Nokia concept phones (photos)

On its N series blog today, Nokia posted its newest list of concept phones. Though the handsets aren't as whimsical as last month's entries, they are worth considering. And who knows? Perhaps the less unusual models may have a better chance of actually seeing the light of day.

Now we invite you to peruse the concepts yourself. And before you ask, Nokia doesn't say whether the devices would be Windows Phone 7.

The first entry is more a remade N82 than a concept phone. It is undeniably eye-catching, though. Designed by Reginald Shola Hingston, the handset has an angular keyboard that sort of looks like a dragonfly if you squint.

Recycled phones aren't a new concept, either, and this entry's design doesn't scream for attention (some say minimalist, we say boring). Nokia says it would be made from aluminum cans, plastic drinks bottles, and even old car tires. It also would have a backlit display to increase battery life.

We've never heard of the word "scentsory" either, but this one is supposed to work on a "multisensory level" and provide a "multilayered experience" for the user. In "flat mode," the translucent device doesn't appear to do much, but when you fold it much like a paper airplane you'll expose two screens, a hidden camera, and stereo speakers. Keep going to "closed mode" and you can make calls and use the numeric keypad. And guess what? It even has the ability to detect, transmit, and emit smells. Why you'd want that functionality is beyond us, but it is out of the ordinary.

This concept isn't so much about saving the environment as it is about sensing what's going on around you. It consists of two parts: a touch-screen phone and a wearable unit that can sense and analyze your surroundings. The phone looks pretty unremarkable, but you could wear the latter as a neck or wrist strap (and you thought Bluetooth headsets were tacky). It would have solar cell, though, for powering, and near field communication (NFC) features.

This model promises to turn digital information into kinetic energy by way of the electromagnet in its base. When you get a call while the phone is resting on a table, it will rise automatically on its rounded base. To ignore the call, you could tip it back down. It's designed by Jeremy Innes-Hopkins.

Back to blog and poll.