Technology Blog

2011-02-23T03:48:00.000-08:00

Nokia Tibetan Buddhist Phone Looks a Bit Like Motorola Aura

Imagine a Motorola Aura without the bling and with a more spiritual side to it. We’re talking about the Nokia Tibetan phone, meant to spread the Buddhist teachings and provide features like a Tibetan calendar and a list of holidays. There’s also a function that allows you to play certain songs and a Tibetan language input method.

Nokia Research Center was also involved in this project and even a mockup of the device was created. Nokia chose the circular shape to define tranquility and observed the life and style of Buddhist monks, in order to create this handset. The Prayer wheel concept was integrated in this device too. You have to know that while praying, monks will rotate a prayer wheel once and this mechanism has been miniaturized and integrated into the new Nokia phone.
There’s also a keyboard guard included and a touchscreen display, plus the design mimics a drape on a monk’s robe. This stylish and elegant phone is also spiritual and Buddhist, so I guess that it will be very popular in countries where Buddhism is widely spread and also in Hollywood, where this religion has become… trendy. More details about the project and pictures of the mockup can be found here.

2011-02-20T05:14:00.001-08:00

Nokia 7 QWERTY Slider Runs Windows Phone 7, Supports LTE

It’s been raining Nokia Windows Phone 7 concepts lately and the device below is not an exception. Dubbed the Nokia 7, this phone was created by Long-Nong Huang and it comes with an Intel Atom Z520 CPU at 1.33GHz, plus a 4 inch Super LCD display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution.

On the back of this WP7 slider there’s a 14 megapixel camera with Xenon flash and support for 1080p capture. Nokia 7 supports LTE 4G connectivity, mini HDMI and up to 32GB of extra memory via SDHC card. There’s also a 1600 mAh battery on board and a full QWERTY keyboard. Could this be the revival of the Nokia N9?

2011-02-20T03:27:00.001-08:00

iPhone Nano Mockups: Part 4

Keep looking for more iPhone nano mockups on our site and here’s a new one, in case you want fresh meat. This one belongs to Dorian, who claims that the new iPhone nano will be totally covered by the screen and lack buttons. The single buttonon it will the top on/off one.

The screen dimension of the original iPhone will be kept and the device will lack a front camera, only relying on the back 3.2 megapixel one. No Retina Display is meant for this baby and the $199 price tag is also speculated. What do you say?

2011-02-20T03:26:00.000-08:00

Sony Ericsson Xeta Runs Android Honeycomb

Back again with the Android 3.0 Honeycomb phone story, that seems to be getting more and more real… This time we’re dealing with a Sony Ericsson concept, created by Frank Tobias and known as Sony Ericsson Xeta. This device features a 2GHz dual core CPU, a 4.2 inch touchscreen display and a full HD 8.1 megapixel camera at the back (with Exmor R sensor).

At the front of the Sony Ericsson Xeta there’s a 3.2 megapixel camera for videocalls, while the handset also comes with the Sony Mobile Bravia Engine, a HDMI port and mini USB port. We’re pretty sure that such a device will be available in time for CES 2012 or MWC 2012.

2011-02-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

Two New Xperia Designs: Arc Duo (In 3D) and Curve Quad (Quad Core Phone)

After spotting the Xperia Arc Duo concept, created by Esato board user pavlov’s dog, he’s back with a 3D render of the handset, followed by the Xperia Curve Quad phone. Both are 4.5 inch HD OLED multitouch smartphones, according to their creator.

Just like the Arc model, both reach 8mm at their thinnest points and 10mm at the thickest. The Arc Duo brings a dual core processor and a rotating camera as an extra to the original model, while the Xperia Curve Quad uses an aluminum unibody and it’s a quad-core phone, with a similar technology to the one on Sony GSP.

Both models run Android Honeycomb… dream come true?

2011-01-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

Lego Phone, Yep It’s Real ( Kids Phone )

In case you didn’t know, Lego plans on entering the digital camera and walkie talkie market by working with Digital Blue and they’ll also launch a bunch of other devices, like MP3 players and even a phone. The latter will be branded Alcatel and it might reach the market this summer, just like the other gadgets.

The Lego devices fit in the $20-$60 segment and they’ll be meant mostly for children or adults who are nostalgic when they remember the Lego era. This Alcatel Lego Phone will be a modular device, just like the good old modu, but without its hot features.

I can bet that it’ll be a cheap handset and its attachments will used to upgrade its look and its specs…. well, not so much.

2011-01-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

Nokia Leafpad 10 Inch Tablet Runs MeeGo

We guess you’ve had enough of MeeGo cellphones, so it’s time for a Nokia tablet, one that features a 10 inch touchscreen and many more goodies. We’re talking about the Nokia Leafpad, a design created by Shihuzaan and a device that uses a CBD AMOLED display, while running MeeGo OS.

Its specs include 1080p playback, a 2MP front camera, HDMI, 2 USB ports and a microSD card slot. Nokia Leafpad’s battery life should be over 10 hours, in order to surpass the one on the iPad. 512MB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory, plus a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 CPU are required, as well. WiMAX, WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0 will handle the connectivity.

Right now Nokia should be focusing on quality smartphones with large touchscreens and MeeGo, before moving on to tablets, but this concept sure looks promising…

2011-01-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X-Wave Features 1,5GHz CPU

Frank Tobias starts the series of 2011 Sony Ericsson concepts with a brand new XPERIA model. We’re talking about the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X-Wave, a smartphone that most likely runs Android, using a 1,5GHz CPU and incorporating the features mentioned below.

The device also comes with an 8.1MP camera, HD video recording, an Exmor R Sensor, a 4.4 inch Bravia Engine Reality Display and most likely over 8GB of internal memory and more than 512MB RAM. We also expect to at least have Bluetooth 3.0, 3G+ and WiFi, maybe replace the 3G with LTE 4G, who knows? Great way to start the year!

2011-01-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

BYB Credo Phone, Inspired by Lexus cars

What you can see above is the beautiful Credo Phone designed by Bogar Bence. The creator of the Credo project claims that the concept had to morph into something else twice and it draws its inspiration from the Lexus cars. He initially branded the device ASUS Aura, but had to change it, as there’s already a concept bearing the name and a logo. So, after being contacted by ASUS, he changed the phone’s name to BYB Credo, but the concept is equally attractive. Check out its full list of specs by reading the full article.

2011-01-17T09:13:00.000-08:00

iPhone NG, Not Quite the iPhone 5

The thing that first jumped out when checking out this iPhone concept made by Zeki Özek was the way the camera was incorporated in it. As you can see, the photo shooting sensor is hidden behind the Apple logo on the back, complete with LED Flash.

The iPhone NG also sports a back touch wheel, an optic mouse laser and laser cover, allowing you to use the device as a Magic Mouse. A front camera can be found on the facade of the handset, while the device’s specs list includes an FM receiver and transmitter with car audio integration and angle sensors at the corner of the display, under the glass.

iPhone NG reads RFID barcodes and tags, which is good for shopping and surprisingly enough gamers get something extra: volume buttons used to play, just like the L1 and R1 buttons on the PSP. Other features are WiFi, Bluetooth, an accelerometer and computer syncing. Now let’s see what Apple has done with the iPhone 5…

2011-01-16T09:33:00.001-08:00

ASUS Waveface Ultra is the Bracelet Watchphone That Rocked CES 2010

There haven’t been too many concept handsets to gaze at during CES 2010, but one of the impressive devices was the ASUS Waveface Ultra, a bracelet watchphone pictured below. Waveface is in fact a series of concept devices, created by ASUS and including the Waveface Casa TV, the Waveface Light, a touch tablet and the Waveface Ultra watchphone.

ASUS Waveface Ultra is a wearable cellphone concept that can be worn around the wrist, just like a bracelet. This device is a pretty trendy accessory and it uses a flexible OLED display, being also based on gesture control and touch interface.

There’s also a cloud system supposed to work both with the watchphone and the tablet pictured below, that also features a flexible display. All of these devices, even the Casa TV, are able to access documents and all sorts of content via the platform setup by ASUS. A brilliant idea that we’ll hopefully see turned into reality, soon!

2011-01-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

NEC Concept Phone Features Multimedia Sexiness

After seeing the beautiful LG Synthesis phone, nothing can charm us any more, unless there’s a NEC slider ready to make our day. Witness this yet unnamed and mysterious handset below, showing a bunch of multimedia features like audio (surely video, too) playback.

Is that a touchscreen display in there? Someone told me that this phone looks like a red lobster… Yes, I guess it does, but it’s still hot! The NEC concept handset was designed by Slyer, a Productdesignforums user.

2011-01-16T09:25:00.000-08:00

NEC Concept Phones

Back in 2007, during the WJ show we saw a couple of NEC concept phones worthy of our time and attention… The most interesting of them was the telecam-phone below, with a very hot display, featuring multimedia controls and a landscape keypad.

This could easily become the best camcorder phone out there, provided that all the photo/video features are hot (megapixel count, optical zoom, codecs).

Next, there’s a messaging/e-mail-centred phone, which sports a pretty interesting keypad, that’s alphanumeric and also uses Asian characters. Nothing impressive, but passing on to the next NEC concept phone we notice that it’s a leather belt-handset combo, one designed for fashionistas dash cowboys.

Soft touch keyboard? No thanks…

The fourth NEC concept deserves the name of “Scissor Phone” and I bet that its form factor has something to do with powering it with the aid of that handle. Last, there’s a device that looks more like a walkie-talkie, than a phone and also comes with a tiny webcam and some toys that an infant would love.

2011-01-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

PlayStation Phone Confirmed and Pictured! Specs and Genuine PSP Phone Images HERE

We’ve shown you a ton of PSP Phone concepts, actually our first post on this site was about such a device and now finally there’s a real handset to look at. Uncovered by Engadget, this PlayStation Phone prototype is actually nifty looking and pretty much everything we predicted it would be: a hybrid between the XPERIA X10 and the PSP Go!.

Apparently, it’ll run Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) and feature a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU, 512MB RAM, 1GB ROM, a microSD card slot, Bluetooth, WiFi and a display with a diagonal that fits in the 3.7 – 4.1 inch range. Notice that between the directional pad and the action buttons there’s a multitouch touchpad, with yet unknown use.

Also, the L and R shoulder buttons are there, on the side of the handset. No release date was mentioned yet, but early 2011 is a safe bet. Once again, these are the very first REAL shots of the PSP Phone… Are you charmed or disappointed?

2011-01-15T13:44:00.000-08:00

Samsung Jot is a Rotary Dial Cellphone… With a Pen

Rotary phones are coming back in fashion, since we’ve seen at least two handset designs involving such a mechanism. Samsung Jot is also added to the list, courtesy of designer Raymond Bessemer, the creator of this rotary dial cellphone.

The device doesn’t rely solely on the circular buttons, so it also features a touchpad and stylus, as shown in the following image. “Jot” comes from the handset’s function that allows its user to jot down notes and text messages. An OLED display is also part of the specs and remember this is ONLY a Samsung phone design for now, so don’t expect it to pop up in stores yet.

2011-01-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

iPhone 6 Concept Takes Us Even Further Into the Future

Designer Archil Vardidze recently showed us a new iPhone concept, that moves even further away from the current innovations. This is the iPhone 6, that got rid of the antenna problem by moving it externally. Button material has changed and the device is based on an aluminum shell.

Solar batteries are also featured on this handset, expanding the life of the iPhone 6 and as far as the design is concerned, the new iPhone is more square-ish, but still slim. The look of the Home button has changed and it makes it look as if it has push levels, possibly for more than one command. Also, this iPhone seems a big longer and wider than its predecessors.

iPhone 7 anyone? What do you think about this device?

2011-01-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

Flex Click Cellphone Really Makes Your Feel the “Touchscreen Click”

Ever wanted to combine the touchscreen experience with the feeling of pressing a genuine physical button? Valentin Neda has the next best thing, through a phone design called Flex Click, a cellphone that provides tactile feedback while pressing touch buttons on the screen.

Micro switches are placed under the curved Soft Touch display and they’ll reduce the stress on the user’s fingers, for an unique touch experience. These switches can be pressed in the spot where one expects to find a real button or control and they also depend on the displayed content, as the concept’s creator claims.

Is it just me or is there something screaming BlackBerry and WebOS about this device?

2011-01-15T13:37:00.000-08:00

New Nokia Phone Design Comes From Russia

Vladimir Zorin recently showed us one of his Nokia concept phones, that has yet to receive a name. This original device is far from the Nokia models we currently known and it adopts a bold and innovative design, using a square screen segment that’s bigger than the main body of the handset.

We suppose that this is in fact a square phone and that the keypad piece is able to rotate underneath the screen, but that’s only our speculation. If so, the display would be a touchscreen and the device would become ideal for tweens. What do you say?

2011-01-15T13:35:00.001-08:00

Neongen Cellphone Concept is Extremely User-Friendly

Created by French designer Jerome Le Creusot, the concept cellphone pictured below is dubbed Neongen and it’s based on the idea of simplicity. The device sports an user-friendly interface and, as you can see, its design allows the user to rotate the handset’s two halves.

Aside from the rotation, you can also turn over the mobile phone and access its touchscreen UI, in order to navigate the device’s menu. Neongen is based on materials like PMMA and polypropylene, making out a pretty trendy device. Instead of screws, this unit relies on clips, making assembly easier, plus LED lighting that makes the phone brighter.

2011-01-15T13:34:00.001-08:00

Nokia N950 Brings a Twist to the Original Design of the N900

Nokia N950 is the creation of Vladimir Zorin, an interesting upgrade of the N900 design. The device is able to slide in two directions, revealing a 3 row QWERTY keyboard in one sliding direction and a numeric pad plus the D Pad segment of the QWERTY slider in the other.

The handset looks pretty bulky and we bet MeeGo would fit right on. The first type of sliding mechanism, shown in the image above is designed rather for nostalgics, than for practical use. Who would need numeric keys once we have a touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard available?

2011-01-15T13:33:00.001-08:00

New Luca Benedetti Phone Designs Revealed

Luca Benedetti has shown us a couple more of his phone designs, featuring Telus-branded devices with rectangular shapes and handsets that rely on an iPhone-like UI. As you can see, the devices are simplistic, use touchscreens, rounded edges and borrow their interfaces from the Apple iPhone. If only they were thinner…

What would change about these designs?

2011-01-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

Porsche Design Smartphone Captures 3D Images

Designer André Duarte Silva created a very interesting phone concept, the Porsche Design Smartphone. Using a slick aluminum case, the device comes with a huge multitouch display and reminds us of the iPhone 4. There’s also a speaker on board, between the glass and aluminum body, increasing the device’s appeal and acoustic potential.

There’s also a Quick video access button on the right side of the phone, allowing the user to create home videos, while at the back of the Porsche concept phone you’ll find a dual camera system. One of the cams takes 5MP photos and shoots 720p HD video with stereo sound quality and even records 3D video. Tridimensional photos can also be shot, plus there’s an LED flash on board.

This is an Android unit with custom apps and we have to say that it’s rare a stylish handset gets so many cool specs, especially in the camera and media department.

2011-01-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

Palm Pad Concept, Accompanied by Palm Pre 2 and Palm Watch Design

Remember the Palm phone design challenge? Well, the competition might have ended some time ago, but we’re still checking the entries out, like the following combo that includes a Palm Pad tablet concept, a futuristic Palm Pre and even a Palm watch. They are the creation of designer virox.

Our main focus is the Palm Pad, a device we’re all waiting for anxiously, specially as a webOS 2.0 iPad alternative. Supposedly, the unit comes with a 7 inch multitouch display (640 x 960), a 3MP autofocus camera with LED flash, 64GB of internal memory and a 1.2GHz dual core CPU. WiFi and 3G are also supported, making this unit a pretty realistic device.

As far as the Palm Watch is concerned, this is a gadget with a flexible OLED display, notification system and all in all it’s rather a companion to the Palm handset. What do you think of this trio of goodies?

2011-01-15T13:27:00.001-08:00

Hovering Cellphone Creates 3D Image by Spinning

We had to do a bit of reading before showing you this concept, since it’s not as easy to figure out as it sounds. We’re dealing with a hovering cellphone concept, created by In-oh Yoo and Sun-woong Oh for the Metatrend Institute. This is a handset that’s able to spin in mid-air and the device is very closely in contact with its cradle.

The concept is basically a sleek candybar phone, looking a bit like a combo between the iPhone and some Android models. This hovering unit supports wireless charging and we learn that its design is streamlined and thin. Magnets are placed in the cradle and there’s a magnetic stick pulled away from the column, making the handset float.

There’s also an animation associated with the hovering (sand in hourglass, water rising and more). If you get a call, the cradle’s magnets will activate and make the device spin so fast that it’ll create a 3D image, because of the after-image effect. How original is that? Simply wow!

2011-01-15T13:26:00.000-08:00

Apple iPhone Nano, All that Love, Smaller Screen

Well, the Apple iPhone Nano is basically the iPhone 4 with a smaller screen and iOS 4.2 on board. So we’re dealing with a 2.9 inch handset, capable of multitasking and multitouch.

Its display supports a 780 x 480 pixel resolution and the specs list of this iPhone concept also includes WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, 3G+ connectivity, GPS and a 5MP camera with flash. 720p video capture is also among the features, as well as 16/32GB of internal memory and a Sensor Home button.

What do you say? Can this device created by Joy Studios become real?