(Credit:
Sybarites)
It turns out that designer Christopher Tak Cheung Yue may have been onto to something after all with the seven-sided "Suave" phone he proposed for luxury handset maker Vertu. The angular creation looked pretty weird, even for a concept, but Vertu's latest offering actually seems to take some small steps in that direction.
While not nearly as drastic, the new "Ascent Ti" line does feature some unusual contours and textured surfaces to improve the grip, according to Sybarites--a key reason for Yue's geometric design as well. Because it's Vertu, of course, the "Knurled" and "Checked" models had to include the usual complement of aesthetic touches, respectively including metallic-gray and deep purple leather. Best of all, neither is being attacked by a snake.
OK, so maybe there aren't as many precious stones as you'd like, but at least you get some spare change left over. After such models as the "Diamond" ($88,000) and "Signature Cobra" ($310,000), Vertu's "Ascent Ti" is cheap at about $6,628.
(Credit:
Vertu)
The handset by Nokia's luxury unit features premium materials including a Titanium chassis, cowhide leather back, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal face and polished ceramic. Available in stores starting this month, it also comes in you choice of black, red or brown. (Crave gave an early peek at the handset based on FCC filings in July.)
It's not all flash, fortunately. One of the unique features in the Ascent Ti is the Vertu Fortress technology. This synchronizes important data on the phone such as contact details, calendar and notes to a remote server, (supposedly) maintained in an ex-military bunker at a secure location in the English countryside. So if you do lose your very expensive phone, at least the data can be quickly restored in a new handset, providing some peace of mind.
The Ascent Ti will come with support for 3G and quad-band GSM networks. It will also be equipped with a 3-megapixel camera, in addition to the standard concierge button that provides 24-hour service worldwide (concierge, a dozen Krispy Kremes right this minute, please!). According to the company's press release, the composer behind many of the James Bond movie soundtracks, David Arnold, has created three bespoke ringtones for the Ascent Ti, complemented by a series of car-themed backgrounds.
Read more about the Vertu Ascent Ti phone here.
(Source: Crave Asia)
(Credit:
BornRich)
All of this touch-screen talk sometimes makes us pine for simpler times, when products were made with more tactile aesthetics in mind. We're apparently not alone, as manufacturers such as Lenovo are making such items as notebooks clad in leather.
Now Vertu, the king of luxury phones, is bringing the cowhide concept to its latest handset, identified as the "Ascent T" in FCC filings. The proposed phone has a 3-megapixel camera, a scratch-proof LCD and UMTS mobile Internet access, according to BornRich, but it's the bovine component that's most easily noticeable. It's not the first time that Vertu has incorporated leather into its designs, but this one has a natural, almost retro look that's reminiscent of the old "Brownie" cameras made by Kodak in the 1930s.
Best of all? It has actual buttons. So there.
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