here is never surprising. You don't have to like it, but comments like RyanTV's are just plain ignorant.

Regarding the Serene, when I first saw it in pictures I thought it looked terrible. But when I saw it in person, I have to admit that my opinion changed. It exudes elegance and class.

[sanotaan @ Oct 4th 2007 5:16PM]

The typeface is not Myriad but Frutiger, which does look a bit like Myriad, but B&O have had that typeface as their standard for quite some time now.

[RyanTV @ Oct 1st 2007 2:29PM]

does anyone actually buy this crap?

[L @ Oct 1st 2007 2:37PM]

Should be slimmer, but at least it's much better looking than the Serene imho...

[chrisyeoh @ Oct 1st 2007 7:44PM]

I've just checked out the website. It actually looks slim on your hand.

[Homeboy @ Oct 1st 2007 2:40PM]

I just checked out the whole site. What an impressive phone, just when you think you have seem it all something unique pop-up. The built-in-speaker seem to be really good, and the same goes for the quality which will probably make your jaw drop.


Best of all, it's UNLOCKED!!!!

[fallen @ Oct 1st 2007 2:52PM]

I like it. People need to keep in mind that this is an up market phone for a certain type of person. The Serene for instance cost £800 in the UK. One thing I like about it is that you can be assured that not everyone will have it making it a little more original for the to own.

And its Unlocked!!!!!

[Jakob @ Oct 1st 2007 4:35PM]

I don't know why people thinks it's expensive? It's cheaper than an iPhone after 2 years?

In Denmark (where the phone actually is from) the teleoperates must only make a 6-month contract, but our govement will maybe change that to 12 months. I think iPhone is very nice, but is it strange to pay 100 bucks to get unlimited slowly EDGE. Here in DK, we pay about $50 to get unlimited HSPDA in 1,5mbit and with speed up to 7,2mbit, and about $14 for free sms.

And a important note, the Danish news says that the phone supports Turbo3G (HSPDA), but I don't know about the American market.

[Sirocco @ Oct 1st 2007 4:45PM]

What does it cost?

[Jakob @ Oct 1st 2007 4:53PM]

Sorry I didn't saw that you write UTMS, my fault!

Sirroco: In Denmark about 1200€ :D

[YankeeFan @ Oct 1st 2007 5:42PM]

Nah, don't like it....

[chrisyeoh @ Oct 1st 2007 7:41PM]

The specs makes it more than meets the eye kinda phone. The design makes you just want to leave the phone on the desk looking like a mini jukebox device. They should design it to look a little more like a phone IMHO.

[Jake @ Oct 1st 2007 9:09PM]

sooo innovative

[Jake @ Oct 1st 2007 9:12PM]

rock on