Phones with original design. The most unusual phones of recent years
This one-of-a-kind phone was developed by Bang & Olufsen. It is worth seeing primarily because of its design: a small screen, quite classic for any mobile phone, and a huge button above it. Why above the screen? Because, according to the developers, this way the display will not look traditionally “bold”. The minimalist design of Samsung Serene is unique in principle. There are no small screens on the outside of the phone. Instead of a traditional telephone keypad, there is a large round button and a dial around it. The phone also comes with ear-pleasing ringtones that will impress the modern and elegant people.
BenQ Qube Z2 - a functional cube
The BenQ name gained popularity with its unique boxy Qube Z2 phone, which looked more like an MP3 player than a full-fledged mobile device. Although the player is actually built into the model. But still, this is a phone and all the standard functions are present in it. To keep the Qube Z2 from seeming too boring, despite its extravagant appearance, BenQ has released a wide variety of interchangeable panels, some of which have functional purposes. Unfortunately, Qube Z2 cannot be found in Russia and the CIS countries, since this model is not available on the post-Soviet market. 
Dbtel M50: almost like an iPod
This model was quite similar to the famous mp3 player from Apple. The similarity of the Dbtel M50 was given by the presence of a navigation pad - a special joystick, thanks to which interaction with the interface is carried out. There was no keyboard on the device. Its role was played by a two-inch touch screen. Dbtel M50 was released in early 2006. The starting price was $300. 
Telson TWC 1150: Camera, watch, mobile phone
“Camera, watch, mobile phone” weighs only 98 grams. The Telson TWC 1150 has many unique features including a loudspeaker, voice recorder and speech recognition capabilities. The battery for this small device lasts for a hundred minutes of calls. And in standby mode the device can last up to 150 hours. Telson TWC 1150 is also equipped with a digital camera and memory that can store up to 80 images. These images can be linked to contacts in the phone book. There, contacts can be distributed into groups, and each group can be “colored” in its own unique color. 
Hyundai MP-280: “perfume” mobile phone
Modern mobile phones are filled with all sorts of functional stuffing and it’s hard to come up with something new. However, the creative minds from Hyundai were still able to assemble their own unique device. Also called the “perfume phone,” the MP-280 sprays out a burst of fragrant perfume every time you open the lid. Perfume can be refilled using a special syringe that comes with the phone. This folding phone cost $1,200 and it is clear that it was not seen by the general public. 
Russian children's BB-mobile
Under the name bb-mobile, a huge number of electronic devices for general purposes were released. Among them are the so-called children's mobile phones. They have a minimal set of functions and buttons. Each model has its own unique design. The main purpose of the device is to ensure the safety and control of children. The device is equipped with GPS receivers and a speed dial button. 
SpareOne can easily be called the simplest phone. Devoid of any bells and whistles, SpareOne can only dial a subscriber’s number and illuminate a dark entrance using an LED flashlight. You can also call the rescue service using the SOS button. Instead of a battery, it has an AA battery. A waterproof case is also included. According to the developers, SpareOne can work up to 15 years in standby mode, 10 hours in talk mode and 24 hours in flashlight mode. 
This phone had many nicknames: “smartphone toy”, “phone for girls” and so on. It was impossible to use it from any point of view. Of course, the phone attracted attention, but this attention did not affect sales in any way. People mostly looked at the device as if it were some kind of exotic animal. But it was sold in several color options, which was wild for 2010. Only collectors bought Flipout. 
The device with the function of handwriting input of hieroglyphs has found use only in China. This is by no means the first model with similar functionality on the Android OS. At one time, a whole line of such devices with AMOLED screens was released. It is traditionally believed that devices with such screens were assembled only by Samsung in Korea, but this is not so. Nothing specific can be said about this model. Unless to note a certain uniqueness for its time. 
A phone that doesn't really represent anything. It can be called a regular slider with a touch screen. The model was designed in such a way that it is convenient for the user to hold the device in his hand. The unusual shape and the USB flash drive hidden at the bottom are the most interesting details of this device. 
Haier Pen Phone P7: Feel like Bond
This device can easily be called a “secret agent gadget.” The gadgets that viewers see in spy action films have gradually become accessible to the average person. The design of Haier Pen Phone P7 resembles a regular ballpoint pen, but it is not. This device is equipped with a color screen, camera, voice recorder, and a set of polyphonic melodies. Pen Phone is just a toy for pampering. It's not convenient to make calls because of the small buttons, and the pen the phone was made for is not capable of writing. 
Xian Yan Wang XYW 3838: cigarette case phone
Sometimes the Chinese can amaze you with their breadth of creative thinking. Proof of this is the Xian Yan Wang XYW 3838 phone, which resembles a pack of Chonghwa cigarettes. The appearance has not only an aesthetic, but also a functional purpose. The phone can serve as a cigarette case. In total, you can fit up to seven cigarettes inside. The device is also equipped with a camera with flash and a color screen. 
Stun Master 800,000 volt: telephone stun gun
A device that has given rise to many controversies and scandals. Stun Master 800,000 volt is a stun gun disguised in a mobile device. Due to the threat of hijacking and other dangers to airline passengers, the device was banned in several countries. 
ZTE s312: no electricity
The s312 is a joint project between Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer ZTE and Jamaica-based mobile operator Digicell. The idea was to create a phone that would work without electricity. An alternative power source was a solar battery, which was installed on the rear panel. In addition to basic functions, the phone contains FM radio and GPRS support. Environmentalists called the s312 the most environmentally friendly device, and the phone was in greatest demand in poor countries of the world, where electricity is a luxury. 
Sharp Touch Wood SH-08C: wood phone
The Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo, together with the Sharp company, have assembled a unique phone of its kind, the body of which is made of cypress. To create such a body, a wood pressing method was used. The resulting shell is completely waterproof. The following functions are available on the phone: Wi-fi, Bluetooth, GPS and 5 megapixel camera. 
Micro Phone: thin and light
This is a small phone, slightly larger than a credit card, and not rich in features. The main purpose is to track a person. Ideal for locating children. The device includes a GPS module, a voice call function, as well as a small number of very basic programs. 
Cuin5: stylish, but not practical
Quite a nice phone, completely devoid of a screen, but equipped with a large number of buttons. According to the designer, a person spends a lot of time rotating the device to lock the keyboard in the desired position. Cuin5 would be perfect for those who like to write long messages. It would have worked if the developers had found room for the screen. And all that remains is a stylish appearance. 
The design bureau Thalbach Design Manufaktur, which is based in Sweden, presents an interesting phone that essentially received a chance for a second life. The model is based on the Neonode N2, a small phone that was revolutionary in its own way. When the device was released, there were no such cool touchscreens yet, but soon the world was overwhelmed by iPhones, and Neonode N2 quickly disappeared from the market. This outcome was predictable for the Swedish device, if only because it cost $860. However, now that the device has become history, the businessmen from Thalbach Design Manufaktur decided to breathe new life into it. By making an interesting case from zirikote, these little phones will be able to please people with their unusual appearance. This toy is purely design fun, but it can make calls, take photos and play music. 
Designers who have managed to come to an agreement with engineers often come up with phones and smartphones that are unique in their design, combining several ideas. What, for example, is bad about a “folding bed” equipped with an additional rotation mechanism? Or a mobile phone with the functionality of a game console? The pursued goal is, of course, to achieve maximum practicality and convenience. But what actually happens is a matter for discussion.
In the third article in the “” series, we will talk about the design of the most unusual and exotic phones and smartphones in history.
In the series, we remember how cell phones have changed from the middle of the last century to the present day. We will tell you how the design of gadgets, their cameras, screens, wireless modules and battery life have evolved.
Hybrids
Nokia 5510 became the first phone in the range of the Finnish brand, which is enclosed in a body with a horizontal rather than vertical layout. This is due to the QWERTY keyboard, which, being divided into two blocks, surrounds the screen.
The Nokia 5510 (2001, 134x58x28mm, 155g) took the hardware of the Nokia 3330 and added MP3 player functionality with 64MB of flash memory. Image: mobilmania.cz. 
Nokia 5510 is actually a QWERTY shell for Nokia 3330. Image: mobilmania.cz. LG G7100 refined the “clamshell” form factor that was common at that time in that the upper half of the body was capable of rotating 270 degrees: 90 clockwise and 180 counterclockwise. This hybrid design was the first on the GSM phone market.
LG G7100 (2003, 89x46x24 mm, 99 g), the external OLED screen can easily serve as a mirror when turned off. 
At first glance, the LG G7100 is unremarkable. 
The VGA camera is built into the side hinge of the clamshell, so taking photos will take some getting used to. 
By turning the phone cover over, you can close it, but to answer an incoming call you will have to return everything as it was.
Samsung SGH-P400 I almost didn’t make it, losing to LG in the championship of folding phones with a rotating screen. However, the engineers of this Korean company went further by equipping the mobile phone with a rotating camera.
Consider Samsung to have long anticipated the general fashion for selfies: thanks to convenient teeth, the CIF camera rotates back and forth 180 degrees.
Samsung SGH-P400 (2003, 91x48x23 mm, 105 g) does not have an external screen, because you can always open and flip the main display. Image: Samsung. Appearance Nokia 6800 deceptive: it looks like a standard all-in-one, but its alphanumeric panel flops across the screen, turning the device into a phone with a full QWERTY keyboard. Two parts of the latter are hidden on the back of the specified panel and under it.
Nokia 6800(2003, 119 × 55 × 23 mm, 122 g) reverses the display orientation automatically thanks to a magnet built into the left side of the QWERTY keyboard. Image: Nokia.
Later, Nokia continued the development of similar transformers with the release of models 6810, 6820, 6822 and, finally, E70 in 2006. Image: collectionerus.ru/mobmuseum.ru. Nokia N-Gage, as an attempt to counter the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, became the world's first telephone - a pocket game console. Design and construction flaws determined the commercial failure of the device.
Nokia N-Gage (2003, 134x70x20 mm, 137 g): eight-way joystick, replaceable game cartridges, multiplayer games via Bluetooth and the Internet, six dozen titles. Image: Nokia. Games are games, but something went wrong.
Nokia N-Gage QD (2004, 118×68×22 mm, 143 g) “is rid of everything that a gamer does not need”: the device has lost its MP3 player, FM radio, and USB connector. Image: Wikimedia. Samsung SGH-P730 combines elements of a “clamshell” and a rotator, introducing novelty in that the moving mechanism has a round shape. Previously, a cylindrical joint was used between the body doors.
Samsung SGH-P730 (2004, 94x45x24.5 mm, 120 g): of course, such phones should be perceived as nothing more than niche, with a narrow target focus. Image: Samsung. Panasonic X300 in an attempt to create a new form factor, he suggests moving the slide covering the camera lens a little further than necessary so that the spring mechanism works and the all-in-one screen tilts to the side.
Panasonic X300 (2004, 92x49x21 mm, 87 g), pretending to be a camcorder, definitely wants to score points in the fashion class of mobile phones. Image: 3DNews.ru. Nokia 6260 By analogy with rotating clamshells, LG and Samsung endowed the screen cover with spatial freedom.
Nokia 6260 (2004, 102x49x23 mm, 130 g) automatically launches the built-in side VGA camera when you rotate the screen. Image: mobilmania.cz. Samsung SGH-D300 unfolds in two planes: as usual vertically - up, and horizontally, that is, to the right. The second mode is needed for convenient interaction with the QWERTY keyboard.
Samsung SGH-D300 (2005, 94x48x21.6 mm, 122 g) artistically modified the idea of the Motorola MPx, the first-born of dual clamshells. Image: Samsung. Nokia N90 developed a design in the style of the Nokia 6260 by adding a camera module, which is located separately from the phone body and, in addition, is also made rotating.
Nokia N90 (2005, 112x51x24 mm, 173 g) boasts a 2.1-inch screen with a high resolution of 352x416 pixels and Carl Zeiss glass optics in the 2-megapixel camera lens. Image: Nokia. Thanks to the rotating screen and camera, the process of shooting on the Nokia N90 is reminiscent of working with a pocket video camera:
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In 2006, Espoo released the Nokia 93 with a 3.2 megapixel camera and 3x optical zoom, and in 2007 the Nokia 93i appeared in a delightfully elegant “mirror” design. Image: Nokia. Sony Ericsson W44S applied the mechanics of a double “clamshell” that had already been tested by others: in this case, the horizontal opening will come in handy while watching mobile 1seg television, so beloved by the people of Japan.
Sony Ericsson W44S (2006, 101x49x24 mm, 146 g): Land of the rising sun and arrogance are equivalent concepts. Image: KDDI. Nokia 3250 placed emphasis on the musical component, and for this purpose the monoblock body is divided into two halves, the lower of which rotates. This block contains alphanumeric keys on one side and music player control buttons on the other.
Nokia 3250 (2006, 104x50x19.8 mm, 115 g) placed a 2-megapixel camera in a rotating unit. Image: collectionerus.ru/mobmuseum.ru. Samsung SGH-F520 Encouraging versatility of the double-sided slider design. An alphanumeric panel with navigation controls slides out from the bottom, and a QWERTY keyboard pulls out on the left.
Samsung SGH-F520 (2007, 105x54x17.4 mm), everything would be fine, but the Korean giant refused to release a completely finished product into free retail circulation. Image: Samsung. Samsung SGH-F300 Ultra Music demonstrates his own “duplicity.” On the one hand, it looks like a mobile phone with a modest screen, alphanumeric keyboard and navigation keys. As soon as you turn the phone over to the other side, we see a large-format display for absorbing multimedia content plus a music playback control unit.
Samsung SGH-F300 (2007, 104 x 44 x 9.4 mm, 78 g) requires you to press a special “Flip” button when you need to move from one side of the phone to the other. Image: Samsung. Samsung SGH-F500 Ultra Video made, like the Samsung SGH-F300 Ultra Music, double-sided, plus the lower part of the candy bar rotates. The rotation axis is made non-central, therefore, a kind of stand is implemented for convenient video viewing.
Samsung SGH-F500 (2007, 116x50x10.7 mm, 108 g) was the first to understand the DivX and Xvid video codecs, which means you don’t have to first convert movies to watch them on your phone. Image: PhoneArena. Samsung SGH-P940 equipped the top of the clamshell with a screen that can be flipped horizontally when the phone is open. The design is aimed at fans of mobile television.
Samsung SGH-P940 (2007, 98x52x16.5 mm, 125 g): in our realities there is no and never will be mobile television. Image: Samsung. Regardless of the unusual asymmetrical appearance Samsung GT-B3310 Corby Mate it's made wisely. When closed, there are number keys to the left of the screen. If you open the side slider, a QWERTY keyboard appears.
Samsung GT-B3310 (2009, 91x54x17 mm, 101 g) is designed for those who hang out on social networks. Image: Samsung. Motorola Backflip attracts attention with its non-standard approach to the implementation of the horizontal clamshell form factor, because the QWERTY keyboard is not hidden inside the case, but is “tucked” behind the screen, always being outside.
Motorola Backflip (2010, 108 × 53 × 15.3 mm, 133 g) acquired a touch navigation panel on the rear side of the display. Image: Motorola. Moreover, a 5-megapixel camera with flash is built into the keyboard section of the Motorola Backflip.
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Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, related to horizontal sliders, is appropriate to call a “gamerphone” due to its design for complete immersion in gameplay. The retractable game controller carries a joystick-pad, four control buttons, two selection keys, two touch pads and two directional buttons.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (2011, 119x62x16 mm, 175 g) cherished hopes of success, but, as history shows, such hybrids are not viable. Image: Sony Ericsson. BlackBerry Priv I tried to bring back to life the already forgotten form factor of a vertical slider. Of course, for this you have to take into account modern trends, therefore the screen is made touch-sensitive, plus the sliding QWERTY keyboard itself has additional touch sensitivity.
BlackBerry Priv (2015, 147×77×9.4 mm, 192 g) became the first Android smartphone in the blackberry brand’s portfolio of mobile devices. Image: BlackBerry. Exotic
Sometimes manufacturers themselves get tired of common form factors, offering something unimaginable. Such exotic designs of mobile phones should be perceived, on the one hand, as image-oriented, aimed at consumers who prefer sophistication and live on the crest of a fashionable wave.
At the same time, many models are deliberately aimed at women. On the other hand, phones in unusual cases are positioned as experimental: what if a new bestseller is born?
Motorola V100 looks more like a children's toy than a phone. Designed as a horizontal clamshell, the device is aimed at young people who prefer to communicate not by voice, but by text. The translucent plastic body of bright colors boldly tells about the “insides”.
Motorola V100 (2000, 94 × 71 × 25 mm, 130 g) comes with a physical QWERTY keyboard, thanks to which marketers nicknamed it a communicator, although in reality there is nothing of the latter in it. Image: Motorola. Samsung SPH-X4500 Drama Thanks to the round casing that opens like a powder compact, it is a truly feminine phone.
Samsung SPH-X4500 (2002, 73x52x25.3 mm, 81 g) offers useful applications for the fairer sex: calculating the biological cycle, compiling biorhythms, determining excess body weight, monitoring kilocalories consumed, accounting for expenses and a shopping planner. Image: sina.com Panasonic GD55 Easily lost due to its miniature size. However, this does not mean that the “tiny little thing” turned out to be useless: autonomy in talk mode is declared for 7.5 hours. In other words, with moderate use, the mobile phone will last about five days without recharging.
Panasonic GD55 (2002, 77x43x16.9 mm, 65 g) was the smallest GSM phone at that time. Image: telefonino.net. Nokia 3650 introduced elements of retro style into the design: alphanumeric keys are scattered in a circle - similar to how they were in rotary-dial phones.
Nokia 3650 (2003, 130x57x26 mm, 130 g): the numbers go counterclockwise, while Soviet people are accustomed to the reverse organization - clockwise. Image: collectionerus.ru/mobmuseum.ru. Siemens SX1, the first and only smartphone of the German company, seemed interesting not only in terms of functionality, but also from a design point of view. However, the odd arrangement of alphanumeric keys around the screen made typing more than a little tedious.
Siemens SX1 (2004, 109 × 56 × 19 mm, 116 g) fell victim to design refinements: people need convenient typing - that's it. Image: Siemens. Nokia 7600 refers to all-in-one PCs, the square shape of which was smoothly hewn and rounded, giving the phone a teardrop-shaped, leaf-like design. The keys are located around the screen, and this is inconvenient, because you always have to use your mobile phone with two hands.
Nokia 7600 (2003, 87x78x19 mm, 123 g) in terms of hardware is an exact copy of Nokia 6650, the first phone with 3G connectivity in the Finnish manufacturer's portfolio. Image: Nokia. Behind the mark Siemens Xelibri, which lived in 2003 and a little in 2004, hides an extensive family of phones that can only be described as futuristic and trendy. The German manufacturer decided to make the mobile phone a decoration, a stylish accessory, and a wardrobe item.
However, an exclusive focus on eccentric appearance, overly simple equipment, a meager range of functions and inconvenience of use led to Xelibri's fatal collapse.
The spring-summer collection of Siemens Xelibri contains four phones that look like a case for glasses, a soap dish, a pendant, and an alien dagger. Image: Siemens. The unconventionality of Siemens Xelibri encourages you to do crazy things.
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The second, autumn-winter, Siemens Xelibri collection took into account the too cool attitude of consumers, calling on color screens to help. Image: Siemens. Siemens Xelibri promised a “second” skin as a new tomorrow.
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Nokia 7280 is a slider designed a la a tube of lipstick. Just slide the cover to start taking pictures with a VGA camera.
Nokia 7280 (2004, 115×32×19 mm, 84 g) is devoid of any keyboard: dialing a number or entering SMS is carried out by the Navi-Spinner navigation wheel. Image: collectionerus.ru/mobmuseum.ru. Samsung SGH-E850, being a slider with an auto-adjustment mechanism, hid the VGA camera deep into the upper part of the case to protect it from scratches. To start shooting, press down on the camera and it will pop out, simultaneously launching the photo application.
Haier P7 lengthwise extended, resembling a regular fountain pen or TV remote control. The buttons are complemented by a navigation wheel.
Haier P7 (2004, 150x27x18.2 mm, 65 g) from a famous Chinese brand has a color screen, camera, GPRS module and polyphony. Image: Haier. Nokia 7260 as an expression of outrageousness and glamor: black gloss of the case, silver plastic lining, bright red backlighting of the keys.
Nokia 7260 (2004, 105x45x18 mm, 92 g), the stylization of “S like a dollar” is clearly visible. Image: collectionerus.ru/mobmuseum.ru. Samsung SGH-E910 Serene, prepared in partnership with the Danish Bang & Olufsen, specializing in audiovisual products, is a successful example when all efforts are concentrated on external beauty, but not on the “filling”. The mobile phone, which was initially aimed at men, still looks more organic in a woman’s hand, which is accustomed to powder compacts.
Samsung SGH-E910 (2005, 65x70x24 mm, 115 g) is designed to be used upside down with the screen at the bottom. A proprietary mechanism for automatically opening the clamshell has been implemented. Image: Samsung. Pantech PG-6100 It so successfully copies the design of a digital camera that it is almost impossible to guess the telephone essence of this “folding phone”.
Pantech PG-6100 (2006, 80x48x25 mm, 115 g) failed due to the fact that the Korean manufacturer did not think through the issues of ergonomics, adequacy of the user interface and the logic of the device’s behavior. Image: Pantech. Motorola Motofone F3 was the first among mobile phones to receive an electrophoretic screen - read, a display based on “electronic paper”, used in readers. As a result, we see a very simple, energy-efficient and affordable phone.
Motorola Motofone F3 (2006, 114 × 47 × 9.1 mm, 68 g) displays the screen in a specific way, since the EPD screen is divided into segmented familiar areas. Image: Wikimedia. Pantech PG-C300 It is considered the smallest “folding bed” in the world. Korean engineers managed to include two color screens and a VGA camera with flash in the range of equipment of this stylish midget.
Samsung SGH-F310 Serenata, or Symphony, is intended to destroy the stereotype that the Korean brand mainly produces washing machines and refrigerators, but does not have enough determination for elegant and stylish mobile phones. The phone, developed in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen, is a slider phone with a pop-up speaker.
Samsung Serenata (2007, 110x63x19.7 mm, 136 g) is devoid of traditional buttons - a large navigation ring and a resistive touch screen are used. Image: Samsung. 
The Samsung Serenata turns into a desktop speaker thanks to its flip-up stand cover. Image: Samsung. Toshiba Portege G450 doubles as an MP3 player and 3G modem connected to a computer via a USB port.
Toshiba Portege G450 (2008, 98 × 36 × 16 mm, 57 g) in an oblong case is equipped with an OLED screen and a keyboard made of two round blocks. Image: Toshiba. Sony Ericsson R306 Radio stylized as a radio receiver, since this is its image component. The “clamshell” allows you to quickly and conveniently tune in to radio programs in the FM and AM bands. There is a function to record a fragment of a playing song for later installation as a ringtone.
Sony Ericsson R306 Radio (2008, 90x48x16 mm, 93 g), like many Swedish-Japanese flagships, can determine what kind of music is playing around - thanks to TrackID technology. Image: mobilarena.hu. Israeli Modu Mobile released Modu 1 in 2009 with interchangeable cases that turn the original mobile phone into a completely different device. It is enough to insert this tiny phone, which is responsible for basic cellular functionality, into any of the cases to choose from in order to get not only a gadget with a specific design, but also a device with certain unique capabilities.
Cover cases give Modu 1 (72x38x7.8 mm, 40 g) certain functions, transforming it into a multimedia player, large-screen phone, gaming device, business communicator, device for sports enthusiasts, etc. Image: Modu Mobile. Alas, Modu could not cope with the financial burden, ultimately wasting $120 million in investments. In 2011, Google acquired the firm's patent portfolio for $4.9 million. Intellectual property formed the basis of the Ara project, under the wing of which a much more intriguing modular Android smartphone is being prepared, assembled like a construction set.
Modu-case options:
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Samsung SCH-U440 Cleo, or Gloss, is a typically female mobile phone with an atypical design. The mobile phone is housed in a square clamshell case with a QWERTY keyboard hidden inside.
Samsung SCH-U440 (2009, 75x65x20.9 mm, 95 g) definitely prioritizes the convenience of quickly typing messages. Image: Samsung. The Fujitsu F-04B once again proves that the Japanese are riding the crest of a wave of technological innovations. At first it seems that this is an unremarkable thick candy bar with a touch screen. It then becomes a slider with a sliding alphanumeric panel.
However, if you apply some force, the phone will split into two halves. The part with the display will remain in one hand, and a full-fledged QWERTY keyboard will rest in the other.
This creates interesting use cases. So, you can talk on the keyboard, while typing a text message or surfing the web on the screen unit.
If you adapt the display component on the table, the keyboard half can do a lot: navigate through the user interface, enter text and data, and become a game controller, and sensitive to movements in space.
Japanese progress has long been beyond science fiction:
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Samsung Galaxy Round became the world's first smartphone with a curved screen. The curvilinearity is achieved through the use of a plastic substrate for the Super AMOLED display instead of glass.
Samsung Galaxy Round (2013, 151 x 80 x 7.9 mm, 154 g): Its curved screen, thanks to its plastic base, is more resistant to damage after a fall. Image: Samsung. The LG G Flex, which arrived a month later than the Samsung Galaxy Round, offered a different take on the curvature of the screen. If the second smartphone is equipped with a display that is concave along the long vertical axis, in our case the concavity extends along a short horizontal line.
LG G Flex (2013, 161×82×7.9−8.7 mm, 177 g) also featured a curved battery and a body capable of self-healing from minor scratches. Image: LG. YotaPhone authored by the Russian Yota Devices became the first in the world to install a second screen based on “electronic paper”. We are talking about an energy-efficient E-Ink display, which, similar to that in e-readers, consumes energy only during image updating.
Yota YotaPhone (2013, 134×67×10 mm, 146 g): few Russian companies managed to bring the idea of a mobile phone to completion, implementing it in a finished product. Image: Yota Devices. Phone Strap 2 WX06A took the position of one of the tiniest phones in the world. The mobile phone, prepared by Abit for the Japanese PHS operator Willcom, is equipped with a 1-inch electroluminescent color LCD screen with a resolution of 96x46 pixels, an alphanumeric keyboard and a microUSB port. This little thing can not only make calls, but also work with SMS and email.
Phone Strap 2 WX06A (2013, 70×32×10.7 mm, 32 g) is capable of talk time for two hours, powered by a 400 mAh battery. Image: Willcom. LG Aka comes with special cases that give this Android smartphone a kind of personality. At the top of the display there is a pair of animated eyes, the expression of which literally reflects the mood of the owner.
The yellow LG Aka case (2014, 139×72×10 mm, 135 g) hides the amorous Aggie, the white Wookiee always speaks slang, the blue Soul enjoys music and beer, and the pink Yo-Yo suffers from a craving for Coca-Cola and hamburgers. Image: LG. Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is a variant of the Galaxy Note 4, in which the Quad HD screen is curved, extending to the right side of the body. This curvature allows you to create a second, additional mini-display that works independently of the main screen.
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge (2014, 151x82x8.3 mm, 174 g) as a continuation of experiments with flexible screens. Image: Brad Moon. BlackBerry allows itself to experiment, even when its business is not in the best shape. BlackBerry Passport attracts attention with its unconventional square display, devoid of the usual vertical elongation.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge In an attempt to get rid of the dominance of the strict forms of touchscreen monoblocks, I turned to the notorious curvilinearity of the screen, wrapping it on both sides of the body at once - left and right.
Project Google Ara, announced in 2013, is trying to create an Android smartphone whose hardware is assembled, like a construction set, from individual “cubes”—functional blocks, or modules—that are magnetically attached to a single frame. You don’t have to look far for examples: any personal computer can be assembled from components purchased separately - according to your tastes and discretion.
Google Ara (2016): the cost of a basic set, which includes a frame, display, battery, low-power processor and Wi-Fi module, will not exceed $50. Image: Google. The advantages of Ara are obvious: it is easy not only to replace a failed element, such as a broken screen, but also to assemble a smartphone that meets current tasks. So, if long conversations are needed, a high-capacity battery is connected; if high-quality photography is required, a powerful camera module is installed; if typing is fast, a smaller display plus a physical QWERTY keyboard is used instead of a large screen panel.
It is possible that the future of smartphones lies in the hands of modular devices.
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They know how to surprise with a seemingly simple mobile phone. Manufacturers who do not follow the banal path do not get involved in the race of processors or displays, but create their own gadgets, original and unlike other models on the market. We present some of them along with their creations.
In Russia, few people know that mobile phones are even made in India. But among the producers of this country there are those that deserve special attention. For example, Micromax, which focuses on the design of phones and smartphones. True, the filling does not at all correspond to the futuristic design. Thus, a unique smartphone with a built-in Bluetooth headset and the provocative name X450 Van Gogh has the same functionality as the usual all-in-one smartphones from five years ago.
Not sold in Russia.
2.BenQ 
The BenQ brand in Russia became known due to the release of square “musical” phones. These colorful gadgets are more like mp3 players, but they are full-fledged phones with the ability to make calls, write messages and even take photos and videos. Well, and on top of everything else, they actually have a built-in player. In addition, there are a huge variety of replacement panels for the Qube Z2 model. Not only do they vary in color, but many have a raised pattern or design. Together with Siemens, the company has released an interesting phone with a separate panel for controlling mp3.
The phone is not available in official Russian retail.
3. KDDI 
KDDI is a Japanese telecommunications company that recently began producing smartphones. Of course, original, like everything Japanese. Thus, KDDI Infobar A01 has a minimalistic design, at the same time unlike other smartphones.
The functional buttons in it are made in the form of “tags”. Another example is the secure smartphone G"zOne IS11CA with “electronic wallet” functionality. And two years ago, this Japanese manufacturer introduced an Android smartphone without a traditional speaker. Vibration is used to transmit sound, which transmits the sound to the eardrum.
The device is not sold in Russia.
4. Just 5 
Just 5 is a domestic brand of phones and, more recently, smartphones. First, the designers surprised everyone with “granny phones” for hipsters - the CP10S model (price - 2,850 rubles) came out in eight variants of acidic colors.
The hugely sized buttons, the unique space design of the case, and even the charger in an unusual bright orange color turned out to be non-standard. As a result, these phones, originally designed with the older generation in mind, became popular among hipsters, clubbers and other fashionable youth.
After the “space backgrounds”, the company released two models of retro phones at once: brutal Brick “bricks” with a retractable antenna and a design in the style of the 90s from Artemy Lebedev’s studio (price – 2,950 rubles).
The brand's latest designer phone is SURF, with an appearance a la Nokia 3310 and a price of about 900 rubles.
At the end of the year, the manufacturer of seemingly only “hipster dialers” and acidic “granny phones” released the Just5 Spacer smartphone, which turned out to be the first designer Android phone in Russia. In addition, today it is also the most affordable 5-inch smartphone with a 4-core processor - the device will cost less than 5,000 rubles. The device comes with two replaceable back panels – dark gray and white.
5. Swiss Gresso 
Luxury phones are manufactured by Gresso, a company registered in Switzerland, and are included in the Top 10 most expensive phones in the world. All devices are made of high quality titanium alloy, which is widely used in the aerospace industry. All models are hand-made and decorated with engravings made of titanium, white or yellow gold. At the end of the year, the brand released its first smartphone, Gresso Radical.
With all its external splendor, the gadget also features a very modern set of characteristics: a 4-core processor, a 4.5-inch screen, an 8-megapixel camera and two slots for SIM cards. However, the characteristics for owners of models of this brand are not the main thing, the main thing is the image. In Russia, phones are sold at prices ranging from 55 thousand rubles (for the version with titanium engraving) to 70 thousand with yellow gold engraving. Moreover, the first owners are invited to choose a unique serial number for engraving. For those who already have a fashionable smartphone, but want to dramatically increase its prestige, the company offers bumper cases made of titanium and crocodile leather with engravings in yellow and white gold for the iPhone 5S and Galaxy S4.
6. Russian children's BB-mobile 
The bb-mobile brand produces unique electronic devices of various categories, including children's mobile phones with security components and subscriber location monitoring. Each model has an original design that should attract the child. The devices have a minimum of functions and buttons - a child can call their parents using a quick call. In addition, the models are equipped with built-in GPS receivers, with which you can track the child’s location on the map. The price of such mobile phones is about three thousand rubles.
It turns out that it’s not just the iPhone that can stand out from the monotony of handsets. Do you like any of the unusual gadgets?
Those who had already begun to get tired of the same type of “tubes” realized that it was not so easy to get themselves an unusual phone. Exclusive design, bright colors and non-standard sizes of models are a rarity. Where can I get the exclusive? The answer is below.
In Japan
This exotic country is famous for its extraordinary view of things. In Japan you can buy a phone in almost any color. There is only one obstacle: local “mobile phones” support special communication standards that are not suitable for the rest of the world. It’s a pity, for example, the Sharp Pantone 5 smartphone, made by order of the largest Japanese mobile operator Softbank Mobile, is very attractive.
The highlight of this smartphone is not only its brightly colored housing, but also the fact that it is the world’s first mobile device with a built-in dosimeter. Sharp Pantone 5 is capable of constantly measuring background radiation levels - a pressing problem in Japan.
Another mobile operator in Japan makes Honey Bee phones. One of the latest models in this line is HONEY BEE SoftBank 101K. Available in five colors, the waterproof body is decorated with glitter. An exclusively female option, of course.
For fans of everything natural, Sharp has released the Touch Wood SH-08C model. The unusually shaped case is made of cypress, so the pattern on the back cover is not repeated.
In China
Usually, Chinese smartphones are talked about when it comes to fakes. However, masters from the Middle Kingdom can not only copy, but also create their own original things, such as telephones. Where else, if not in China, can you buy a golden Ferrari for only 7,000 rubles?
And for $45 you can buy a Chinese retro background. It looks like something straight out of the 90s and supports two SIM cards.
In Russia
Incredible, but true: in Russia there are also people who come up with unusual phones. The domestic brand Just5 constantly surprises. For example, last year everyone was amazed by bright phones with large buttons.
The design of the Just5 CP10S models was carefully worked out - just like the color palette. Acid gadgets were aimed at grandmothers, but became popular among fashionistas, despite the fact that phones could only make calls and send SMS. Mobile phones made together with Artemy Lebedev's studio can't do much more. Just5 Brick with a brick design was specially created in retro style - for those who miss the 90s. They even didn’t forget to install the antenna.
But Just5 is known not only for push-button mobile phones. Recently, this brand released the most inexpensive 5-inch smartphone in Russia with a quad-core processor. In the official online store Just5 Spacer costs 5,250 rubles. The price was made so low due to the brand’s policy: Just5 Spacer is sold only through an online store, which eliminates the markup of intermediaries (large retailers “throw in” 30-50% of the cost of the device).
The smartphone comes with two interchangeable back covers in dark gray and white. You don’t have to face the eternal choice: “should I take black or white?”
However, the cause of push-button phones has not been forgotten: Just5 recently released another old-school model, this time in the style of early Nokia and Siemens. The Just5 Surf push-button phone is available in two colors - black and lemon yellow. The new product supports two SIM cards and costs less than 900 rubles.
In future
Smartphone concepts are amazing. Will it really be possible to assemble smartphones like a construction set in the near future? In any case, ZTE is actively developing this area. The brand’s modular smartphone (still a concept) was spotted at major IT exhibitions.
Rumors about future Samsung smartphones also make us think of science fiction. A foldable smartphone that fits in your wallet? Why not!
Or maybe in the future we will see not bendable, but transparent smartphones? Who knows…
Only one thing is clear - with such unusual devices, life will definitely become brighter!
Did you know there is a mosquito repellent phone? Yes, such a phone exists, and you will find it in this review.
Pantech Mosquito Repellant– cell phone with mosquito protection
ShinyMedia presented a concept phone Pantech Mosquito Repellant, which repels mosquitoes. The idea is that the phone can emit ultrasonic waves in a certain range that repel mosquitoes. Otherwise, this is an ordinary slider: a 2.6-inch screen, a 2 Megapixel camera, a stereo microphone and an MP3 and multimedia player.
Villain's Phone (Concept)
This anti-glamorous phone is shaped like a disc with a diameter of just over 6 centimeters and has a round keypad that surrounds a small screen measuring 220 by 176 pixels.
The advantages of the phone include its small size and thickness of 8 mm, which allows you to place it in a small pocket. When there is an incoming call, the phone emits a ring of light that spreads from the center to the perimeter.
Mobile phone "Matchbox"
A creative concept phone in the shape of a matchbox presented by designer Lv Zhongfang. The ultra-compact design allows this to fit snugly into your pocket of any size. An unusual slider phone can be easily unfolded with a slight push on the side surface, just like a matchbox.
Terrible Cell Phone Boombox
You won’t believe it, but what you have in front of your eyes is not a tape recorder from the eighties, but a real cell phone!
This terrible phone-recorder has all the attributes of a regular phone: a 1.3 megapixel camera, a 2.4-inch screen, supports microSD memory cards and, of course, an MP3 player.
“Pack of cigarettes” - a phone in the form of a cigarette pack with a cavity for cigarettes
Yes, this is a real phone. Being a fairly functional phone that performs its direct functions, this phone also allows you to carry 10 cigarettes.
This horror costs $175. Smokers should like it, but I give Chinese manufacturers the idea of a flask phone - a phone with a container for strong drinks. Will be successful among a certain category of citizens :)
Origami phone
As you know, origami is the art of folding paper. I must say that the designer who came up with the idea of creating an origami phone has a rather rich imagination. A phone more reminiscent of a puzzle like a Rubik's Cube can give you a couple of hours of entertainment trying to solve it, but why combine that with a phone? According to rumors, it is precisely this difficulty in handling this unusual phone that causes its frequent breakdowns.
Terrible slider BenQ SL98
I'm already beginning to suspect that the matchbox slider form factor is haunting cell phone designers. The idea is certainly unusual, but the implementation turns out to be extremely terrible, which is easy to understand by calling BenQ-Siemens.
And finally, I present to you 3 more unusual phones:
