(Credit:
Nokia)
It's been several months since we first saw Nokia's geometrically influenced "Prism" mobile phones, and we're still not sure how we feel about those odd triangular and diamond-shaped buttons. And just to make matters more confounding, the handset maker has come out with a clamshell model that looks even weirder.
The "7070 Prism" is a more affordable version of its high-end siblings, which even acquired some French artistry earlier this year. MobileWhack says the $80 clamshell isn't all that different either--other than the folding form, of course--including such features as a built-in speaker, voice recorder, and support for MP3 ringtones.
Pricing aside, the next iteration seems obvious: An entire handset shaped like a triangle.
(Credit:
Crave Asia)
We aren't sure why Nokia's product announcements are coming in dribs and drabs these days, but here's one that's more on the drab side. The 7900 Crystal Prism doesn't have anything extraordinary to offer, and the only reason anyone would get this instead of the earlier 7900 Prism is the sapphire crystal center key. Although the back cover and wallpapers are said to be designed by avant-garde artist Frédérique Daubal, it still doesn't make up for the oddity of the triangular keys.
While we applaud Nokia for pushing the design envelope, there's such a thing as finding a balance between form and function. However, if you're a die-hard Nokia fan, you'll probably dismiss what we've just written as baloney So for those of you, the phone will be available in Asia this quarter. Pricing to be determined.
(Source: Crave Asia)
Nokia 7500 Prism
(Credit: Corrine Schulze/CNET Networks)Though it has largely sat out the thin phone mania of recent years, Nokia long ago established a reputation for daring cell phone design. Granted, that bold spirit was sometimes a little too bold, but other times it resulted in a lovely product. Nokia's latest entry in the mobile fashion show is the Nokia 7500 Prism. Undeniably unique and unquestionably striking the 7500 is a powerful phone with a broad range of features. On the other hand, call quality wasn't up to par and the unique keypad wasn't terribly user-friendly. For more on the 7500 Prism, check out our full review or our slide show.
Nokia 7900 Prism and the Nokia 7500 Prism
(Credit: Nokia Prism)Nokia isn't shy about coming out with interesting and unique fashion phones--remember its L'Amour collection from last year?--so it's no surprise that the company has released two new phones that are decidedly design-focused. The Prism collection--so-named because of their unique diamond-cut and prismlike surfaces--were introduced yesterday in Finland, though we had seen similar models destined for Asia earlier.
The 7900 Prism has a sleek, black front with an anodized aluminum back cover, plus an OLED main display that shows as many as 16 million colors. It supports wallpaper and screensavers that change color depending on the light. The 7900 Prism is available in about 49 "illumination" colors that radiates from the phone. It is a quad-band GSM plus a dual-band WCDMA phone with a 2-megapixel camera and 1GB of internal memory. It'll be available for 400 Euros.
Next up is the 7500 Prism, which is the lower-end version of the 7900. It's a tri-band GSM/EDGE phone and does not have 3G, and it features a normal QVGA display. However, it still has a 2-megapixel camera with a flash as well as a microSD card slot, and it retains that slick, black look with the interchangeable colors. The 7500 is available for 210 Euros.
Since these phones are tri-band and quad-band, they may be available unlocked for use here in the U.S., but prepare to pay a hefty price for them.
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