Weird and Wonderful Cell Phones

NOT JUST THE NORM

Too often, I find myself cell phone shopping. If it’s not an impending upgrade drawing me into the shops, then I’m usually helping a friend with the same problem.

Though I love the “shape meets function” design of today’s smart phone, there has to be something out even more revolutionary. That’s why I decided to take a look and see what kind of weird and wonderful cell phones are out there.

You may be surprised at the variety in both the shape and function when it comes to cell phone designs. Whether it’s bringing back the old rotary phone, or going all out with a phone that resembles a zombie, there is a tremendous variety in cell phones.

SOME OF THE BEST

But some designs really stand above the rest.

The BenQ “Qube Z2″ Cell Phone has to be one of my favorite designs. The face of the Qube Z2 offers accessibility, while the hardware supports expandability. Its removable faceplates allow for customer customization. And though it may not be the most attractive looking design, there is something about this phone that really catches my eye.

Dick Tracy would have been envious if he had seen the Telson TWC 1150. This not-so-compact camera phone watch features voice recording and voice recognition capability, infrared earpiece and polyphonic ring tones, speakerphone and a variety of other features. This cell phone offers the future as seen from seventy years ago. I would love to have this if only for its kitsch factor.

It’s always the ones that are unavailable that catch my attention, so it’s no surprise that the Nokia 888 Concept would be the one I want most. About as thick as a sheet of paper, the wrist-worn cell phone, powered by liquid battery, is the one you will want as well. Flexible screens are on the way, and if Nokia has their way then you may also be taken by the flexibility of their new design.

SHOPPING BY DESIGN

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this applies to cell phones too. It must be functional, but with our devices handling far more than we have been designing for, things will change. Touch screens and flip out full QWERTY keyboards offer more access than was previously available. As the need for new technology will continually diminish, we will see greater innovation in the shape that our devices take on.