Nokia has filed for a US patent for a mobile phone with a rotating numeric keyboard, writes The Register.

"The numeric pad can turn round to retain the correct orientation when the handset it flipped into landscape mode.

The application details what looks like a standard candybar handset. The clever bit comes when you rotate it through 90°: the screen slides up to reveal a QWERTY keyboard.

… Nokia original filed its patent applicaton back in September 2005, but the filing was updated yesterday."

SOURCE: TEXTUALLY

Samsung has just filed a patent for an illustrated SMS interface. Each contact in a cell phone can be associated with an image and text messages would appear like Treo’s chat feature, but illustrated, like a comic strip.

SOURCE: TEXTUALLY

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The Chinese mobile telephone company Huawei presented in CeBIT 2007 these cool concepts for new cell phones that may or may not be produced in the near future. The most interesting one is a mobile phone with an integrated USB connector that can be used without the need of an adapter or even a cable. The USB adapter is made with a flexible rubber that can be bent in any angle you need to connect it directly to your computer for transmitting data and charging your phone.

The second concept by Huawei is a phone with an external battery, designed to deal with the problem of cell phones always running out of juice when you need them the most. The external battery connects via USB, and can be replaced as needed while you charge the first one. The battery can have different colours and textures to match with the clothes you’re wearing, if you’re into that kind of stuff.

The third idea is a cell phone with a Bluetooth headset that can be separated from the phone and used independently, so that the user can use only the headset, and still look up telephone numbers or notes in the cell phone easily, just like you would with a Smartphone. The headset can also be used to track the phone interactively using the Bluetooth connectivity.

Huawei doesn’t inform us when and if these concepts will ever see the light of day. The first concept design seems to be very useful and practical, and we can only hope so.

SOURCE: COOLEST GADGETS

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Spotted on YankoDesign, two new cell phone concepts, by designer Lim Sze Tat.

Darklabel | Retroxis (picture left)

"The phone is encased in high polished polycarbonate renowned for its lightweght and toughness and the invisible OLED display silently hides away when inactive to make your phone look clean and stylish."

Darklabel | Revol (picture right)

"The idea of Revol is to portray it as a stylish timepiece. As such, the conventional hour and minute hands are replaced with revolving disc. The clock face is sculpted in a slight cone shape to give it more dimension. Main frame is encased in polycarbonate with a gloss finish while the strap is of matt silicone to give it a nice contrast. Numeric markings are removed to reinforce its simplistic style."

SOURCE: TEXTUALLY

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