Sony Ericsson unveils first design collaboration with Maria Sharapova

She's been known to design her own tennis outfits and has been reportedly involved in the production of her Prince tennis racket. Now, the Russian tennis star is working with Sony Ericsson to launch a collection of four mobile phone accessories for women. These comprise: A Courtside Case (IDC-31), Exercise Case (IDC-32), Party Bag (IDC-33) and Travel Wallet (IDC-34).

Unveiled at an exclusive fashion show in London, the Maria Sharapova Design Collection is the first collaboration campaign between the Russian tennis star and Sony Ericsson, after the mobile phone company signed a four-year agreement with her as its global ambassador in January 2008. The Sharapova-inspired accessories are expected to be launched in the third quarter of this year. According to Sony Ericsson Singapore, the collection will be available across all Asia Pacific markets.

Feng Shui phone now in clamshell

Thought you had a one-of-a-kind phone with the Lillian Too Lucky Dragon phone, did cha? No such luck. On the other hand, positive feng shui energy had to be flowing our way because, lo and behold, we clapped eyes on its clamshell twin, grasped in a crystal claw stand at Quantum telecom's CommunicAsia booth. The company is behind customized outings such as the Hummer and Cadillac mobiles.

Quite the opposite of the red lucky candybar with its striking dragon stickon on the front plate, this one comes in black and sports a gold dragon instead. Though our general opinion was that it looked more like a lacquer box than a clamshell phone, the proof--as they say--is in the pudding, or pictures in this case. Inside, there appears to be a vanity mirror, though this could work either way as a feng shui talisman to repel negative elements. By the way, the Feng Shui clamshell was designed in Israel but manufactured in China. Could that account for the stereotype-laden goodness?
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Hummer mobiles with car shine finish

Are you an ardent fan of a Hummer H-series SUT or a sleek Cadillac CTS sedan? How about a mobile phone that's dressed and styled just like your favorite four-wheeler complete with car shine finish? Well, the Israeli-designed and US-based Quantum telecom's handsets carry exactly these traits with a lineup of car-, fashion- and sports-themed models.

For autos, there are the General Motors- and Cadillac-licensed Hummer HQ-series and CDQ, respectively. Aside from the sports utility truck marques, the Humer HQ1 3G also has an engine intake grille adorning its front and crisp lines on the rear. The CDQ, on the other hand, mirrors the real McCoy with its blend of wing-like edges, sharp angles and wire mesh bottom.
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Joikusoft APAC winners of Navteq global LBS challenge

These guys may have walked away with a total prize package valued at US$275,000 here at CommunicAsia, but you aren't leaving empty-handed, either. Download the free JoikuSpot software and you'll earn street cred for using an award-winning app on your smart phone.

In a nutshell, JoikuSpot morphs your handset into a mobile hotspot via 3G and allows multiple WLAN devices to connect to the phone in order to log onto the Internet. Of course, this pretty much depends on your plan since you'll be leeched dry if you are not on an unlimited data plan.

We are all for sharing, but first, we'll need to get on an unlimited data plan. Any offers?

Satellite phones make a comeback

With mobile coverage available in almost any area with a decent population size, satellite phones may seem to be heading into the annals of history (much like Call Zone phones which were available over a decade ago). But when I was traveling in the Amazon jungle where the eco-lodge was at least an hour away by speedboat from modern civilization, having a satellite phone could well have made the difference between life and death in an emergency. This could also be the case for those working on ocean-faring ships, which may be stuck in the middle of nowhere for weeks on end.

Thuraya is a satellite communication company which specializes in this niche market. Unlike GSM or CDMA mobiles, satellite phones were huge and heavy affairs reminiscent of first-generation handsets (also known as bricks). Hence, we were surprised to see two new satellite models that were actually pocket-size, though they still won't be winning any fashion contests anytime soon.
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