Motofone

Amidst all the buzz about the iPhone, I’d like to highlight what I think is an equally innovative phone: Motorola’s beautifully simple Motofone.


Not only is this phone razor thin and beautifully designed, it is also packed full of clever design thinking. Created for developing markets, it has days of battery life thanks to an innovative e-ink screen. The interface is focused on one thing: making phone calls, and special care has been taken to make it useable by people with limited literacy. Best of all, it only costs $50 (compare that to $600 for the iPhone!).


Motorola has a mini-site with some insights into the design process, and the MIT Technology Review tells us more about the screen technology.


I think this is a brilliant move on Motorola’s part. As Chris says:

I don’t want all the crap they are cramming into phones. I just want a phone. A phone that works.

Unfortunately it’s only available in India right now, or else I’d probably buy one.

tags: , ,
2007-1-16-11:15 PM #   

6 comments

Sounds sweet. You want one? I’ll get one and send it to you if you want, though I don’t know if they brought it in Mangalore yet.. and if it is under Rs 2,500 then it should be absolutely no problem. Hell, it would cost a ton more just to send it to the states.. :)

by Constantinos
1-17-8:58 AM

Ha, I may have to take you up. Let me find out if I can use it on a Cingular network.

by nickbaum
1-17-11:00 PM

I’ve stayed away from cell phones for almost 10 years since my first contract finally ran out way back when. I think this phone would nail a good sized demographic in any market. I know I’ll be watching ebay for one. (unless someone gets smart and they become available in the US)

Here’s to hoping.

by tyrone
1-18-2:51 PM

[...] few weeks back, I posted about the Motofone, a truly innovative phone designed for developing countries. My friend Constantinos, who lives in [...]

by nickbaum.com » Blog Archive » Motofone Review
3-7-10:29 AM

[...] bought the Motorola Motofone after being introduced to it by this post on my friend Nick Baum’s blog. For as long as I remember, I’ve been reading about how [...]

by Voodoo Programming » Blog » Motorola Motofone F3
3-7-3:09 PM

i have one in Moldova, Europe.

it`s simply… great!

by grey
2-20-6:11 AM