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Mozilla Seabird phone boasts virtual keyboard, dual projectors, is fictional

The Mozilla Seabird has wireless keyboards, detachable Bluetooth headset and remote control, an 8-megapixel camera, dual projectors and wireless charging. Sadly, it's not real.

Richard Trenholm
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Richard Trenholm
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Meet the Mozilla Seabird. It's a mobile device with a detachable Bluetooth headset and remote control, an 8-megapixel camera, dual projectors and wireless charging.

Sadly, it's entirely fictional, like elves, gremlins and eskimos. The Seabird is a nerdgasm of a publicity stunt by Firefox folk Mozilla, and the result of the Open Web Concept Phone Project in which Mozilla collected suggestions and feedback from thousands of users. Award-winning product designer Billy May designed the final concept device.

Mozilla reckons mobile hardware is advancing rapidly, but interaction with your devices has stayed much the same. The Seabird is designed to demonstrate a new approach to using mobile devices. It projects a keyboard on to the table, and registers where you tap to get input. An infrared reader picks up taps on the surface in front of the phone, creating a virtual trackpad.  

The mystery device was teased in an advert on US TV and revealed during Jimmy Fallon's show last night. While it won't be on sale, you can get a similar effect with devices such as the I.TECH Virtual keyboard, which also projects a keyboard on to your desk. To see the entirely mythical Seabird in action, tap play on the video below with your old-fashioned plastic mouse.

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There's a pico projector on each side of the Seabird, which projects a virtual keyboard on either side of the phone.
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The Seabird boasts a "decidedly feminine form" but with an "erect posture" and a "supine conformity to the hand". Ooh-er.
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This is what crowdsourcing looks like.
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Dock the Seabird and the projectors beam a keyboard and a screen on to your surroundings.

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