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Luxury phone's keypad is guiding light

Illumination creates unique buttons

Mike Yamamoto Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Mike Yamamoto is an executive editor for CNET News.com.
Mike Yamamoto
A lighted key

With new phones coming out daily, it's rare to see one that stands apart significantly from the crowd. Mobiado's "Luminoso" does just that but, to truly appreciate its uniqueness, you may want to turn out the lights.

The most striking feature of the handset is, of all things, its buttons. Made of sapphire and stainless steel, they are highlighted in a "dual illumination technique that lights the keypad area from beneath and above," according to the luxury phone maker's site. The 3G handset is also packed with features inside, including a 2-megapixel camera with zoom lens, a USB port, speaker phone and support for MP3, MP4, surround-sound stereo, Bluetooth and infrared connections, according to Slashphone, as well as GSM coverage on up to five continents. No pricing has been indicated yet, but we probably can't afford it anyway.