Mobiado frightens and offends with Professional 105GMT Gold handset

We've seen some ugly cellphones in our day, but we can't recall the last time we felt that touching one could cause irreversible harm to our bodies and minds. Falling squarely in the category of "wouldn't touch with a ten twenty foot poll" is Mobiado's Professional 105GMT Gold. This abomination was crafted from sapphire crystal, Ebony wood and a CNC machined frame which is doused in 24-carat gold. You'll also find a totally not awesome 1GB of inbuilt memory, a ho hum 2-megapixel camera and a 2-inch 320 x 240 resolution display. It also features multimedia playback, a quad-band GSM radio, Bluetooth, optional diamonds and a Discovery watch mechanism that was clearly added in a desperation move to make this seem "luxurious." No word on pricing, and we don't plan on digging around to find out.

[Via UnwiredView]

[Coolty @ Dec 8th 2008 11:47AM]

This is the phone that Flava Flav or MR T would use.

[silverblackvoid @ Dec 8th 2008 12:32PM]

FUZIO, for the first time im gonna rank you high if you comment!

[CT @ Dec 8th 2008 12:54PM]

It looks more like the phone Mr. T chewed on the bottom of.

[OneLove @ Dec 8th 2008 2:39PM]

Mr. Professional is dead, I killed him. Anyways, is that a steam punk phone?

[Caleb @ Dec 8th 2008 11:20PM]

It looks steampunk to me. And thus not a bad thing. Though I'd realy like to see a high end phone designed by one of those hand crafters that make all those cool steampunk case mods.

[Shinigami @ Dec 8th 2008 11:47AM]

And someone might get this... thing as an xmas present...
I sincerely pity those poor souls.

[Erik @ Dec 8th 2008 12:07PM]

agreed, but an iphone.. hmm.. that would be amazing :)

[tom @ Dec 8th 2008 11:48AM]

REALLY! If it is this ugly, why bother posting it?

[aznofazns @ Dec 8th 2008 11:52AM]

Not everyone has the same perception of "ugly." For instance, if I was the editor and chose not to post anything "ugly" then there would be no iPod, Zune Guy, or KIRF posts.

[Big Boy @ Dec 8th 2008 4:37PM]

I have to say that the pics on the linked site look better and I would have considered this phone about 3+ years ago. If they removed the keypad and opted for a touch screen and 5mp cam this phone would be in a league of it's own. The bottom is what makes it distinct and is a nice touch the keypad makes it look like a cheap mock up.

[Caleb @ Dec 8th 2008 11:25PM]

I agree with you aznofazns about some designs that are popular. I've always been turned off with Apple's all white iPods. Just nasty looking. And up untill Apple went to the all aluminum cases for there desktops and all in one's most of there designs have been totaly ugly as far as I'm concerned.

[aznofazns @ Dec 8th 2008 11:49AM]

I don't see what's so "ho-hum" about those specs. 2mp is just fine for a cell phone camera, and 320x240 resolution for a 2" screen is about as pixel-dense as you can get (ignoring the latest lcd technologies that haven't even revealed themselves in consumer products yet). Just because it's coated in gold doesn't mean it has to have the greatest internals ever. It's more a fashion statement than anything.

[BlurMagic @ Dec 8th 2008 12:02PM]

Comparison in price to other phones is what makes that phone ho hum. You are going to be dropping alot of cash on crap performance, that if you were to drop on a different phone (X1, G1, iPhone, N97, Etc. Etc. Etc.) you would get alot more performance. Blam.

This phone is basically Paris Hilton. It's really glamorous, and covered in "bling" but other then that... If fails at life.

[G @ Dec 8th 2008 2:48PM]

@BlurMagic: these phones are not about functions, i believe the most luxurious Vertu phones are still running some ancient version of Nokia's S40 on really tiny screens. But you have a choice, either you want to have a phone with real functions or you want a phone that will show everybody how filthy rich you are.

[randy @ Dec 8th 2008 11:49AM]

Gorgeous, I hear GM's execs have 6 on order.

[Hackettman @ Dec 8th 2008 11:50AM]

With a small asian child attached to make them seem somewhat humane.......

[rock99rock @ Dec 8th 2008 11:50AM]

That watch mechanism is actually quite badass looking. Outer body mechanics on a cellphone is intriguing.

[maveric101 @ Dec 8th 2008 11:52AM]

cell phones shouldn't have any mechanical components other than buttons and hinges or sliders.

[rock99rock @ Dec 8th 2008 12:10PM]

@maveric101

Does your monkey live with you inside that small box?

[maveric101 @ Dec 8th 2008 12:45PM]

thinking outside the box doesn't always lead to good ideas. this thing looks like the aborted child of a disgusting and overpriced phone and a "luxury" watch. i dunno about you, but my phone has a digital clock.

[CraigJ @ Dec 8th 2008 1:23PM]

I have to agree with 99 on this one. This looks kinda steam punky, and I kinda like it.

[tekd @ Dec 9th 2008 12:54AM]

I think it would be cooler if it wasn't just kinda slapped onto the bottom and needly lengthening the phone.
Also I have a hard time thinking of a legitimate use for the 2nd watch anyway, other than just setting it like 5 hours ahead of the other one so you know what time it is in some other country. Of course, that would only be a real convenience if you're too stupid to do arithmetic.

Now, if they had a dedicated chrono dial it'd be a different story =p

[maveric101 @ Dec 8th 2008 11:50AM]

the sad thing is, there are people that buy these.

on a side, note, Darren, are you British? according to merriam-webster, "inbuilt" is used more in Britain as opposed to "built-in."

[Kris120890 @ Dec 8th 2008 11:56AM]

Yes

[bobby @ Dec 8th 2008 11:54AM]

ok ....I ordered mine ...2 day UPS

:)

[IDO @ Dec 8th 2008 11:54AM]

Good Lord that IS one ugly phone.

I have a horrible feeling that lurking within that hideous exterior is the innards of a Nokia 6500 Classic.
The positioning of the keys, camera, flash, speaker etc are identical.

[Erik @ Dec 8th 2008 11:58AM]

nice :)

[absinthe party @ Dec 8th 2008 11:58AM]

Hideous as it may be now, if you were to swap the gold out for bronze, you would have yourself a sweet-ass steampunk handset.

[shmengie @ Dec 8th 2008 12:00PM]

need to send this link to cory at boingboing. ya know, the whole steampunk thing...

[bdom @ Dec 8th 2008 12:01PM]

Umm... twenty foot pole?

[reisa @ Dec 8th 2008 12:05PM]

Exactly.

[CoffeeDragon @ Dec 8th 2008 12:23PM]

Damn, beat me to it...

or should I say "beet me two it"?

[Samboini @ Dec 8th 2008 12:03PM]

Professional ... Speaking of which, I wonder how long it will take our resident troll to turn up and defile the article.

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 8th 2008 12:03PM]

A professional phone perfectly made for certain "professional" Engadget readers. Also I am sure the Morgans, Rothchilds Rockefellers will love this.

[Evan @ Dec 8th 2008 12:06PM]

It's almost SteamPunk the way the clockwork is exposed. Imagine the following mods:
- Wood grain in place of the black
- Add some ornate corner brackets
Now that would be interesting!

[rutsy5 @ Dec 8th 2008 12:26PM]

Wait... You wouldn't touch it with a twenty foot what now?

[ZIG @ Dec 8th 2008 12:37PM]

i don't see why engadget would trash that phone that much, i mean it's obviously a luxury products which appeals to the ridiculously rich who probably don't care about specs all they care about is that their phone is made out of gold.. literally..

[WhackJob @ Dec 8th 2008 12:48PM]

You Guy's wouldn't know class if it jumped up a bit you in the A**.
Go play with your wewe's.

[mos @ Dec 8th 2008 12:57PM]

This would cost more than $5000, and i know many dirty, rich, and pervert old man would want it.

[ProjecT TimeZ @ Dec 8th 2008 1:39PM]

And how do you know these men?

[wom @ Dec 8th 2008 1:30PM]

beautiful. I'd love one based on pure aesthetics. Now innards.. I'll wait till the android version... haha.

[John Sullivan @ Dec 8th 2008 1:51PM]

It's ALMOST steampunk enough that I want a closer look.

Almost.

Only not enough.

[Oli D @ Dec 8th 2008 4:23PM]

It would have to have a proper pinhole camera to be steampunk, i agree though,

Its like creeping towards a chocolate bar laying innocently on the floor, then horrible realization dawns on the true identity of your purveyed treat.

[brad @ Dec 8th 2008 2:42PM]

Hmmm. Darren Murph is the same guy who wrote about a $15,000US door and how great is it 2 days ago(http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/06/carbon-fiber-door-boasts-biometric-scanner-15-000-sticker/). I guess he got offended when he didn't get the Mobiado sample he requested.

[Tom @ Dec 8th 2008 3:44PM]

If those really are swiss ETA 28800-bph auto watch movements, those alone are worth about $125 each.

[Uncontrol @ Dec 8th 2008 4:01PM]

this phone rules engadget drools

[Lynn Becker @ Dec 8th 2008 4:04PM]

Is this a phone or the control panels from a 1920's hotel?

[mswfox @ Dec 8th 2008 4:11PM]

I'm with a bunch of the other guys that posted on here, I actually DO like the mechanical clock, and if you switch the gold with bronze this phone looks like something Jules Vern himself would use! I like it, very steampunk.

[4TecH @ Dec 8th 2008 4:32PM]

The symbol on the back is Carinthian Black panther, because the owner of the company is Slovenian (Peter Bonac) :)

[BratPAQ @ Dec 8th 2008 5:52PM]

it looks ancient, a cellphone from king arthurs court?