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Versace Unique launched, Vertu put on notice
And here it is, the Versace phone. Teaming up with the ModeLabs outfit that's already quite familiar with building lush phone-like pieces of handheld jewelry, Versace has just announced its first foray into the world of touchscreen communicators. It's quite the striking debut, too, coming with a sapphire crystal screen that is apparently the largest single piece ever offered in a consumer device, as well as gold plating and "high-tech ceramic" construction options. Hand assembly is an obvious standard feature, as is the Medusa-embossed leather back. LG is responsible for putting together the innards, including the 3-inch display and 5 megapixel camera, and worry not, we understand a black version will be available too. Look for the Unique in the usual places you find wildly overpriced gear starting next month.
Versace's first phone gets FCC approval, is actually the LG GD970?
So check this out: remember how fashion house Versace announced a few months back that it had teamed up with France's ModeLabs to put together its own designer handset? Well, we're pretty sure we've spotted it in the FCC's files today as the "VER-01" -- there's no trace of Versace branding in what few documents aren't under confidentiality at this point, but the model code combined with the fact that this is a ModeLabs filing is enough to connect the dots. Here's where it gets interesting, though: digging through the documents a bit reveals that the VER-01 is actually another name for the LG GD970 -- and if you check out LG's user agent profile for the unannounced device, you discover that it's a feature phone (that is, not an Android, Symbian, or WinMo device) rocking a comfortable 800 x 480 display. It's interesting that ModeLabs would subcontract the phone like this, but maybe Versace was requesting some high-end, tech-savvy stuff that the company wasn't able to deliver without pulling a giant like LG into the mix. Regardless of what's going on here, though, it's never too early to start saving those pennies. Millions upon millions of pennies.
Versace working on a phone for some reason
Pull off another successful million-dollar pump and dump? Did Daddy's $60,000 monthly allowance check just clear? Vertu a little too bourgeois for you these days? If you answered "oui" to at least one of the above, Versace's upcoming bespoke handset might be just for you. Created in close partnership with matriarch Donatella Versace, it turns out that the company behind the project is the very same that brought both TAG Heuer's and Christian Dior's phones to market in the past -- France's ModeLabs -- but this new model is said to outstrip the Dior's sticker price of €3,500 (about $5,040) by some probably outrageous margin. The hot mess of rare earth metal, leather, and jewels is set for a private VIP preview in Paris next week (trust us, you're not invited, nor are we) followed by a May launch, so start pinching those pennies.
Modelabs follows up MTV3.3 with -- you guessed it -- MTV3.4
MTV and French carrier SFR are back at it with yet another remix of their Modelabs-sourced music phone, and this one's just about as funky fresh as we've seen 'em. Following the MTV3.3, the new MTV3.4 carries the torch with one-click access to MTV content (in other words, you'd better really be into MTV to buy this thing), a 2-megapixel camera, 3G, video calling, and microSD expansion. It runs as little as €9 (about $12) depending on the plan and the contract -- so MTV aside, it seems to be a pretty good deal considering you're getting a tricked-out 3G slider.[Via Unwired View]
TAG Heuer's ritzy Meridiist handset gets unboxed
All but the most affluent among us have likely purged the pricey Meridiist from our memories, but if you've ever wondered what exactly a £2,650 ($5,162) cellphone looks like (and really, who hasn't?), you'll definitely want to check this out. The fine folks over at Stuff were able to point their camera at TAG Heuer's exquisite handset ever-so-briefly, and while the images tell half the story, the folks handling it told the other. The chunky phone reportedly reeked of unnecessary luxury and was built solidly, but we didn't get the impression that they were champing at the bit to call this a bargain. At any rate, there are a few more shots where this one came from (that would be the read link, for the uninitiated).
ModeLabs serves up the Dior Mini to the FCC, too
Not satisfied merely dropping one five-figure mess of circuitry on the FCC's table this week, ModeLabs went ahead and dropped a second -- the Dior Mini from (who else?) Christian Dior. Thing is, it looks like a free-on-contract flip (with a feature set to match), and as far as we can tell, the only things taking the price into the stratosphere are the marque and the criss-cross of stones up top. Hey, whatever, the FCC doesn't care -- if they did, the contracting labs wouldn't be putting the gear against this fashion faux-pas of a backdrop. And inversely, we guess the prospective buyers won't care that there's no HSDPA 850 / 1900 to be found. C'est la vie.
TAG Heuer Meridiist hits FCC courtesy of ModeLabs
Looks just a little less glamorous when it's chilling in some clean-room lab somewhere, doesn't it? TAG Heuer's mighty Meridiist, the luxury set designed to compete with the Vertus and Mobiados of the world, has just navigated its way through the FCC's bureaucracy on the wings of French ODM ModeLabs complete with a posting of the user's manual. And let's be honest, at well over five grand, an online user's manual is about as close as most of us are ever going to get to this thing.
Christian Dior / ModeLabs pop out another absurdly overpriced handset
If Christian Dior's $5,000 handset just wasn't rich enough for your blood, hopefully the crocodile skinned, Swarovski-covered iteration will put a sizable enough hole in your bank account to make you feel sufficiently important. Reportedly dubbed Lady Dior, the ModeLabs-created mobile features a 2.6-inch QVGA display, 2-megapixel camera, 640 Swarovski stones and absolutely nothing really worth the price tag. Speaking of which, said sticker is right around €18,000 ($28,360). Laughable, no?[Via CNET]
$5,000 Dior phone: so upscale it doesn't require specs
Look, we're not Russian oil tycoons with a taste for trophy wives one-third our age. That's true. Nevertheless, no matter how hard we try, we just can't understand how spending $5,000 on these new Christian Dior phones will substantially increase our lot in life. Then again, we're afraid of robots. The new line of boutique phones manufactured in partnership with ModeLabs feature a touchscreen display, camera, and novel, mini-phone extender dubbed My Dior (pictured after the break). About the size of a USB key, My Dior is meant to clip onto the outside of your wo/man bag thus avoiding any frantic rummaging when the favorable divorce settlement call finally arrives. Sorry, that's about as detailed as the specification list gets... not that specs matter when couture is at stake.[Via Textually]
Orange France gets exclusive on Levi's 3G slider
Not just jeans friends, ModeLabs Group's Levi's handset is also all about the 3G experience, at least for Orange France users. This clunky slider features triple-band GSM, 2100MHz UMTS, 2 megapixel cam, Bluetooth, FM radio, and a microSD slot to extend the storage for your digital media. Orange is even offering to fill your memory card slot with a 1GB card and give you somewhere to put it with a Jean pocket-shaped case if you get there soon enough. We saw Levi's first branded set some time ago and it's encouraging to see them stepping up with faster data services -- well at least UMTS. Who knows, we may one day see some on this side of the world.[Via MobileBurn]
TAG Heuer's ???3,400 Meridiist handset gets official
Surely those rumored shots of TAG Heuer's luxurious first handset from last week are still stuck in your head, right? Go on and purge those puppies right on out, as we've got the very first press shots (more in the read link) of the now-official Meridiist to focus our attention on. Reportedly, the handset was indeed developed in partnership with Modelabs, and beyond the all-metal casing, you can also expect a sapphire crystal screen, 2-megapixel camera, multimedia player, 1.9-inch QVGA display, Bluetooth and a battery good for 7-hours of yappin' aimlessly about how pricey your new mobile is. Speaking of which, did we mention this prized piece will run you between €3,400 ($5,420) and €3,900 ($6,216), depending on customizations, when it sashays onto the scene in Q2? Yeah, ouch.
Hands-on with Modelab's Hummer and Levi's handsets
We've seen both the Levi's and Hummer sets over the last few months, but haven't had opportunity to talk to the gents over at Modelabs or get a chance to see them in real life. While we weren't able to glean too much new info, we did hear that they do hope to see these things land over here but not with a carrier, these will simply be sold as unlocked handsets -- potentially through Hummer dealers and Levi's stores. Specs are sketch, but we do know neither sports 3G, WiFi or other high speed access technologies. Build quality is very nice on both handsets, but the Levi's set is actually pretty fantastic, we're not big on the Levi's branding, but the screen and device materials are jaw-droppingly fantastic. We only say the black iteration of the Levi's set, but the Hummer branded phone comes in yellow, and dark and light camo. Pics are just below.%Gallery-13467%
TAG Heuer teaming with Modelabs for branded phones
France's Modelabs does serious business brewing up custom devices for companies looking to slap their logo on a line of cellphones, and the latest to enter the fray is going to be decidedly Swiss. TAG Heuer, best known for its watches, is looking to grow the brand well beyond wrist candy; the CEO says he was encouraged by the success of its recently-launched eyewear line and figured that the luxury phone market was a good market to tap next, a rumor that has dogged the company for most of this year. Look for the fruits of Modelabs' and TAG Heuer's joint efforts to materialize in the second half of 2008. Here's our question, though: will it tell the time? These guys wouldn't want to put their bread-and-butter division out of work, right?[Via textually.org]
Levi's intros shiny new cellphones
Levi's made its cellphone intentions pretty well known late last year, but it's just now following through with them, trotting out its new line of self-branded phones made with more than a little help from ModeLabs. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot in the way of technical details at the moment, but Levi's is more than willing to talk up the phone's various style advantages, including its riveted steel casing and detachable chain. From the looks of it, you'll also be able to get the phone in your choice of five color schemes, including metallic silver, black, brown copper, "shiny silver," and "shiny sand" -- the latter two of which also come with "mirror" screens. More details should be trickling out as we near the phone's September launch date, which appears to be confined to Europe for the time being.
TAG Heuer to partner with ModeLabs on luxury handset?
It looks like the competition in the luxury phone market is heating up, as folks still trying to choose between Gresso, Vertu, GoldVish, the D&G RAZR, or the ridiculously pricey Black Diamond could see one more alternative in addition to the recently-unveiled LG Prada. According to Sybarites, TAG Heuer -- the folks responsible for Jeff Gordon and Tiger Woods' sumptuous wristwatches -- is teaming up with ModeLabs to introduce "a completely new phone" for deep-pocketed talkers. While details (including a sneak peek) are scant, the phone is "expected to be made of stainless steel and have many similarities to TAG watches," but it seems we'll just have to wait this one out before making any other far-reaching predictions.[Thanks, James]
Phone or yo-yo? ModeLabs unveils new concepts
Never mind those fancy fuel cells -- just knock that phone around a bit to keep it juiced. At least that's the idea with three new concept handsets introduced by France-based ModeLabs, the same company hooking up with Levi's (to produce phones with decidedly less fancy recharging technology and more denim, we imagine). First up is the aptly named "YoYo," a puck-shaped device (pictured) designed to be worn around the neck that draws power from a combination of solar cells and the user's movement. Next up, the "U-Turn" somehow managed to eke out some electrons from the opening and closing of its keyboard, while the fitness-themed "Runaway" gets regenerated while strapped to the wrist. Of course, none of these are anywhere near production, but the folks at ModeLabs are apparently gunning to market the technology to manufacturers before too long.[Via textually.org]
Levi's to make jump from jeans to phones
Perhaps hoping to cash in on the apparent success of other joint ventures pairing the equally fickle fashion and cellphone industries, Levi's European outpost has announced a partnership with ModeLabs of France to slap the beloved Levi name and likeness on a series of handsets. The deal should come to fruition next year, though terms and product details were not announced (why must you torment us so, Levi?). This isn't the first time ModeLabs has done the fashionphone thing, so there's an inkling of hope these guys know what they're doing here -- but if we end up with something like a denim-clad RAZR, we're going to throw a fit.[Via I4U News]
