Willcom concept phone powered by single AA battery
Japanese carrier Willcom has hooked up with Sanyo to show off a back-to-basics handset powered by a single AA battery -- one of Sanyo's own Eneloop rechargeables, naturally -- that still manages to serve up 5 hours of talk time and 250 hours of standby. Just how back-to-basics are we talking, exactly? For starters, the phone lacks a display, pretty much ending any hopes of using this thing for gaming, video playback, or seeing who the heck is calling. In exchange, though, you get power versatility that's pretty much unmatched by any other phone on the market and an array of nodules that gently massage the side of your face while you're trying to hold a conversation. Between the perfectly round shell (looks like an AA battery, get it?) and the fact that it'll only get down with PHS networks, we hope this sucker goes through a few revisions before it sees production -- but we like where Sanyo's head's at.


























could there be screen on the other side, because there is a button clearly marked menu (well clearly marked menu in japanese).
It's a little hard to see, but it actually says "manner". They call silent mode "manners mode".
I live in China, which *does* have a PHS network- this would be great for those who want a basic phone that does nothing but call (and with unlimited calling for $15, the only people who wouldn't go PHS here in China would be... most of the population- due to some weirdness, inter-city roaming for PHS is prohibited in China, so you're stuck with a phone that's only good in one city).
Is it just me, or does it more resemble a device for...uh...other sorts of stimulation than just making calls on an inexpensive phone?