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Mobiado's Grand Touch phones ditch the Nexus S plastic for a precious metal finish
Nothing quite screams money to burn like last year's tech gilded in pricey, CNC-machined metals. Purveyor of mobile extravagance, Mobiado, has recently rolled out the red carpet for two new additions to its Grand Line -- the Grand Touch and Grand Touch GCB. These high-end exercises in wireless hauteur are merely gussied up versions of Samsung's Nexus S, sporting the same ol' 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 16GB of storage, 512MB RAM, 4-inch Super LCD display and front-facing VGA / 5 megapixel rear camera. Available in either anodized aluminum or solid brass with gold plating (take a guess which is costlier), the sapphire crystal-backed duo comes unlocked with quad-band GSM, and tri-band UMTS / HSDPA radios, so you can stay connected aboard that yacht in St. Tropez.
Mobiado's 712 Mokume Gane: because your Galaxy S lacks ancient Japanese metallurgical craftsmanship
Is there any way to sensibly justify Mobiado's colossally overpriced, underspec'd handsets? Not as far as we can tell -- but Mobiado seems to be eminently aware of (and okay with) that, diving yet deeper into the bottomless pit of conspicuous consumption this week with the announcement of the 712 Mokume Gane candybar. What's "Mokume Gane" mean, you ask? Well, turns out it refers to an ancient Japanese metalworking technique used to craft decorative weapons in which several types of metals are folded into one another to create a wood grain look. Oh, and if you're wondering why they don't just simply things a bit and use real wood, the short answer is that Mobiado already does that -- see the 712EM model -- so this would be for people looking for a little more heft (and presumably, cost). As with most of Mobiado's models, this is a situation where you're going to have to hit up a retailer to find out how close to bankruptcy the phone is going to push you.
Mobiado 105 Damascus handled on video, which is the closest you'll ever get to one
Mobiado's 105 series of Series 40-based luxury candybars is nothing new -- in fact, it's quite old -- but as Vertu has discovered over the years, customers that are looking to spend four or five figures on a phone are apparently often uninterested in smartphone capability for some reason. On that note, the 105 rolls on with the recent introduction of the 105 Damascus, coated in hand-forged Damascus steel from Sweden with sandblasted (or rather, glass bead-blasted) steel buttons and screws to match. That's neat, but you know what isn't neat? The 2 megapixel camera, the 2-inch display, or the "more than" 1GB of memory available. Anyhow, enough venting -- point is, the recently-announced device has gotten a little hands-on time courtesy of Vietnamese site MaiNguyen, and though the steel edges are admittedly pretty beautiful, they wouldn't seem to come anywhere near justifying the phone's heart-stopping $4,500 asking price. Judge for yourself in the video (paired with a hands-on of some neat Damascus steel pen) after the break.
Mobiado's 712GCB: 'your choice of yellow or rose gold' is really all you need to know
Were you up late at night trying to imagine what a Mobiado 712ZAF might look like were it covered in 8 microns of 18-karat gold? Well, an honest night of peaceful slumber might finally be within reach now that the Canadian company has answered the call with the 712GCB. The pricey candybar carries over everything you love (or hate) about the 712ZAF, including the 2.2-inch QVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, AGPS, and tri-band 3G, but swaps out the plebeian bits of colored steel for your choice of yellow or rose gold. Price is, of course, unlisted -- but you were just planning on putting it on the black card without asking any questions anyway, weren't you?
Mobiado's 712ZAF yet another way to rid yourself of bothersome $100 bills
Cash weighing you down? Credit limit too high? Luxury phone specialist Mobiado might just have the answer with its latest creation, the 712ZAF candybar. Billed as the successor to the Luminoso, the Vancouver-based company's latest execution of conspicuous consumption features a 2.2-inch QVGA display, AGPS, two-mic dynamic noise reduction, a 5 megapixel camera with flash, and quadband EDGE plus UMTS 900 / 1900 / 2100 (Mobiado has always had a bad habit of simply calling out "WCDMA" without specifying UMTS or HSPA, but on that tiny display, it really doesn't matter too much). The aluminum frame is surrounded with a ceramic coat in your choice of six colors; no word on price or availability, but we'll venture a guess that breaking open your piggy bank isn't going to cover it.
Mobiado keeps going with the analog clock meme, intros Professional 105GMT Stealth and Antique
When you hear "ability to see 3 time zones simultaneously" quoted as a feature on a phone, you generally don't expect two of those three to be expressed as analog Swiss movements -- unless you own Mobiado's absurd Professional 105GMT, of course, which features two old-fashioned clocks directly below the keypad. Weird, yes; excessive, most definitely, but excess is what luxury phones tend to be all about these days, and in that regard, the 105GMT definitely fits the bill. To that end, Mobiado has just introduced two new versions of the model, the Antique -- with watch faces crafted in rare Cocobolo wood -- and the Stealth, which is as "murdered out" as a phone gets (as the kids would say) thanks to gunmetal black treatment everywhere you look. Both phones are hard to find and even harder to pay for with stickers that run into the thousands of dollars, but the good news is that if you're weird enough to drop that kind of coin on a phone, we bet you probably don't care that it's only got a 2 megapixel camera. [Via mobile-review] Read - Professional 105GMT Antique Read - Professional 105GMT Stealth
Mobiado's Grand 350 Pioneer is fit for an extraterrestrial
Say your phone is accidentally lost in the void of space, never to be seen or touched by a human being again. Wouldn't it be comforting to know that any alien creature coming in contact with it a hundred, a thousand, or a million years from now would be able to deduce that you come in peace? With luxury phone maker Mobiado's latest version of the Grand 350, finally, you have that option available to you. As its name suggests, the 350 Pioneer is some sort of oddly-conceived tribute to NASA's Pioneer missions that features an engraving similar to the ones launched on its early craft; it describes our solar system, Earth's orientation within it, and basically tries to let your foreign friend know that you mean no harm using diagrams alone. The out-of-this-world spec sheet doesn't end there, though: you also get a meteorite embedded behind the display's sapphire crystal and etched text on the side letting everyone know your commitment to supporting the Pioneer program in as gaudy a way as possible. The Nokia E71-based phone is limited to just 37 examples, so you'd better get in line now -- and don't forget your space suit. [Via Mobile Phone Helpdesk]
Mobiado's Grand 350PRL is a fancy E71 remix
In the automotive world, coachbuilding is the age-old business -- recently making a resurgence among the extraordinarily wealthy, interestingly -- of taking established, off-the-shelf production models and turning them into totally customized, bespoke works of art. Commissioning a coachbuilt car is one of the most excessive displays of materialism known to modern man, but at the end of the process, at least you've got a functional keepsake and an heirloom that can be kept in the family for generations. Cellphones, though -- let's just say they don't have the same staying power that an exotic car has, which makes luxury manufacturer Mobadio's new Grand 350PRL a tough sell. The previously-rumored phone represents the first model in the company's new Grand Line, which introduces a new industrial design distinct from its other two lines, but let's concentrate on what's really going on here: it's a dressed-up E71. Mobiado has taken a great (and great-looking) smartphone that can be easily had for under $300 and applied enough sapphire, stainless steel, and mother-of-pearl to raise the sticker well into "if you have to ask" territory. Sure, if that's your thing and you've already put a couple coachbuilt Ferraris in the garage, be our guest -- but don't come running to us when you realize that the E71 has a better keyboard anyway for a trivial fraction of the price.[Via Unwired View]
Mobiado Grand Line to cost hundreds of dollars per QWERTY key?
Mobiado doesn't make the cheapest phones in the world; quite the contrary, actually, with models that run into the tens of thousands of dollars depending on metals, jewels, and your salesperson's insultingly high margin. MobileBurn has obtained shots of what could be a member of the company's new "Grand Line," a QWERTY set -- which would be the company's first -- with mother-of-pearl inlay properly conveying just how much better you and your phone are than those around you. No word on pricing, availability, operating system, or just how real this is, but if you're properly endowed, we're sure you'll be in touch with the proper folks to get on the waiting list. Update: A close look at the the keyboard, chin, and microphone placement suggests that the device could be a reskinned E71 -- which would make sense, seeing how Mobiado's probably too small to be crafting its own QWERTY smartphone guts. Thanks, Craig!
Mobiado's 105GMT in white: still accidentally steampunk
"Clocks in a phone." It sounds like the name of an unfinished Kubrick joint, the punchline to a really bad joke, or the incoherent rambling of a luddite trying to make sense of cellular technology -- but unfortunately, it's none of these. Instead it's just Mobiado's 105GMT all over again, this time in white. This monstrosity sits squarely at the intersection of "hideous" and "trust fund," which is a territory we're sorry to say we'll never have the pleasure of experiencing ourselves -- but to those who need a gaudier way to run a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme on the road, your weapon of choice has clearly arrived.[Via Unwired View]
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]
The Mobiado 105CLB: Louis Vuitton fakery at Louis Vuitton prices
So the less-exciting news out of luxo-phone shop Mobiado today is that it has recrafted its 105EM candybar in two new bank-busting "Special Edition" shades: red (trimmed with 24 karat gold, naturally) and white. The more exciting news, though, clearly has to be the 105EM CLB Series, trimmed in Mobiado's "designer monogram" -- also known as "Louis Vuitton's monogram, minus the LV, plus some random Ms and lions and crap". They've got quadband EDGE and some form of UMTS-based 3G on the 850 and 2100MHz bands, featuring a 2-megapixel cam, "more than 1GB" of onboard storage, and all the faux pretension you can handle. No word on pricing or availability, but in the meantime, we can think of a few other creative ways to blow exorbitant wads of cash.Read - 105EM RedRead - 105EM WhiteRead - 105CLB SilverRead - 105CLB Black
The Mobiado Luminoso Lucido: because functionality is for poor people
Two megapixel camera, triband GSM, 2100MHz 3G. Sound familiar? Of course it does, because it's the exact same thing luxury handset maker Mobiado has been pushing for eons now in an ever-so-slightly revised, ultra-limited, ultra-expensive new package. The Luminoso Lucido is little more than the Luminoso of old, repackaged in a curved, CNC machined stainless steel case that's really no fancier than the insane casings Mobiado turns into reality for any of its models. If the specs, four-figure cost, and recycled guts aren't enough to outrage you, though, then maybe the Lucido is for you -- but act fast, because there are only two hundred to go around, and you've got to have a few months to save up for the next special edition, now don't you?[Via Unwired View]
Mobiado Professional 105 EM / GCB handsets: too luxurious for our fingers
Heads up, affluent sect. The immensely pricey Professional 105 line is expanding, as two new members slip in to tempt your stuffed wallet. Mobiado's Professional 105 EM is available in Cocobolo and Ebony, and the frame is even constructed from anodized aluminum; you'll also notice sapphire crystal buttons and a black finish. As for the Professional 105 GCB, it's layered with a 5-micron thick 24-karat gold plating and jazzed up with a fancy logo 'round back. Both candybars feature quad-band GSM support, a measly 1GB of internal storage space and a ho hum 2-megapixel camera, but fret not, as it'll (very likely) be the most expensive lackluster cellphone you'll ever pay for.[Via UnwiredView]
Mobiado's Professional 105 ZAF is thin, pricey
Vertu isn't the only game in town when you're looking to blow thousands on a handmade designer handset, and believe it or not, it's not the only game in town when you're looking for a Series 40 luxury phone, either. Mobiado crafts lovely shells of premium materials (you know, like steel) around the same guts that power Nokia's latest standard-issue dumbphones, producing devices that are more exclusive than they are powerful -- but let's be honest, power isn't necessarily what Mobiado's clientele is going for. The company's new Professional 105 ZAF takes its lengthy name in part from the fact that this is the "thinnest luxury phone in the world" at just 10.5 millimeters and features a 2 megapixel camera, 3G radio on the 2100MHz band, microUSB connector, and -- get this -- a battery cover "made entirely from one piece of sapphire crystal." If that's not form before function, we really don't know what is. Though it's not available in the US, the Professional 105 ZAF should be showing up shortly in boutiques around the world in a choice of six conspicuous shades.[Via Mobile Phone Helpdesk]
Mobiado intros rugged Camo handset for wealthy, outdoorsy individuals
Never one to miss an opportunity to trot out yet another luxury handset, Mobiado has now taken the wraps off its new Camo candybar phone, which apparently adds some ruggedness to Mobiado's usual excess. That comes in the form of anodized aluminum shell and stainless steel buttons (not to mention some added thickness), plus a hand-painted camouflage design that at least makes it seem rugged. Otherwise, the phone is a pretty standard tri-band GSM number, with it boasting a 1.3-megapixel camera, a 208 x 208 pixel display of unspecified size, an MMC card slot, and built-in Bluetooth, to name a few features. No word on a price or release date just yet, but it's limited to a mere 200 units, so you can probably draw your own conclusions.
Mobiado and Bluestar Jets team up, offer handsets and charters
Ah yes, nothing makes more sense than an outlandishly priced handset coupled with a flight credit for a private jet charter service. The roar of the Bluestar Jets aircraft and the inability to call while in flight will make this pricey duo a sure hit with the millionaire club. Starting now, Mobiado and Bluestar will throw in a $1,000 credit for a flight, exclusive pricing, direct contacts with the airline, and access to some 4,000 aircraft with each handset purchased. Touting the service as "Any jet. Any time. Any place" they guarantee an aircraft anywhere in 4 hours. We're almost ready to call 'em on it too, we just need to save up the other $38,000 beans for our flight from Ottawa to New York. Pics and more info in the next 15 years or so when we're good to go.[Via MobileBurn]
Mobiado announces Stealth for rich people
If your money clip is flush with the green stuff and Vertu's offerings are a little too... shall we say, flashy, the Mobiado Stealth might just be right up your alley. The Russian firm known as much for its mobile perfume and silly accessories as it is for its luxury handsets has released details on what might be the lowest-key bespoke phone on the market, the appropriately-named "Stealth." The under-the-radar mobile is fashioned from aircraft aluminum, stainless steel, and sapphire crystal and is limited to a total run of 1,200 (though we imagine Mobiado could have its arm twisted into making a few more if the price was right) and features triband GSM / EDGE and WCDMA on the 2100MHz band; HSDPA support isn't specified, so we imagine the 3G action is limited to UMTS. Other priceless features include a QVGA display, 2 megapixel camera, microSD expansion, Bluetooth, and integrated media player -- in other words, the exact same stuff you get on a $50 on-contract piece from the carrier of your choice. The price of exclusivity these days, eh?[Via MobileBurn]
Luxury, meet ridiculous: the Mobiado Luminoso battery cover flash drive
If you're carrrying around a Mobiado Luminoso cell phone, it's a safe bet you might be interested in Bissol's brass-encased 4GB flash drives -- so why not jack the ritz factor by combining them in Mobiado's new battery cover for the Luminoso, which features a storage / display compartment for the included drive? That's right -- Mobiado asked itself what its customers wanted, and came up with a custom battery cover that only holds an opulent brass flash drive. Damn, we knew we weren't exactly the target market, but you'd think they'd at least try to go quadband first.
Mobiado's Luminoso for the privileged
Mobiado's been kicking around for a while now, serving up luxo-phones to the world's elite; while they aren't Vertus, they still hang onto a certain Nokia flair thanks to Series 40 guts. The newly-christened "Luminoso" is no exception, packing tri-band GSM (no 850) and UMTS 2100 atop S40 3rd Edition -- which should look pretty hot thanks to a QVGA display. Other features in its stainless steel body include Push To Talk, Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel shooter, and a microSD slot to supplement the forgettable 6MB of internal storage. No word on pricing, but we suspect this is one of those "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" deals. Shipments should start going out mid-January.[Via phoneArena]
