Mini Campaign with QR Codes. Campaign started February 5 and will last till May. The above ad will appear in german magazines like TV Spielfilm, Stern, Neon or Brand eins.

Get the MINI code

Leser, die jetzt in Magazinen eine MINI Anzeige mit dem Hatch, Clubman oder Cabrio sehen, sollten ihr Foto-Handy scharf machen: In der Anzeige zum MINI Diesel „Der trinkt nichts, der muss noch fahren“ ist ein sogenannter QR-Code integriert, hinter dem sich zusätzliche Informationen zum MINI verstecken.

MINI Anzeigen in TV-Zeitschriften, Nachrichten- oder Lifestyle-Magazinen haben es im Frühjahr in sich: In den Ecken sind schwarz-weiße Quadrate, die sogenannten „Quick Response-Codes“ oder QR-Codes, integriert. Sie schaffen eine Verbindung zwischen der Print- und Internetwelt.

Denn jeder Leser, der ein foto- und WAP-fähiges Handy besitzt, kann durch einfaches Abfotografieren des QR-Codes Informationen zu MINIMALISM, das MINI Techniklexikon und weitere Downloads wie Wallpaper, aktuelle TV-Spots sowie Handy-Klingeltöne abrufen. Dafür müssen MINI Fans nur die notwendige Lesesoftware für die Codes per SMS mit dem Kennwort MINI an die 84048 anfordern.

Anschließend erhält man einen Download-Link aufs Handy, der zur Software, dem Code-Reader, führt. Ist dieser erst installiert, heißt es nur noch: Code in der Anzeige scannen, auf den entschlüsselten Code warten und der angezeigten URL ins Internet folgen.

Also Augen auf! Die Anzeigen sind bis Mai in ausgewählten Zeitschriften wie TV Spielfilm, Stern, Neon oder Brand eins zu sehen.

Minimalism QR Code

AFP: Japan to get cellphone 'sommeliers': official

Japan is to start licensing cellphone "sommeliers" to guide consumers through complicated functions as mobile telephones become ever more advanced, an official said Monday.

The communications ministry said it was planning to support a private-sector plan to launch an exam to license specialists who sell cellphones.

"We hope they would be able to explain complicated functions and charge systems to consumers, much like wine sommeliers guiding you," a ministry official said.

The ministry also hopes the cellphone experts would remind parents of the risks of letting their children use Internet-capable cellphones and recommend installing filters to block access to harmful websites, he said.

If Japan has already mobile sommeliers, we here in Europe should at least start with catalogues similar to the ones offered in Japan - especially the kind that Softbank offers.

Cellular Phone Media Skin

As comfortable as a second skin. Handsets have never felt like such a natural extension of our body. The shapes and substantial textures of Media Skin mobile phones also make users look more attractive. A "skin" enveloping new media, it represents much more than a mere product. Like contemporary art, it offers an immersive experience, in this case through new tactile sensations and beautiful visual images.

See also:
au Design Project
mobile fashion (au by KDDI)

I adore Sharp Phones for their cameras and screens and their classic look since the times I bought a GX-30 via Vodafone (who was then in a fight with Nokia). Sadly the Sharp brand has almost disappeared from mobile phone shops and that's a pity - even more so, as Sharp phones come with a preinstalled QR Code Reader made by Sharp's inhouse team.

Note: Cool, I just discovered a QR Code on the Swiss Sharp Site:).


See also:
Sharp is still undisputed handset leader in Japan: 1Q 07 data

Sharp continues to hold its dominant position in Japan’s handset market through four consecutive quarters, increasing its market share to 22.6% in 1Q07 from 21.2% in 4Q06, reports IDC. Strong sales of Raku-Raku series phones are worth mentioning among other 1Q07 highlights as they helped Fujitsu get in the top five handset vendors.

Via Colin from ZA

By the way, everyone can make such codes by using MojiQMeekaa.

Just saw this on a site and found it interesting. Didn't find the picture on the NDP Site however.

Funny, just at the same time that the iPhone comes out;)

The Google phone will be hitting European markets this week and will be priced between $300 and $400.

"LG Electronics, the world's fifth-largest cell phone maker, unveiled a new model Wednesday, which offers the full services of Google, the global No. 1 search engine."

LG said the handset, dubbed LG-KU580, will hit European markets including Italy and France this week with a price tag of somewhere between $300 and $400.

• Simlar sleek design to LG "chocolate phone"
• Google search hot key
• first time all 3 google major applications, search, email and maps, incorporated into phone
• MP3 player
• 2 megapixel camera
• Video phone
• Bluetooth

Via Forum Oxford

Just after having read the very detailed article about the new 903i Series from NTT DoCoMo with its "Kisekae-Tool (dress-up tool)," a new function to change the menu screen, ring tone and other settings in a lump " (see the Tetsuwan Atom menu screen here), I found other interesting articles like the Google interview (see below) and now this one: NEC, Panasonic Name Joint Mobile Phone Development Company 'ESTEEMO'

The new company will develop a common hardware and software platform in an effort to reduce cost of mobile phone handset development. As for the common hardware platform, the company plans to explore application CPUs and SoCs, select core devices, choose component suppliers, and design, manufacture and assess test substrates in collaboration. NEC and Panasonic Mobile will each manufacture and market their mobile phones, after adding their own original design, software and other values to base handsets developed by the new joint company.

This makes a lot of sense to me and I only hope other handset manufacturers would follow this example.

Softbank's Super Slim 3G Keitai: Panasonic 705.


Image from Cellsuite


Somewhat related:
BENQ's Black Box Phone with one big touchscreen

In the The Top 10 list from fosfor, there are some phones I mentioned as well like the PENCK or more recently the LG Chocolate. KDDI's au Design Project comes out as a clear winner. Sadly most of these au phones are not available here in Europe.
Notable: the RAZR doesn't get into the Top 10.

What still puzzles me, is the fact that we haven't yet seen a phone which has the usability of a Nokia, the beauty and sleekness of a KDDI phone, the camera and screen of a Sharp and which offers on top of that a great service.


See also:
Students at Central St Martins College of Art and Design in London have been coming up with designs for the biggest selling phone of 2015:
Mobiles of the Future