Puma Phone now available somewhere you probably don't live
By Chris Ziegler 
posted July 6th 2010 3:53AM
posted July 6th 2010 3:53AM
PUMA PHONE KICKS OFF WITH OPERATORS AND RETAILERS ACROSS EUROPE
New device from PUMA and Sagem Wireless being unleashed by first operators
Paris, 01 July 2010 – PUMA AG and Sagem Wireless today announced operator and retail partners in eleven European markets as part of the first wave of PUMA Phone launches. The first mobile operators and retailers including the PUMA Phone in their portfolio today will see the device on sale in Germany, UK, Italy, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Romania, Macedonia and Slovenia.
In addition, a first distribution agreement has been inked in the UAE. Reflecting PUMA's long standing commitment to sport in Africa, the PUMA Phone will also be carried by operators in Uganda, Madagascar, Kenya, Mauritius, Cameroon, Botswana, Tunisia and Senegal in a first wave of launches.
First unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2010 and now launching this month into key EMEA markets, the PUMA Phone combines on-board sportslifestyle features and technology with a unique user interface and connected services to create a complete PUMA experience. Targeting 18-30 year old subscribers who lead an active lifestyle, the PUMA Phone is custom designed to reflect the DNA of the PUMA brand.
"Whether it is the Unity Kit at FIFA World Cup 2010 or the groundbreaking yacht design for the Volvo Ocean Race, PUMA is unlike any other sportlifestyle company. The PUMA Phone is consistent with everything PUMA stands for – joy, environmental responsibility and individuality," said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA. "Using the device to directly connect with the PUMA community through services such as live sports feeds and m-commerce, the PUMA Phone delivers not only a rich PUMA experience, but uses sustainable technology such as integrated solar that is completely consistent with our mission to become the most desirable and sustainable sportlifestyle company."
The PUMA Phone is an active smartphone combining Internet, messaging, and GPS localisation capabilities with solar charging, video calling and Bluetooth photo sharing to create a wearable fashion accessory for the active lifestyle. The PUMA WORLD portal aggregates rich media content services from PUMA into a single intuitive and entertaining mobile user experience where users can interact with multimedia content from puma.com, download PUMA applications, and access PUMA products through m-commerce services.
Thierry Buffenoir, CEO, Sagem Wireless, said: "This step into connected lifestyle devices and services is a strategic move for both PUMA and Sagem Wireless, which is reflected in the quality of our operator partners who are joining with us to deliver the PUMA Phone. The connected services and m-commerce opportunities will enable mobile operators to create and access new channels for reaching niche communities with highly customised products and services that drive data usage."
The PUMA Phone will be available through mobile network operators, select mobile phone retailers and on PUMA online store from June 2010, with additional European and international markets following. The PUMA Phone is available SIM-free for Estimated Retail Price (ERP) of €399, or subsidised by local operators as part of a contract bundle.
Key features of the PUMA Phone include:
* Integrated solar cell, with charge indicator (one hour of sunshine provides power for one hour and 30 minutes of MP3 play or enough energy to send about 30 text messages)
* Touchscreen: 2.8 inch thumbable screen with 240 x 320 QVGA resolution and TFT wide viewing angle
* Camera: 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash and x6 zoom; Bluetooth photo sharing
* Video: VGA video call camera; full screen video playback, with video recording and streaming and progressive video download
* Music: wide range of music formats with playlist support and FM radio
* Memory: microSD 2GB memory card supplied with the phone
* Localisation: GPS, compass, geotagging, routing and mapping
* Sports: pedometer, GPS tracker and stopwatch
* Internet: Open internet browsing, with WAP Push
* Messaging: Mobile email client and mobile web mail notification; instant messaging; MMS and SMS
* HSPA and W-CDMA/EDGE/GPRS/GSM connectivity; Bluetooth; USB 2.0
* Talk time up to 5 hours with 350 hours stand-by time; video call time 140 minutes; music player time 24 hours; video player time 5 hours
* Tablet form factor; 115g weight and dimensions of 102mm x 56mm x 13mm
New device from PUMA and Sagem Wireless being unleashed by first operators
Paris, 01 July 2010 – PUMA AG and Sagem Wireless today announced operator and retail partners in eleven European markets as part of the first wave of PUMA Phone launches. The first mobile operators and retailers including the PUMA Phone in their portfolio today will see the device on sale in Germany, UK, Italy, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Romania, Macedonia and Slovenia.
In addition, a first distribution agreement has been inked in the UAE. Reflecting PUMA's long standing commitment to sport in Africa, the PUMA Phone will also be carried by operators in Uganda, Madagascar, Kenya, Mauritius, Cameroon, Botswana, Tunisia and Senegal in a first wave of launches.
First unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2010 and now launching this month into key EMEA markets, the PUMA Phone combines on-board sportslifestyle features and technology with a unique user interface and connected services to create a complete PUMA experience. Targeting 18-30 year old subscribers who lead an active lifestyle, the PUMA Phone is custom designed to reflect the DNA of the PUMA brand.
"Whether it is the Unity Kit at FIFA World Cup 2010 or the groundbreaking yacht design for the Volvo Ocean Race, PUMA is unlike any other sportlifestyle company. The PUMA Phone is consistent with everything PUMA stands for – joy, environmental responsibility and individuality," said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA. "Using the device to directly connect with the PUMA community through services such as live sports feeds and m-commerce, the PUMA Phone delivers not only a rich PUMA experience, but uses sustainable technology such as integrated solar that is completely consistent with our mission to become the most desirable and sustainable sportlifestyle company."
The PUMA Phone is an active smartphone combining Internet, messaging, and GPS localisation capabilities with solar charging, video calling and Bluetooth photo sharing to create a wearable fashion accessory for the active lifestyle. The PUMA WORLD portal aggregates rich media content services from PUMA into a single intuitive and entertaining mobile user experience where users can interact with multimedia content from puma.com, download PUMA applications, and access PUMA products through m-commerce services.
Thierry Buffenoir, CEO, Sagem Wireless, said: "This step into connected lifestyle devices and services is a strategic move for both PUMA and Sagem Wireless, which is reflected in the quality of our operator partners who are joining with us to deliver the PUMA Phone. The connected services and m-commerce opportunities will enable mobile operators to create and access new channels for reaching niche communities with highly customised products and services that drive data usage."
The PUMA Phone will be available through mobile network operators, select mobile phone retailers and on PUMA online store from June 2010, with additional European and international markets following. The PUMA Phone is available SIM-free for Estimated Retail Price (ERP) of €399, or subsidised by local operators as part of a contract bundle.
Key features of the PUMA Phone include:
* Integrated solar cell, with charge indicator (one hour of sunshine provides power for one hour and 30 minutes of MP3 play or enough energy to send about 30 text messages)
* Touchscreen: 2.8 inch thumbable screen with 240 x 320 QVGA resolution and TFT wide viewing angle
* Camera: 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash and x6 zoom; Bluetooth photo sharing
* Video: VGA video call camera; full screen video playback, with video recording and streaming and progressive video download
* Music: wide range of music formats with playlist support and FM radio
* Memory: microSD 2GB memory card supplied with the phone
* Localisation: GPS, compass, geotagging, routing and mapping
* Sports: pedometer, GPS tracker and stopwatch
* Internet: Open internet browsing, with WAP Push
* Messaging: Mobile email client and mobile web mail notification; instant messaging; MMS and SMS
* HSPA and W-CDMA/EDGE/GPRS/GSM connectivity; Bluetooth; USB 2.0
* Talk time up to 5 hours with 350 hours stand-by time; video call time 140 minutes; music player time 24 hours; video player time 5 hours
* Tablet form factor; 115g weight and dimensions of 102mm x 56mm x 13mm
Looks like Samsung Corby to me.
@Phal
Yea exactly
But for 399 Euros ?? Seriously ??
I would rather get HTC desire which retails for the same price unlocked and unbranded.
We don't want another kin here :(
@GnuGeek
The great thing about this is that you'll probably save $$$ on electricity in the long run. It really adds up.
I'm European, so what?
@immortal clone It depends. If u are in south Europe those solar panels are a big deal. It is available in Greece.
@Anastasios Antonios Toulkeridis
Greece runs off of hope. Just like their economy. Zing!!!!
@DefPoet My brothes has it.. Nothing special..
@DefPoet The Greek economy is expected to recover in 2011
@Anastasios Antonios Toulkeridis
cool story bro
Really nice feature-phone In my Opinion
@Alv
But definitely not worth that price, that's craziness
2.8-inch QVGA TFT screen with 240 x 320 pixels, 3.2mp camera. It screams overpriced, overhyped low end feature phone. That dumbed down UI will get boring very fast.
@Discourse Oh boy! I think the price is all bcoz of the brand. But I'm not gonna get it anyways. In fact, I'll get a phone that is 20 Uris cheaper than this and is a million times better. Yes, it's the Nokia N8. Eagerly waiting for it's launch :)
@statickeith I think the solar panel on this phone may be what pushed the price up a bit. Just like you, everyone I know who still owns an N97 or 5800 is waiting for the N8 to launch :D
Why settle for a Puma..while i can get a "Cougar" with padded bumpers and she won't ever drop my calls....Growl!!!
@icon808
Or a panther she's big ,heavy & will leave your battery on E
;3 . . . But real talk I spy a front facing camera
@LaserGuidedSocks
I prefer a leopard. She's long sleek and has spots
@DefPoet
Tiger for me. King of the Jungle.
@icon808
Wait, are you talking about the animal, or the 40-something woman looking for younger guys?
@LaserGuidedSocks
Where do i insert the SDmicro card?
......€399 . hahahahahaha , really ? are they joking ? my head hurts when i see something this overpriced
It's actually €299, and it's available in countries where a lot of people live. You're just envious! ;-)
don't quit your day job...
... somewhere you probably don't live? What an ignorant headline! These nine countries together have about the same population as the US, and I've not yet seen with a US exclusive launch that the author pointed out that this is "somewhere you probably don't live".
@Cherrypicker
Considering this is an American website and the fact that its in English, Engadget are correct in saying people from Europe, Africa and the Middle East wouldnt be reading it, therefore it probably is "somewhere you dont live"
@Adamgs
Here in Germany many people regularly read Engadget; most younger to mid-aged Germans (and I believe people who read Engadget mostly are of that age) do not care much whether a site is in English or German.
But you are right, this is definitely different in France, and to some degree also in Italy and some othe countries, so you have a point here.
Nonetheless I rather see Engadget as an international site, with readers all over the world. It's rather regular than exeptional that new product launches happen first in markets where only a minority of readers live.
@Adamgs
... and I forgot to mention that to me the headline suggested that the phone would only be available to a small unimportant market, like Malta or Tuvalu or the sorts, not to the three largest European countries plus some more.
Looking forward for Nokia's sneakers:D
Really this is a big kitsch!
@mbdd Before mobile phones, Nokia made rubber boots. Maybe Puma will go the same way, and in teh future people will think of them as a phone manufacturer
Ghettooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Do they all come with gack all over the screen, or is it just this one?!
nice
ya its really good but we dont have clear idea of Puma phone release date, price, dealer in india and den whether can we charge like ordinary cell phones or only by solar power really plz list out facility about security passwords to lock message and to lock phonebook privacy.it is great device for multipurpose use.
samsung behold review
is it just me, or does thing remind anyone else of the pomegranate phone? Just not as awesome.
I will pass on this one.
"Technology still hasn't advanced nearly enough to make authentic shoe-talking anything more than a distant dream"
Sports Illustrated had shoe phones made up back in the 80s, to give away with subscriptions. Ran some remarkably stupid ads. "Hi, Honey. I'm talking on a shoe!"
I suppose the Get Smart model would at least have to be cordless, though, so you could actually wear it as a shoe.
Happy? Whys that there.