KDDI's "Ply" concept lives up to its name

by Chris Ziegler, posted Aug 25th 2008 at 9:28AM

As carriers go, Japan's KDDI au seems to spend more time than just about anyone dreaming up crazy concept handsets -- some of which actually go on to become production models (this is Japan, after all). Alongside those Yamaha-branded musical instrument phones, KDDI has been showing off the plywood-inspired "Ply," an expansive touchscreen backed by a number of layers that represent the phone's various functions. Said functions are actually pretty far-fetched -- there's a printer, pico-projector, and analog clock with a minute hand that actually swings out beyond the body of the phone itself, for example -- but the phone itself is pretty stunningly beautiful, so we'd love to see it on the streets of Tokyo even if it meant nixing the printer.

[Via textually.org]