Luxury Phone -- Engadget Mobile

luxury phone posts

Motorola Ivory E18 luxury phone developed, scrapped

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Jul 20th 2009 @ 5:32PM

If you're considering a luxury cellphone, you've probably given some thought to the Aura -- either as an object of unattainable techno-lust, or as a way to lighten your wallet by a grand or two (don't even get us started in Vertu). According to Mobile Review, Motorola wasn't planning on stopping there: The Ivory E18 (a name which either evokes elegance or animal cruelty, depending on your POV) featured a slider with two movements (a short slide for function keys, and a longer for the T9 keypad), a small footprint, and a 3 megapixel camera. The price? Well, for the stainless steel chassis you were looking at about €2,000 (about $2,821 at the moment). Also planned were phones with gold and platinum chassis, which would take the purchase price up to "several tens of thousands" of Euros. If Motorola wasn't aware of the sheer silliness of such an extravagant phone, at least the carriers were -- apparently it was lack of interest on their part that caused Moto to sack the project. Make sure you hit that read link for the whole story -- in Bulgarian.

[Via Unwired View]

Mobiado intros rugged Camo handset for wealthy, outdoorsy individuals

by Donald Melanson posted May 7th 2008 @ 4:00PM

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.

Hulger's confessional booth lets sinners vent on luxury handsets

by Darren Murph posted Apr 14th 2007 @ 7:49AM

Hey, we know that purchasing one of Hulger's avant-garde handsets could very well leave you feeling guilty considering the lofty pricetag, but the company is looking to give you sinners a way out with its communication-enabled confessional booth. The bizarre setup will be erected at Designersblock Milan 2007, and is being constructed in partnership with "communications specialist Associate" to offer visitors the chance to "play the priest or the penitent." Of course, we've no interest in interviewing with a unordained minister, but so long as the unit features Hulger's latest ASTOR & SOPHIA limited edition handsets (pictured), we'd most definitely stop in for a courtesy chat.

[Via Textually]