Is That A Phone Around Your Neck?

[Andy Sjostrom]

Swedish newspaper <a href="http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/it/story/0,2789,257080,00.html">Aftonbladet</a> reports about the first "fashion phone" from Siemens: Xelibri. Apparently, you can wear it around your neck! It is really interesting to read that Siemens intends to sell the phone through fashion channels such as fashion and brand stores. Xelibri will be released in April in the UK, China, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore and Spain. We'll see it in Sweden in September, according to the newspaper. Product manager George Appling says that Siemens anticipates that customers will own several different fashion phones and wear them depending on mood, occasion or clothing. (Compare with choosing different watches depending on the same factors!)<br /><br />Personally, I think this is extremely interesting. The step for already well-established fashion brands to enter the mobile phone business is becoming smaller and smaller. Can Microsoft find other options than mobile network operators, to enter the mobile phone market in the fashion industry?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/neck_01.jpg" />

[sponge]

I'm sure you found that picture just as interesting. What a way to advertise :P

[Andy Sjostrom]

I think the phone looks great! Don't you? 8)

[Ed Hansberry]

I think the phone looks great! Don't you? 8)

What phone? :crazyeyes: :shocked!: :eek:

[jizmo]

I still don't think anyone could wear that and look "fashionable" .. I suppose a cellphone with more rock'n'roll in design could be worn around the neck with a some sort of rope, but I'd like to see a woman wanting to actually wear this as some sort of jewellery.

Still, the idea is fascinating. Atleast here in Finland showing off your phone has become a negative thing that only yokels do.

/jizmo

[Peter Foot]

What about the health risks of this?

Yeah I know weve all heard the marketing crap from companies offering radiation shields etc but...

Surely wearing a phone like this puts you at significantly more risk that placing it in a trendy handbag (not that I know anything about trendy handbags of course!).

Considering its a "fashion accessory" its a bit big and clunky, although I suppose they chose to model it on someone who could balance it out...
:roll:

An interesting concept but I can't see it catching on just yet...

[daveshih]

I still don't think anyone could wear that and look "fashionable" .. I suppose a cellphone with more rock'n'roll in design could be worn around the neck with a some sort of rope, but I'd like to see a woman wanting to actually wear this as some sort of jewellery.

Still, the idea is fascinating. Atleast here in Finland showing off your phone has become a negative thing that only yokels do.

/jizmo

Next time you're in southeast Asia, look around. It is high fashion to have a teeny, tiny phone worn through a string around your neck.

The point here is that whether this "fashion" sense will catch on around the western world. Many times what's considered fashion in one place isn't necessarily so fashionable in another place.

Dave

[Peter Foot]

The point here is that whether this "fashion" sense will catch on around the western world. Many times what's considered fashion in one place isn't necessarily so fashionable in another place.

I can't wait to see when someone brings out a hat with a built in phone, well they've done versions with drinks cans, fans and radios...

[Peter Traugot]

8) Mmmmmm, phone bra.

D'OH! 8O

[Ed Hansberry]

This would be great in an Austin Powers movie.

"Excuse me, are your {insert term here} ringing? Want me to get that for you?"

[Jody Low]

That phone has the most interesting pair of antennas I have ever seen.

You think they considered where one must place their head to use it?

[PetiteFlower]

Looks kinda heavy and uncomfortable. And it's kind of pointless to wear a phone around your neck unless you can talk on it comfortably without messing with the chain. No way will phones worn around the neck work unless they weigh close to nothing and are MUCH smaller.

Not to mention that absurd photo.....

[pocketpcdude1024]

I think the phone looks great! Don't you? 8)

What phone? :crazyeyes: :shocked!: :eek:

I'm sure the fact that they had an obviously female model the phone made no difference. It's the technology that sells the phone, right? :lol: 8) :wink: :silly:

[Andy Sjostrom]

Looks kinda heavy and uncomfortable. And it's kind of pointless to wear a phone around your neck unless you can talk on it comfortably without messing with the chain. No way will phones worn around the neck work unless they weigh close to nothing and are MUCH smaller.

Not to mention that absurd photo.....

I bet there's a pair of Bluetooth ear rings to go with that phone! 8)

[TopDog]

I wonder how you speak in that thing? Didn't see any earplugg... maybe bluetooth?

[Mike Wagstaff]

Those have just got to be fake...

... I mean, come on. Who really believes that these phones are for real?

;)

[fixerdude]

Does the phone come the "dual-antennas"? If so, put me down for 10 units! LOL! :shocked!:

[Golfer]

Definately need 'hands free' for this phone :wink:

[egads]

I wander if it has a virbrate option :onfire:

[lucia316]

The point here is that whether this "fashion" sense will catch on around the western world. Many times what's considered fashion in one place isn't necessarily so fashionable in another place.

Dave

So true. If that were the case. A ton of us would be walking around with plates in our stretched out lips.

I don't see this catching on too much in Western Society. Personally, it bugs me when people walk around showing off their phones or putting them on their hips. It's why we have pockets people!!

L316 8)

[bdeli]

It seems like the phone is for real. PCWorld has an article on it:

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,109055,00.asp
-----------------------
Siemens Phones Go Fashionable

Stylish cell phones are scheduled for seasonal release, starting this spring in Europe.

Gillian Law, IDG News Service
Tuesday, January 28, 2003

In an attempt to revive the sluggish cell phone handset market, Siemens AG is developing phones as fashion accessories, first intended for the European and Asian markets.

The stylish cell phones are being introduced along with other nontechnical fashions. Each model will be available for a limited time only.

The Munich company has developed a collection of four "wearable" fashion phones that it will sell through fashion retailers and department stores. Two collections of four phones will be released each year, one for the spring/summer season, and one designed for fall/winter release, according to Siemens.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/graphics/109055-n_012803_siemens2.jpg

Fashionable Intro

The first collection will be launched in London on February 15, during London Fashion Week, a Siemens spokesperson said Tuesday. The theme of the first collection will be Space on Earth and the target market is "anyone interested in space, and any fashion-minded people--not just young people," the spokesperson said.

The phones are small with simple voice functionality, will be manufactured in limited quantities, and will have a life cycle of 12 months, the statement said.

"That doesn't mean they'll self-destruct after 12 months, though! It's just that any unsold ones will be taken off the shelves after 12 months," the spokeswoman said.

The new phones will be sold initially in the U.K., China and Hong Kong, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, and Spain, starting in April. The company will consider entering additional markets starting in September, Siemens said.
-----------------------

[bdeli]

More stuff here:

http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052003umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&sdc_bcpath=1026937%2C&

Pictures here:
http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052028umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&

http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052029umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&

[EvilOne]

Those have just got to be fake...

... I mean, come on. Who really believes that these phones are for real?

;)

Ohhhh, the phone! Oops thought you were talking about something else being fake... :shocked!:

[Jhokur2k]

I'm surprized no one made a comment about it being made by Siemens, especially with the *ahem* product's placement? :lol: :wink:

[EvilOne]

I'm surprized no one made a comment about it being made by Siemens, especially with the *ahem* product's placement? :lol: :wink:

Cute... :way to go:

[smittyofdhs]

II suppose a cellphone with more rock'n'roll in design could be worn around the neck with a some sort of rope,
/jizmo
funny you should say that. The image used yesterday at infosync had a guy with tattoos and this phone with a leather strap and it was around his neck...very rock-n-roll-ish....

http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052029umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&

[felixdd]

Product placement and display is a highly highly professional career -- seen to be especially true as the displayed photo shows of the contours of the ..... phone quite nice. :wink:


Back to the serious side -- I actually find the phone ugly, IMHO. Too pretentious.

What market are they trying to sell to? The chic adult market? Isn't that market slightly smaller than the adolscent trend-chasing one? If so -- I don't think the teens will dig this phone -- it doesn't have any WOW factor in it.

If you say that this will be a good phone to carry to a formal occasion. Hmm I can see it now -- a woman in a cocktail dress talking with other guests, phone around her neck, when two things happen:

1) Phone rings. Conversation goes down the drain (or on pause...depends on how socially adept one is).
2) Phone is set on vibrate mode and starts to vibrate -- bouncing around on....umm...nevermind. :roll:

This phone seem like an exploratory project of sorts. The concept works -- but needs refinement and a more feasible target.

[Kati Compton]

Are there several sizes available? "I'd like the C-cup version...."

I suppose there would be a lot fewer people interested in the product if it was shown on a male model hanging from his waist...

[Chris Hendriks]

HHhhhhmmmm ...

I wonder if the FCC has the correct equipment to test SAR for this particular phone positioning?

[Jason Lee]

WOW! That is a much better case than came with the XDA! :shocked!:

[vincentsiaw]

goodness, if somebody have a heart pacemaker, good luck with it ! :lol:

[jojaboi]

Personally, it bugs me when people walk around showing off their phones or putting them on their hips. It's why we have pockets people!!

L316 8)

That's funny. If I didn't find the belt clips so tacky, I would use one myself. I do carry mine in my pocket but, only cause I have nowhere else to put it. I really dont find it very comfortable and my phones are t68i and sanyo 6200 (small)

[shindullin]

I know that they do have a lot of wearable phone in NE Asia, and I presume from a previous post, in SE Asia as well. I think that all they need to do is brand it better. I agree with felixdd that this product probably is directed at the wrong market, the country club crowd probably wouldn't be pulled in by it's geewhiz factor, but what about a Hello Kitty branded one or Picachoo or Mickey Mouse. A small cell phone with cute mouse ears hanging on your neck might be popular with the 16 to 30 set. I think most of the wearable cell in NE Asia are women anyway... but probably not the busy socialite/prostitute type depicted in advert.
I personally wouldn't use one bc hip cancer is one thing, but cancer of the esophogus is totally another.

[PBennett]

Nice cradle! Do they come in alternate sizes :D

[ctmagnus]

Anybody checked out the button layout on this thing? (Hint: it's easier to do with this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052028umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&) or this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052003umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&sdc_bcpath=1026937%2C&). I don't think that'll catch on anytime soon.

[dean_shan]

Does this phone come with a vibrate option.

[BugDude10]

Is it Boobtooth-compatible?

[Brad Adrian]

Looks kinda heavy and uncomfortable...
You're refering to the PHONE, right?

[Brad Adrian]

The interesting this is that these fashion phones are not going to be sold and subsidized by the carriers; people will be expected to pay full price (200 Euros) for them, take the SIM card from their subsidized phones, and use them that way.

Sure, there IS such a thing as a luxury market, but is it large enough to support this kind of product?

[Jhokur2k]

Anybody checked out the button layout on this thing? (Hint: it's easier to do with this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052028umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&) or this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052003umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&sdc_bcpath=1026937%2C&). I don't think that'll catch on anytime soon.

But it will - Nokia's got something similar to the old rotory phones - look. (http://www.nokia-asia.com/apc/phones/0,,94,00.html)

[Jonathon Watkins]

Sure, there IS such a thing as a luxury market, but is it large enough to support this kind of product?

The 'support' for 'this product' looks pretty good from where I'm sitting! Underwired I'd guess. :wink:

[Jhokur2k]

Could you imagine if they designed a portable tv? :) :) :)

[kaiden.1]

I only have one thing to say; you've got to love it!!!! I haven't laughed this long in a while! That's why I love this site!!!!! :D

[adamz]

Anybody checked out the button layout on this thing? (Hint: it's easier to do with this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052028umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&) or this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052003umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&sdc_bcpath=1026937%2C&). I don't think that'll catch on anytime soon.

It's not like you need to use the number digits to dial phone numbers. Just use them for speed dial presets. All yer other numbers are in the phone book with their associated names. I can't remember the last time I dialed a phone number BY HAND!

[ctmagnus]

Anybody checked out the button layout on this thing? (Hint: it's easier to do with this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052028umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&) or this link (http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=lo1052003umcdns4fp&sdc_sid=2829269796&sdc_bcpath=1026937%2C&). I don't think that'll catch on anytime soon.

It's not like you need to use the number digits to dial phone numbers. Just use them for speed dial presets. All yer other numbers are in the phone book with their associated names. I can't remember the last time I dialed a phone number BY HAND!

I guess you're right. My personality and outlook on life is such that if I don't use a given contact a given number of times in a given time frame, it's not worth taking up the memory on the device to store that info.

[Newsboy]

I wander if it has a virbrate option :onfire:

I can hear it now: "Um, is your phone ringing, or are your [bleep!]s really happy to see me?" 8O

[Jhokur2k]

I could see the disclaimer

NOTE: Vibration alert may lead to chaffing in sensitive areas.

[Stuart]

How about marketing this as the "Wedgie Phone"? Those that can, use the front wedgie to holster it, plumbers and other journeyman contractors could store their phones in back. :lol: