Banana -- Engadget Mobile

banana posts

'Unique' Bluetooth banana has truly limited applications

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 23rd 2009 @ 12:02AM

Some products require no explanation. Take this "Unique Banana Shaped Bluetooth Handset," for example -- either you get it or you don't, but no amount of marketing, advertising, or sweet-talking is going to get a skeptic to appreciate its brilliance. If you're still reading this, maybe -- just maybe -- you fall into the "I need this, particularly at just $17.70" camp, and for you, take heart in the knowledge that you can be just 2 to 5 business days away from talking on a simulated piece of fruit that's connected to your phone via Class 2 Bluetooth 2.0. When's the last time you heard "standby time" quoted for a banana, anyway?

[Thanks, Larry]

Motorola Z8m brings 7.2Mbps HSDPA the banana way

by Chris Ziegler posted Apr 23rd 2008 @ 11:43AM

We'd long since forgotten about Motorola's UIQ-based Z8 kick slider -- the introduction of the hotter, fancier Z10 pretty much sealed the deal for us there. Turns out Moto thinks there's still life left in the unusual smartphone, though, and it's taking an updated model to South Korea to prove it. The Z8m comes at a time when Motorola is looking to reassure its South Korean fans that the corporate break-up isn't going to affect its presence here, where SK Telecom continues to serve as its exclusive carrier partner; whether this is just the right phone to do it, we can't say, but we can say that we wish we'd get a version of it stateside. The headlining feature here is support for 7.2Mbps HSDPA (the original Z8 topped out at a mere 3.6Mbps) and appears to carry over the same type of UIQ setup from its predecessor -- just fine with us. Look for it to hit for around 500,000 won, which translates to just about $501.

Motorola Z12 in the wild?

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 5th 2008 @ 7:19PM

The Z10's fresh out of the gate, but it probably serves Motorola well to be thinking well, well ahead -- like 5 megapixels worth of ahead, for example. The so-called Z12 "Skarven" has been rumored for a few months now, and this fairly legit looking shot claims to have a wide swath of the Z series lined up for a family portrait: Z8, Z10, and Z12, from left to right. It allegedly runs UIQ (much like the two kick sliders before it) appears to feature some touch sensitive controls up front, and should feature the aforementioned high-end cam, integrated GPS, and a two-bedroom, one-bathroom flat for all we know. With any luck, we might find out a thing or two at MWC in a few days.

LG SV280, now in green

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 4th 2007 @ 2:46PM

Sorry, it's too easy; we're going to have to skip right past the "it must not be ripe yet" jokes here and play this one straight. The SV280 slider from LG takes a cue from Motorola's Z8 by curving to conform to the user's face when extended; the original was white, and LG's decided green is the way to go for round two. No, it's still not available 'round these parts, but the color's just bizarre enough to make us not sure we care.

LG's SV280 "banana style phone"

by Sean Cooper posted Apr 5th 2007 @ 1:35PM

Well, well! Who's copying who now, LG? The Korean firm rethinks (or, at the very least, rips from the Motorola RIZR Z8) ergonomics with its new SV280, apparently inspired by nature's perfect food: the banana. When closed, this clean-lined white slider looks like any other of its kind, but once opened (or is that peeled?), the handset curves to better fit against your face -- and we can easily see the ap'peel' (we so had to get that in somewhere) in that. Features include a 1.3 megapixel camera hidden under the slider, QVGA screen resolution, flashing sidebars for message notification, and an MP3 player. The rest of the phone's spec sheet is a bit of a mystery, but one thing that did pique our curiosity was the mention of "aromatherapy" -- and hey, who doesn't want the subtle scent of delicious fruits wafting toward their nostrils while they're on a call? In light of the local-market "Cyon" branding, expect this one to launch stateside in your wildest dreams only.

[Via AVING]

Conceal your Bluetooth headset inside a fake banana

by Cyrus Farivar posted Aug 28th 2006 @ 12:50PM

"I've got a feeling, so appealing! Cellular, modular, interactive-odular, ding-dong ding-dong ding -- BANANA PHONE!" Forgive us, it's not often that we get to quote Raffi songs around here, okay? Good, so Raffi fans, gather 'round, because this is one hack you won't want to miss. A clever fellow by the name of Larry Pesce took one Bluetooth Jabra BT110 headset, disassembled it in true geek fashion, and glued it inside a fake banana purchased from a craft store. And from the photos, it looks like it can be opened again to replace the existing AA battery. Here's a fun weekend prank: replace your household fruitbowl with fake fruit, each with its own unique electronic function inside, and send us photos of the reactions of your housemates/family. Or not; but dude, bananaphone!

[Via MAKE]