London Calling Mobile Phone makes us long to be British

You know those red K6 telephone boxes that are such an iconic and unmissable part of any stay in London? Yeah, that's the inspiration for the mobile you're peering at above, just in case you couldn't guess. The so-called London Calling Mobile Phone is a fully-functional handset, packing a color LCD, SMS and MMS functionality, tri-band GSM connectivity and pre-programmed ringtones that include "Rule Britannia" and "God Save the Queen." We'd continue swooning if we had to, but we're pretty sure you're already whipping the plastic out to make this happen. Check the backside after the break, and tap the read link to get your £85.95 ($141) pre-order in.

[Via Pocket-lint]

[namgorf @ Jul 18th 2009 6:07PM]

There needs to be a Police Box version as well.

[iphonerulez @ Jul 18th 2009 11:28PM]

Looks like something Elton John would carry. This handset is downright unattractive so it's marginally uglier than even the HTC Hero with the Jay Leno chin.

I like the idea of a handset in the form of the Statue of Liberty as the arm and torch would make a mean antenna. Of course, the lady's crown with those spires wouldn't be very comfortable nestled in your front pocket.

I'm expecting the Japanese to come out with a handset that really is in the shape and colors of Hello Kitty. Such a horrid character.

[Nikesh @ Jul 19th 2009 12:27AM]

That phone is uglier than a British smile.

[Oli D @ Jul 19th 2009 4:51AM]

Hey, thats not ... oh, yeah NHS.

[james @ Jul 19th 2009 5:07AM]

ill just pop over to my private dentist.. ;)

But yeah... this phone is waaay more awesome than my iphone.

[james @ Jul 19th 2009 5:08AM]

How could anyone have a mobile without it saying "telephone" on the back?

[bublik @ Jul 19th 2009 7:51AM]

to Nikesh I laughed my pants out... LOL very very nice joke %)

[benny boy @ Jul 19th 2009 9:02AM]

Where did the stereotype of British people having bad teeth even come from? And why do people think it's true?

[CubeGuy @ Jul 19th 2009 2:56PM]

@namgorf
Beat me to it. That was the first thing I thought of.

Though I suppose I could get one and dye it blue...

[a jug of clorox @ Jul 18th 2009 6:07PM]

Cute. Call me when they make one like a blue police box.

[Templarian @ Jul 18th 2009 7:09PM]

My thoughts exactly.

[tordre @ Jul 18th 2009 7:29PM]

I agree but i think there can only be one ring tone for that version, and maybe come with a sonic screwdriver blue tooth headset.

[Stacky @ Jul 18th 2009 10:33PM]

HIVEMIND!

[Major4Play @ Jul 18th 2009 6:08PM]

Those old phoneboxes used to be all over the UK now there are very few phoneboxes left at all !

That phone should be in crapgadget.

[GBeatzRecrds @ Jul 18th 2009 6:11PM]

Perfect for my baby cousin.

[Poo_and_Wee @ Jul 18th 2009 6:12PM]

Almost every American I've ever met is guilty of this.

BRITAIN DOES NOT MEAN ENGLAND.

[Chris Are @ Jul 18th 2009 6:20PM]

Okay, to be fair that's pretty similar to calling people from the US "Americans" or "North Americans" as those titles include South and Central America and/ or Canada.

[sam @ Jul 18th 2009 6:22PM]

errrr... where did they get this wrong?

sure london is in england - it's also in britain. and 'god save the queen' is actually the UK national anthem, not just england's. and red phone boxes used to be found all over the UK (except Hull).

incidentally, wtf are they doing trying to sell this phone actually in britain (or england, for that matter) - surely nobody who lives here would be stupid enough to buy it? they should make it a bit cheaper (I mean in price not in quality, pretty sure there's no further to go there) and sell it at airports to just-arrived foreign visitors who need a GSM phone to use while they're in london, england, or britain.

[Pete @ Jul 18th 2009 6:52PM]

You mean Britain does not mean London. Assuming Enlgand = London is just as bad as assuming Britain = England. Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle.

[ilh @ Jul 18th 2009 8:58PM]

Calling them a (North) American is less specific which is valid as that includes the USA, unlike England which is more specific and doesn't cover Scotland etc but Britain does.

[AndyC @ Jul 18th 2009 9:10PM]

Hull - Cream phone boxes ftw

[CharlieX @ Jul 19th 2009 12:08AM]

ah, sad for you!

my English friend once thought Catalina Island (the island 20 miles off from LA) was Hawaii.

so it's not just us yanks that are mistaken

[Lionbacker @ Jul 19th 2009 11:23AM]

@ilh:

But if they didn't call us Americans, what would they call us? United Statesians?

[Samboini @ Jul 20th 2009 10:46AM]

Chris Are; you are wrong. The term 'American' applies specifically to people from the USA. All others are referred to as Brazilian, Canadian, Venezuelan etc.

[Chris Are @ Jul 18th 2009 6:17PM]

"makes us long to be British"... Darren aren't you from Britain?

[Mindboggle @ Jul 18th 2009 6:19PM]

Unfortuantly you hardly ever see one of these classic phoneboxes anymore. The usual site is this http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2228/2054948887_36d7d3d89f.jpg?v=0

Ugly BT phonebox, smashed and covered in graffiti. Thats what youl usually see.

[Tom @ Jul 18th 2009 7:29PM]

To be honest, I can count on one hand the number of occasions I've noticed a phonebox anywhere in the UK in the last few years.

[nebulus @ Jul 20th 2009 10:17AM]

I see them quite often ..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2158/2091991850_eb57f2a31d_b.jpg

[hbot @ Jul 18th 2009 6:19PM]

why isn't this tagged as one of those "crapgadgets"

[E C S Sucks @ Jul 18th 2009 6:35PM]

Irish

[UK31337 @ Jul 18th 2009 6:20PM]

There's still plenty of red phoneboxes around if you know where to look, although granted they are a lot rarer these days.

People used to literally pass out due to lack of oxygen if they stayed inside them too long without opening the door. It's true.

[sonic the plumber @ Jul 19th 2009 5:35AM]

There's one at Widdecombe-in-the-moor on Dartmoor.

[bjay @ Jul 18th 2009 6:23PM]

WTF.......this belongs to CrapGadgets

[MeanSpyvie @ Jul 18th 2009 9:55PM]

My fear is this will spawn a whole series of craptastic handsets shaped like all kinds of other objects.

[wnr @ Jul 18th 2009 6:25PM]

This will be the iPhone killer

[I hate mingers @ Jul 18th 2009 7:19PM]

what's an iphone

[Cameron @ Jul 18th 2009 6:37PM]

What about a green one for all the green phone boxes like this one at Seven Sisters in East Sussex: http://www.flickr.com/photos/melita666/3211377336/

[Archon (PSN: Archonik, XBL: DarkARHN) @ Jul 19th 2009 4:13AM]

Those are bootleg Phone Boxes!

[E C S Sucks @ Jul 18th 2009 6:39PM]

You can tell who are British. They will be calling it shit while everyone will love it. Being a Brit I also hate it.

[alex @ Jul 19th 2009 12:47PM]

If you were a Brit shouldn't you have called it a "shite" instead of "shit"

[arkweld @ Jul 19th 2009 7:11PM]

absolutely, the only people who love tacky crap like this aren't from that country.

[scumMUTANTking @ Jul 18th 2009 6:46PM]

already done in Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels

[paul @ Jul 18th 2009 6:50PM]

This is pretty cool, mind the gap!

[Samurai Jack @ Jul 18th 2009 6:56PM]

That is one expensive hunk of cheese... however I might consider it if the version of "God Save the Queen" was the one done by the Sex Pistols. I know a few fascist regimes where this would then be right at home.

[UK31337 @ Jul 18th 2009 7:22PM]

Like the UK, you mean? And I'm not even joking.

[greenlight @ Jul 18th 2009 7:06PM]

I presume "C&D Wireless" stands for Cease and Desist Wireless because if this is the kind of phone they make, that's what they ought to do.

[greg @ Jul 18th 2009 7:31PM]

it looks like a great crapgadget item the build quality does not look good

[Chris @ Jul 18th 2009 8:40PM]

Errr, no thanks, if I want to see a red phone box I'll just look out the window!

Got to agree with the person who said sell it at airports, cos the public probably will think that's a little tacky.

[Paul @ Jul 18th 2009 9:02PM]

clearly looks like a child's toy.

[Marbles @ Jul 18th 2009 8:12PM]

I would prefer one in the shape of a Walls footcicle.