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Fujitsu releases F-022 flip phone for women who like to smell good
Because they're brutish and sweaty, most men don't have a problem with their phone's naturally metallic musk, but "20 to 40 year-old women with a well-developed sense of fashion" apparently do. That's why Fujitsu has announced the F-022 -- a glittery flip phone designed for females who demand slightly more from their handheld's olfactory offerings. Developed in collaboration with Japanese accessory maker Folli Follie, this bejeweled little bauble comes with a "detachable fragrance chip" that allows users to mark their tech territory with the perfume of their choice. Just spray the chip with a dab of your scent, latch it on to the phone, and every conversation you have will end up smelling like roses. The F-022 goes on sale in China on June 24th, but for more information, just follow your nose to the PR, after the break. [Thanks, Jeff]
Sharp Aquos Android clamshell flips open for the FCC
Die-hard flip phone enthusiasts may want to rethink their mid-June flight to Japan -- it looks like Sharp's Gingerbread clamshell might be landing stateside after all. Hitting the FCC this week, the Aquos Phone Hybird 007SH rocks Android 2.3 in a waterproof, retro-future flip phone design featuring a 180-degree swiveling touchscreen. Miss texting with T9? Yeah, neither do we, but it'll be nice to have that satisfying hang-up "snap" back, won't it?
Sharp Aquos Android clamshell tricks friends into thinking you can't afford a smartphone
Looking for a handset that harkens back to simpler, pre-smartphone era, without losing the Googley luster of Android? We've got the perfect phone for you, and all you've got to do is move to Japan and get a Softbank Mobile account. Sharp, one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in its native country, rolled out the retro-future Gingerbread-packing Aquos Phone Hybrid 007SH, an Android 2.3 flip phone with a 180-degree swiveling touchscreen above the hinge and a numeric dial pad below that all the cool kids in Shibuya crave. It's also got some pretty solid specs, so far are clamshell phones go, including a 16MP camera and a 3D-capable display. The handset will hit Softbank in mid-June followed shortly by Sharp's rotary Honeycomb tablet.
Samsung Zeal and its dual-hinge design now official on Verizon: $79.99 (updated)
If the paper trail for this handset wasn't enough for you, here's the first official imagery of the Samsung Zeal. It is, as speculated, a dual-hinge, dual-display affair, equipped with an E Ink keyboard that transitions from a four-row QWERTY arrangement to a dialpad depending on orientation. If you're thinking you've seen this before, that might be because you were one of the few to notice Samsung's Alias 2, which also called Verizon its home. The Zeal is expected to arrive in stores on November 11th, so you can expect this premature little cameo to be augmented with full specs and a price very soon indeed. Update: The leak has turned into a full-on press release. The Zeal will cost $79.99 on a two-year contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate) and will be available in stores and online starting on November 11th, as expected. Skip past the break for the full announcement. Having checked it out for ourselves, we've found that this isn't like the Alias 2, this is the Alias 2 ... but in black. Shame on Verizon and Samsung for building up our interest for what's essentially a soft relaunch with a freshened up nomenclature.
BlackBerry Style officially launches October 31st for $99 on Sprint
We've been catching glimpses of the BlackBerry Style for so long we're glad to see it finally hit the big time: reality. Yes, Sprint and RIM have just made the 9670 QWERTY flip phone official, so if you've been dying to grab one, well you're going to get your chance. This bad boy runs the all new BlackBerry OS6, boasts a 5 megapixel cam, and two high resolution displays (one external, one internal). Other than that. you'll find built-in GPS and WiFi, and a microsSDHC slot for up to 32GB of storage. You'll be able to preorder starting tomorrow with a ship date of October 31st, and it'll run you $99 on contract after a mail-in rebate. Full press release is below.
Nokia Star Trek Communicator is simply awesome, sadly just a prototype (video)
Nokia had a little product placement going on in the latest Star Trek movie, you know that already. But did you also know that those crazy Finns made a few never-released prototypes for a most bodacious tie-in handset? That "Starfleet Communicator" above is said to be one of only 14 units built by Nokia, intended to simulate the iconic voice comms devices of the original TV series. Hardware-wise, it's based on the somewhat less exciting N76 and comes with an external LCD and a trifecta of lights on its front, both protected by a big and heavy brass grill. It's a fully functioning phone, too, replete with preinstalled chirps when flipping it open. Check it out on video after the break! [Thanks, Randall]
Motorola XT806 Android flip phone strikes a pose on Chinese website
You'd think Motorola would be done for the summer after pushing out the much anticipated Droid 2, but no -- apparently it has yet more Android handsets to deliver before it could head to the beach. Spotted on a Chinese regulatory website is this XT806 flip phone, which is destined for China Telecom's CDMA2000 network. Like the other MING handsets, the main selling point here is the Chinese handwriting input on the 3.6-inch 854 x 480 LCD screen -- no word on touchscreen type, but we'd be surprised if it isn't resistive. The phone -- powered by a 600MHz TI OMAP3430 chip -- also comes with microSD explansion, FM radio, Bluetooth, WLAN of some sort, and a 5 megapixel camera that does 720p video. As for which version of Android, no idea, but we'd still pick the MT810 over this newbie any day.
Sony Ericsson concept phone is as clever as it is unreal
Looking for some innovation to go with your porridge this morning? How about this fan-made flip phone concept that pivots vertically and horizontally? You can use it as a standard old clamshell, with the lower of the two displays acting as your number pad, or you can rotate it down to pair the screens into one snazzy widescreen panel. That's all there really is to it, but it seems like such an ingenious idea to us -- maintaining the slimline dimensions that some think are crucial to phones, while offering the generous screen size that we all want. Hit the source link to see more of this "Sony Ericsson" FH concept.
Mysterious Motorola MT820 poses for a long, leisurely spy shoot
Two in one week -- Two leaked Chinese Motorola phones with Android and transparent MOTOMING-like flip covers, that is. However, this one's a little more exciting. Dubbed the Moto MT820, this sleek handset's got a full leaked gallery of nice, clear images courtesy Chinese forum HiAPK, and word has it this might be the first device to make use of the dual-screen 3D patent Motorola applied for early this month. Actual facts are a little more scarce, though spy shots show a front-facing camera, physical home, power, volume and camera buttons, and a microSD slot hidden inside the back cover. Oh, and that spiral G3 logo? That means this particular device is destined for China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network. See all the spicy pics at our more coverage link.
Vertu Constellation Ayxta gets unboxed and admired
Overkill, thy name is Vertu. Nokia's luxury handset division has rarely gotten much love on these pages, but that's mostly to do with the excessive use of "high end" materials on its phones and zeroes in its prices. Both are present and accounted for here, with the stainless steel and leather-bound Constellation Ayxta starting at somewhere around $7,500. Still, we retain a curiosity to see such exclusive devices in the glaring lights of reality, and Gear Diary has treated us to just such a treat. The handset before you can crank out 6 hours of talk time over GSM or 300 hours of standby, navigate preloaded maps over GPS, or hook you up to an instant Concierge service if you don't feel like doing the work yourself. And why should you? Mosey on over to the source for the full unboxing gallery.
Motorola patent application offers new option for 3D cellphones
Flip phones may be somewhat on the outs these days (at least among those demanding the latest and greatest), but they may well be the key to future 3D cellphones -- at least if this Motorola patent application is any indication. The basic idea is actually a fairly simple one: you'd see a regular 2D image on the screen when the cover is open, but when it's closed you'd be able to look through the transparent lid and see the images with a "three dimensional appearance." As you can probably figure out, that screen would be a touchscreen that takes the place of a keypad, and another illustration also shows that the same idea could be applied to a slider phone. Of course, what the illustrations don't show is how effective that three dimensional appearance would actually be, although it seems like it could give Motoblur a whole new meaning.
Vertu announces Constellation Ayxta flip phone for the discerning, friendless traveler
Vertu's not known for making cut rate electronics, so this is probably the closest it'll ever come. The company's just unveiled its latest flip phone, the Constellation Ayxta. The Ayzta is aimed at citizens of the world who are looking for a "high quality product to assist in maintaining their standard of living wherever they may be," -- i.e., lazy people who'd rather throw money at something than figure out what to do on their own on a Friday night in Vienna. We can sympathize -- sort of. To that end, the handset will be kitted with all manner of, including Vertu's own Concierge service which puts you on the line with a customer service representative directly -- no hold required. Users will also get access to Vertu Select -- which, as we said before, will help you out and tell you where all the cool people are in whatever one horse you happen to be in at the moment. It's got 3G and a micros SD slot for up to 8GB of storage, plus a 3.0 megapixel cam with integrated flash (which is always nice), but other than that it's pretty unimpressive. The Constellation Ayxta is available in Europe now, and for a very affordable €4,900 to €6,500 -- somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,000 - $10,500. [Via T3]
Sony Ericsson eyes fashionistas with Dolce&Gabbana Jalou clamshell
Remember that geometrically-inspired Bao handset we peeked back in July? Turns out Sony Ericsson has another name for it: Jalou. Announced today in both boring and limited edition Dolce&Gabbana versions, the compact-esque clamshell is definitely designed to put "style" first and substance last. Reportedly shorter than "your favorite lipstick," the cellie is actually marketed more as an accessory and less of a phone, boasting a diamond shape design, two-inch display, 3.2 megapixel geotagging camera, video recording, built-in mirror (seriously), an FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.0, multimedia player, step counter, antediluvian web browser and quad-band GSM / tri-band HSPA connectivity. The "normal" version is expected in Q4 in Deep Amethyst, Aquamarine Blue and Onyx Black, while the 24k gold-plated D&G edition will ship in Sparkling Rose along with a matching Bluetooth headset and fanciful packaging. No prices are mentioned for either, naturally.Read - Standard JalouRead - Dolce&Gabbana JalouRead - Hands-on with standard Jalou
Video: CTD's MID concept fits comfortably in freakishly large pockets
Sure, this isn't the sexiest MID render we've ever seen, but it does make for a fun little video. Cambridge Technology Development, known around MIT and environs for fluidic device design, CFD analysis, and a number of other things we know less than nothing about, have designed a collapsible, pocketable PC that they call the Dragonfly. This bad boy can take the form of a flip phone, a straight-up netbook, or it can lay flat, in "table mode," ideal for pen and touch input. Of course, this isn't a real device -- and there's no telling when or if it'll become available. But when it does, how about floating us a review unit? Check 'er out yourself after the break.
Sony Ericsson's T707 photographed in the wild
Ah, the natural progression of a handset. Rumor? Check. Official launch? Check. In the wild spottings? As of now, check! Sony Ericsson's recently outed T707 flip phone has already been acquired and photographed over at DailyMobile, and while there's nothing here out of the ordinary, it's still a must-see for any SE enthusiast. Check the gallery in the read link below.[Thanks, Daniel]
Motorola's long lived A1200 MING gets a successor: A1210
Say it ain't so! Some three years after the original A1200 MING drew attention overseas with its then-flashy design and Linux OS, we're finally hearing that somewhat of a direct successor is on the way. Oh sure, we've certainly seen others in the MING family surface over the past little while, but this one follows right in line even in name. The A1210 sports a 2.8-inch QVGA (400 x 240) touchscreen, a 3.1 megapixel camera, FM radio, tri-band GSM support, Bluetooth, USB, a TI OMAP850 processor and a microSD card slot. The most interesting part, however, is the homegrown Linux build that'll reportedly be loaded on. Sadly, it's too early to tell whether that system will be all new or partially regurgitated, but the Chinese market should be able to tell in the not-too-distant future.
Philips Xenium X700 ain't too fond of its AC adapter
The word Xenium immediately sets off thoughts of frolicking in Dutch fields for days without nary a care in the world with respect to battery life, and the cute little X700 aligns perfectly with those whimsical thoughts. The latest flip phone in Philips's growing arsenal of longevous devices can reportedly last a full month in standby on a single charge, and furthermore, it boasts a 2.4-inch QVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, FM radio, microSDHC card slot, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0 and quad-band GSM connectivity. Of course, the call time is just 450 minutes, but hey, all the more reason to just hit "silent" time after time.
Samsung's m320 arrives on Virgin Mobile Canada
There ain't anything fancy about Samsung's m320, but that's why it's completely free on a 3-year contract. A number of months after splashing down on Sprint, the flip phone has arrived in the Great North, bringing with it Bluetooth, a VGA camera, speakerphone, calling / texting capabilities and a 1.9-inch 145 x 128 pixel inside display. Oh, and if you're looking for the no-strings-attached version, that'll run you $79.99.[Via MobileSyrup]
Rogers launches LG's TU330 Globus flip phone for $29.99 on contract
Earlier this month, we saw pretty solid evidence that Rogers Wireless was gearing up to launch LG's TU330 Globus, and sure enough, said flip phone has just popped up for ordering on the Canadian carrier's website. The 3G-capable handset boasts a 1.3 megapixel camera, tri-band HSPA / quad-band GSM support, stereo Bluetooth, a microSD card slot, a 220 x 176 resolution display and video recording. And just think, it can all be yours for the higher than anticipated price of $29.99 on a 3-year contract. Take our advice here and just buy the thing outright for $79.99 $179.99 -- the next three years of your life are worth more than fifty bones.[Via MobileSyrup]Update: Looks like it's actually a slightly more hard-to-swallow $180 off contract, not $80. Thanks for the correction, Hayden!
Motorola Ruby (VE1) ditches weird spelling, not the RAZR look
We'll hand it to Moto here -- it truly is admirable that it didn't use all caps and no vowels to name a phone that's so strikingly similar to the original RAZR, but we can't help but doubt this thing's ability to sell. The Motorola Ruby (or VE1), will reportedly boast a 5 megapixel camera, a standard flip phone design and... well, that's about it. Or, at least that's all we know of. For those still agile enough to mouse to the read link after the massive facepalm you surely just initiated, there are a few more images down there for your perusal. "Enjoy."
