INFOBAR 2 debut
AU Design Project‘s next designer cellphone, the INFOBAR 2 by Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, has finally been released during the last few days, approx. two months after it was announced (the conceptual form was first shown off 14 months ago).
The INFOBAR 2 comes in 4 colours: Silver, Midori (green), Nishikigoi (the red one) and Warm Grey, and packs a 2.6-inch 240 x 400 pixel OLED display, stereo speakers, microSD expansion, EZ FeliCA support, 2-megapixel camera, and 1-Seg (digital TV and radio). It measures 138mm x 47mm x 15.5mm and weighs in at 104 grams.
To be honest, although I like the aesthetics, I really cannot see myself with one of these phones. It’s just a bit too round/curvy for my taste. Right now, I’m aesthetically in love with my Media Skin (I have the black one btw, the very one that I said would pose the most aesthetic problems). Although the Media Skin looks great, it sucks in execution: usability is so-so, the material is easy to scruff up, the face is too shiny and attracts finger prints like crazy, the keys are too small hence I always press the wrong keys, the phone is so thin that it requires you to connect an external antenna to be able to receive 1-seg media! Well, I guess that is the price you pay for ‘designer’ products.
Hmmmmmm… I’m debating if I should buy INFOBAR 2 mock-ups since I like the phone in all colours and that I won’t be getting a real one…
And before anyone outside of Japan asks, “NO! This phone (or very little for that matter) will not be available/work in your country whether it be Mumbai, US, UK, etc.”, therefore do not even ask (such comments will be ignored).
Ads in train stations
Screengrabs from the INFOBAR 2 website
the phone is a bit too big/ long in my opinion.. not sure if that thing can fully fit into the pocket.