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KDDI (TSE: 9433) is pleased to announce the launch INFOBAR, the first release in the "au design project" series, a collaboration between designers both inside and outside Japan. "INFOBAR" will become available nationwide in early November.

INFOBAR incorporates a stylish design and is equipped with camera and flash, enabling users to capture both video movies and photographs INFOBAR features EZ Applications (BREW TM) and EZ navigations, and also supports EZ Chaku-uta(TM) and Chaku Movies. These high performance functions are all contained in a very compact body.

INFOBAR casing employs a high strength magnesium alloy. The unit is only 11 mm thick and weighs only 87 grams, and comes in a simple square form with large square tile keys to facilitate character entry.

INFOBAR will be offered in three grahic design packages :

1) Nishikigoi- a Japanese pond fish, featuring a vigorous red background, with colorful tile keys
2) Ichimatsu- featuring a black and white kimono pattern
3) Architecture- featuring silver tiles gleaming against the dark blue of the night sky

The au Design Project

KDDI's 'au' design development project was launched in 2001. Every year, the project team announces new concept mobile phone models, the results of collaboration between designers both inside and outside Japan. These models incorporate highly original shapes created from a designer's point of view, and features that lend themselves to new experiences for users. INFOBAR is a product based on a concept model announced in 2001, and was created by an international design team under Naoto Fukusawa of Japan.

Naoto Fukasawa, Product Designer

Naoto Fukasawa was born in Yamanashi prefecture in 1956, and graduated from the Product Design division of the Three-Dimensional Design Course, Department of Design, Tama Art University in 1980. After working with Seiko Epson as a designer, he joined IDEO in the United States in 1989. He lived in the US for eight years, and returned to Japan in 1996 where he was appointed as a representative of IDEO Japan. In November 2002, he established the Naoto Fukasawa Design group.

Fukasawa has handled a wide range of product design across a broad variety of genre, and participates in a workshop of corporate designers. His transforms the subconscious action of man into design. He was awarded the German iF Gold Award for his recent CD player design for MUJI, and in the past he has won more than 40 design awards in Japan, Europe and the United States. In 2001, he exhibited his 'Personal Shiea to Workspheres' series at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2002, he mounted his "Designs that Follow Actions" and "Fundamental Shapes of Design" exhibitions. In 2003, he was awarded the Mainichi Design Award.

His recent works include a massage chair for interoffice ISHICORO, and INFOBAR. On September 3, 2003, he announced the "+/-0" brand for home electronics and accessories, developed with Takara Co., Ltd. and Diamond Corporation. Fukusawa is currently a lecturer at the Department of Product Design at Tama Art University, Director of Tokyo AAD Studio, a member of Tokyo AAD Studio, and member of the Nippon Design Committee.)

A special site dedicated to the au design project, including INFOBAR, has been launched inside the official KDDI website. (www.kddi.com)
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Posted: 2004-02-27 01:48:51
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New addition!!

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Posted: 2004-03-03 14:26:36
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I didn't know Lada was making phones now.

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Posted: 2004-03-03 15:38:33
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Lada?!?!?
This has the same lines as the Hummer.


BUTT UGLY!
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Posted: 2004-03-03 16:05:34
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Its meant to be designer phone different from the rest!!...It wont appeal to majority of ppl...But it is aimed at a nieche market who want to stand out from the crowd!...
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Posted: 2004-03-03 16:41:41
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edit:well i think t630 looks nicer....

[ This Message was edited by: mmsman on 2004-03-03 15:46 ]
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Posted: 2004-03-03 16:43:33
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There are live pictures of this on the Russian language Mobile Review site.

From the live pics, it looks to be about 130-140mm in height.

Looks like something out of an early 1980's Tomorrow's World show. Just look at the design and colours! Can anything be more 80's?
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Posted: 2004-03-04 01:18:26
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Yep. Definitely 80's.
Those were the times when i carried a ruler in my backpack.
If i bought one of those, it's like i had to carry a ruler in my front pocket.
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Posted: 2004-03-04 11:45:20
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A new pic shows the unltraslim design:


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Posted: 2004-07-06 20:27:00
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Japanese mobile Phone company KDDI partners with Hitachi and Toshiba to develop a fuel cell powered mobile phone.

The fuel cell mobile phone should be available 2007. The planned fuel cell would extract hydrogen ions from methanol to generate power.
NTT DoCoMo also said to work on a fuel cell phone.

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Posted: 2004-07-12 14:35:14
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