Hands-on with the Lucky phone

(Update: New pictures added!) So we finally got ourselves a set of M1's Lillian Too Lucky Dragon phone. For the uninitiated, Too is a bestselling author on the topic of Feng Shui. She hails from Malaysia and is a well-known practitioner of the ancient Chinese practice enhancing luck and is an astute businesswoman. It therefore makes a lot of sense that she conceived this idea. It's one of those things we carry around with us all the time, so having it as your lucky charm, too, is a logical step.

Just looking at pictures of this mobile phone doesn't quite prepare you to handle it for real. When we opened the box, it looked pretty standard. Screen, keypad and shortcut buttons, all in an unexciting candybar form factor. Though we know about the dragon at the back, turning it around still amused us in the office greatly. That's actually an understatement--we really burst out laughing. It doesn't help that the startup tone when you first switch on the device, with clanging cymbals and an overly enthusiastic rhythm, gives you the feeling that you are in Chinatown during Chinese New Year.
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ModeLabs tries on another Levi's phone

Paris-based phone designer extraordinaire ModeLabs continues to make its mark on the mobile landscape in Europe, with diverse handsets ranging from an MTV-branded slider to Tag Heuer's "Meridiist," with varying degrees of success.

Its latest offering is a new Levi's handset--not the dubious red tag version seen recently--to be marketed exclusively by French telecom Orange. Unlike the original steel-case model, the new version is a slider that claims to be the first mobile phone with a design that "combines a metal and soft touch finish," according to Gadgetizer (PDF). What does that mean? Who knows.

Other than that curiosity, it's a fairly standard phone with a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, microSD card slot, and FM radio tuner that costs about US$400. At that price, they should at least throw in a pair of jeans.

Via CNET Crave | Credit: Mobile Choice

Sony Ericsson G502 announced for Q3 in Asia

As if the numerous events happening concurrently aren't enough to keep us busy, Sony Ericsson dropped a couple of new handsets today on us. The G502 "cram(s) a wealth of time-saving features into an affordable, pocket-sized phone" and is supposedly the first in its line to come with HSDPA connectivity. Features include a 2-megapixel camera, built-in FM radio with RDS, Bluetooth stereo A2DP and A-GPS--all in an uninspiring candybar form factor. This is expected to be available in Asia come Q3.

The second model is the Z780 with almost similar features, but this time in a clamshell. Though that probably won't matter since it won't be available in our region. Neither phone has pricing details yet.

Samsung M620, B200 and B110 debut at mobile roadshow

Out of the 11 phones that were unveiled at today's Samsung regional mobile roadshow, three are newly announced. From the Connected series comes the SGH-M620 which features a 1.9-inch LCD screen, microSD expansion card slot and onboard FM radio, while the SGH-B200 and SGH-B110 are entry-level models from the Essential series.

The B200 sports a function that allows users to track the phone when it is stolen or lost. Like the M620, the built-in FM radio on the B200 supports recording capabilities and tunes recorded over-the-air can be used as ringtones. These two phones are expected to be available in Asia from July and May, respectively.

Pictured from left to right: M620, B200 and B110

Encounter with the "Buddha phone"

Earlier when we saw pictures of the Buddha phone, we didn't actually think we'd see it for real. So when one of my colleagues said he saw the phone at Sim Lim Square (for the uninitiated, Sim Lim Square is where bargain hunters in Singapore go to buy gadgets and IT stuff), I knew I had to make a trip down to see it with my own eyes.

Unlike the Lillian Too Lucky Dragon phone which erupted in a cacophony of laughter in the office when we first clapped eyes on it, my impression of the Buddha phone was a lot more subdued. Maybe because the shopowner got a little suspicious of my close scrutiny of the phone and the rain of questions that ensued. I swear he had me in the corner of his eye even while attending to other customers.
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