Porsche dials into the cell phone market

Olga Kharif, BusinessWeek | Jun 13, 2007

Porsche is well-known for designing sleek, fast, and expensive cars. But cell phones? On June 4, Porsche Design Group and electronics maker Sagem Communication unveiled the first cell phone to carry the Porsche name.

The P'9521 is made from aluminum and the type of glass used to make watch crystals, giving it a gleaming silver and black finish. In addition to a swivel screen, it features multimedia functions including a music player and video camera.

The device is slated to arrive later this year in overseas markets at specialty shops and Porsche Design stores that already sell the automaker's luxury luggage, sunglasses, and watches. US consumers will have to wait until 2008. No pricing has been disclosed.

	The P'9521 is by no means the smallest phone going, weighing 139g and measuring 91mm tall by 48mm wide by 18mm thick. Its uniqueness lies elsewhere: The casing is made from a solid aluminum block. Another unique material giving this device a different look is ìmineralî glass, often used to make scratch-resistant watch crystals.
	The screen features large icons to enable easy navigation through applications such as playing music and accessing the Web at high speeds. The phone is equipped with a fingerprint reader that can be used to authenticate the owner's identity before allowing access to applications or phone numbers.
	A double hinge made of aluminum allows the phone's 2.2-inch screen to be rotated 180 degrees. The screen itself is a so-called OLED, or organic light emitting diode, an emerging technology that's still rare in consumer electronics. This type of LED consumes far less battery power while providing even sharper resolution, brighter colors, and a better view from every angle.
	The 3.2-megapixel camera is equipped with autofocus and a flash. It can capture still photos as well as video. The swivel screen allows for easier self-portraits.
	The phone also features a full-size USB port that allows it to sync with both PCs and Macs. Charging takes 3 hours, but then the device is good for 3.5 hours of talk time or seven hours of music listening. The full-fledged MP3 player lets users create playlists and record audio clips.