Icono phone concept: call me, we'll do lunch

Zinc Chan, a London-based designer, just struck fame with the speed of a back-tax owing Ohio plumber. The Icono concept telephone is inspired by the internationally recognized "call me" hand gesture made famous by pouty-mouthed debutantes and hollywood starlets -- aka "shaka" amongst surfers. As such, the microphone and speaker are split to ride the swell of the pinkie and thumb, respectively. Callers then draw a unique pattern on the touchscreen pre-assigned to their contacts to initiate a call. As far fetched as the concept may seem, work related to induction charging, body area networks for transmitting audio across human skin, round LCDs, and any number of short length wireless solutions could very well make this concept a near-term reality. One more pic after the break.

Update: Oops, reader Michael just revealed a little uncredited design inspiration from IDEO circa 2001. Now how does that expression go... something about great artists steal?

[Via Textually and Core77]

[j.d.ripper @ Oct 17th 2008 5:50AM]

Probably something only one of those Hollywood starlets you mentioned would buy
(If it makes it out of the concept stage)

Reminds me of the listening through your finger I saw on Japanorama (BBC) a couple of years ago.

[misha @ Oct 21st 2008 2:39PM]

i got fat fingers !!!

[Tim @ Oct 17th 2008 5:52AM]

looks like one of those old 19th century phone, which got a modern face lift from a designer smokes too much weed =\

[Tim @ Oct 17th 2008 5:55AM]

*phones

[allislost @ Oct 17th 2008 5:57AM]

The pattern drawing too gimmicky. Replacing that with a list of contacts on the touchscreen would be better, but it would also be less secure... so... hmm...

[Strange Quark Star @ Oct 17th 2008 6:20AM]

Want.

Now.

No, seriously, this thing is near perfect (the speaker and mic are too clunky).

[nick @ Oct 17th 2008 7:22AM]

Zoltan!

[Freakin Ijit @ Oct 17th 2008 7:22AM]

I would probably end up unconsciously putting my coffee cup on it....nice coaster.

[Peter @ Oct 17th 2008 7:39AM]

This is so Inspector Gadget!

[7on @ Oct 17th 2008 8:33AM]

I'm always on duty

[Kizorblade @ Oct 17th 2008 8:25AM]

Am I the only person who thought that she had a gun to her head on the middle picture? (Of the three)

[Pete @ Oct 17th 2008 8:37AM]

I believe that this qualifies for a spot on the "The World's Dumbest Phone Idea" show.

[Backlin @ Oct 17th 2008 8:43AM]

That dialpad is awesome!

[Michael @ Oct 17th 2008 8:50AM]

IDEO, been there, done that circa 2002

http://www.ideo.com/work/item/technojewelry/

[Peter R @ Oct 17th 2008 9:59AM]

Um... No. Just, no.

While it looks nice and flashy, no-one would ever use it. No-one. I don’t dispute that if it were refined (read redesigned) someone would but it but they would end up using a normal telephone instead because that way when the telemarketer on the other end of the line really ticks you off and you slam the phone down you won’t break your fingers...

[frankXchange @ Oct 17th 2008 10:01AM]

Dammit, stop trying to warm your coffee on my phone, and I'd better not find any more pepper or salt in the handset!

[mos @ Oct 17th 2008 10:34AM]

I hope this does not have a vibration setting :

[Fruition @ Oct 17th 2008 10:48AM]

Didin't Inspector Gadget have pretty much this very thing built into his hand?

[FreeRange @ Oct 17th 2008 10:56AM]

http://www.straightupsearch.com/archives/2008/08/go_go_google_ph.html

Sorry for the worthless information but there's the picture of the Inspector Gadget phone which, yes, pre-dates both of these.

Now if 300 designers wanted to build a phone into a shoe, THAT would be original. No? Well, would you believe 20 designers? Okay, 8 school children with finger paint?

[Rainier @ Oct 17th 2008 11:18AM]

\m/
For those about to call....we salute you!

[PGP-Protector @ Oct 17th 2008 12:43PM]

I like Eureka's Version Better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWHFrMdWQz4

[Adam Williamson @ Oct 17th 2008 3:12PM]

To add to the list of inspirations - anyone else thinking Dennou Coil?

[kenno @ Oct 17th 2008 3:22PM]

I have a feeling my thumb and pinky are going to get alot longer after prolonged use of this...

[directive0 @ Oct 17th 2008 5:28PM]

Looks like a cross between a USB coffee warmer and the detachable hand scanner from a medical Tricorder.

[honz @ Oct 18th 2008 3:25AM]

I can see how easy it is to slide your thumb and pinky in to make a call, but I'd imagine you have to fumble about with your other hand to get them back off after you've finished the call

[scoop1565 @ Oct 18th 2008 11:49AM]

Didn't I see this on a "Made in Eureka" sketch? Now I just got to wait for those long distance magnetic gloves and I'm set.

[chris @ Oct 20th 2008 3:16PM]

I for one really like the pad idea.
the idea that you can put in lazy combination to call some one is wonderful.

call your best friend - one slide up
call your mom - one slide to the right
call your mother in law - zig zag everywhere

The idea of pluging your fingers in seems like a simple great idea long time coming, in an obvious way...but if you actually do it... see how long you can keep your pinky finger out.

[Dan @ Nov 8th 2008 10:45AM]

Wow this is unpractical. What if your arm gets tired from talking and you want to switch. That would be a chore. What if your doing something and you want to hold the phone on your shoulder?