Vertu's not known for making cut rate electronics, so this is probably the closest it'll ever come. The company's just unveiled its latest flip phone, the Constellation Ayxta. The Ayzta is aimed at citizens of the world who are looking for a "high quality product to assist in maintaining their standard of living wherever they may be," -- i.e., lazy people who'd rather throw money at something than figure out what to do on their own on a Friday night in Vienna. We can sympathize -- sort of. To that end, the handset will be kitted with all manner of, including Vertu's own Concierge service which puts you on the line with a customer service representative directly -- no hold required. Users will also get access to Vertu Select -- which, as we said before, will help you out and tell you where all the cool people are in whatever one horse you happen to be in at the moment. It's got 3G and a micros SD slot for up to 8GB of storage, plus a 3.0 megapixel cam with integrated flash (which is always nice), but other than that it's pretty unimpressive. The Constellation Ayxta is available in Europe now, and for a very affordable €4,900 to €6,500 -- somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,000 - $10,500.

[Via T3]

Remember that geometrically-inspired Bao handset we peeked back in July? Turns out Sony Ericsson has another name for it: Jalou. Announced today in both boring and limited edition Dolce&Gabbana versions, the compact-esque clamshell is definitely designed to put "style" first and substance last. Reportedly shorter than "your favorite lipstick," the cellie is actually marketed more as an accessory and less of a phone, boasting a diamond shape design, two-inch display, 3.2 megapixel geotagging camera, video recording, built-in mirror (seriously), an FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.0, multimedia player, step counter, antediluvian web browser and quad-band GSM / tri-band HSPA connectivity. The "normal" version is expected in Q4 in Deep Amethyst, Aquamarine Blue and Onyx Black, while the 24k gold-plated D&G edition will ship in Sparkling Rose along with a matching Bluetooth headset and fanciful packaging. No prices are mentioned for either, naturally.

Read - Standard Jalou
Read - Dolce&Gabbana Jalou
Read - Hands-on with standard Jalou

Ah, the natural progression of a handset. Rumor? Check. Official launch? Check. In the wild spottings? As of now, check! Sony Ericsson's recently outed T707 flip phone has already been acquired and photographed over at DailyMobile, and while there's nothing here out of the ordinary, it's still a must-see for any SE enthusiast. Check the gallery in the read link below.

[Thanks, Daniel]

Say it ain't so! Some three years after the original A1200 MING drew attention overseas with its then-flashy design and Linux OS, we're finally hearing that somewhat of a direct successor is on the way. Oh sure, we've certainly seen others in the MING family surface over the past little while, but this one follows right in line even in name. The A1210 sports a 2.8-inch QVGA (400 x 240) touchscreen, a 3.1 megapixel camera, FM radio, tri-band GSM support, Bluetooth, USB, a TI OMAP850 processor and a microSD card slot. The most interesting part, however, is the homegrown Linux build that'll reportedly be loaded on. Sadly, it's too early to tell whether that system will be all new or partially regurgitated, but the Chinese market should be able to tell in the not-too-distant future.

The word Xenium immediately sets off thoughts of frolicking in Dutch fields for days without nary a care in the world with respect to battery life, and the cute little X700 aligns perfectly with those whimsical thoughts. The latest flip phone in Philips's growing arsenal of longevous devices can reportedly last a full month in standby on a single charge, and furthermore, it boasts a 2.4-inch QVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, FM radio, microSDHC card slot, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0 and quad-band GSM connectivity. Of course, the call time is just 450 minutes, but hey, all the more reason to just hit "silent" time after time.

There ain't anything fancy about Samsung's m320, but that's why it's completely free on a 3-year contract. A number of months after splashing down on Sprint, the flip phone has arrived in the Great North, bringing with it Bluetooth, a VGA camera, speakerphone, calling / texting capabilities and a 1.9-inch 145 x 128 pixel inside display. Oh, and if you're looking for the no-strings-attached version, that'll run you $79.99.

[Via MobileSyrup]

Earlier this month, we saw pretty solid evidence that Rogers Wireless was gearing up to launch LG's TU330 Globus, and sure enough, said flip phone has just popped up for ordering on the Canadian carrier's website. The 3G-capable handset boasts a 1.3 megapixel camera, tri-band HSPA / quad-band GSM support, stereo Bluetooth, a microSD card slot, a 220 x 176 resolution display and video recording. And just think, it can all be yours for the higher than anticipated price of $29.99 on a 3-year contract. Take our advice here and just buy the thing outright for $79.99 $179.99 -- the next three years of your life are worth more than fifty bones.

[Via MobileSyrup]

Update: Looks like it's actually a slightly more hard-to-swallow $180 off contract, not $80. Thanks for the correction, Hayden!

We'll hand it to Moto here -- it truly is admirable that it didn't use all caps and no vowels to name a phone that's so strikingly similar to the original RAZR, but we can't help but doubt this thing's ability to sell. The Motorola Ruby (or VE1), will reportedly boast a 5 megapixel camera, a standard flip phone design and... well, that's about it. Or, at least that's all we know of. For those still agile enough to mouse to the read link after the massive facepalm you surely just initiated, there are a few more images down there for your perusal. "Enjoy."

Not that canned phones are any rarity -- nor are there exhumations -- but it's always interesting to take a look at resurfaced handsets and ponder about what could have been. Pictured above is a T-Mobile branded Nokia 7376, which was reportedly known in some circles as the RM-220. It was bruited that said flip phone was headed for release in May of last year, but obviously it never materialized. Now, we're left with likely non-functional dummy units on eBay for under $10 a pop (shipped, at that), though the hardcore circuit-heads may find a way to get one up and running. Hit up the links below for lots more images, but grab yourself a tissue beforehand if you're a softy.

Read - CellPhonesignal
Read - eBay auction

We had no reason to believe that this thing wasn't actually coming, but now Pantech has gone and erased any lingering doubt. The Sky IM-S410 / IM-S410K is being hailed as the first cellphone in the "wind-recognizing" category, which may actually be useful in places unlike Chicago. It checks in at 11 millimeters thin and sports a microphone that can detect when you're deliberately pushing air through it; once you blow, the phone can then change images on the screen, as if to move through a gallery of photos or play games. Outside of that, Pantech also threw in a DMB TV tuner and an e-dictionary, and you'll even get to pick between white, black and red hues. Good luck not getting the stink-eye from fellow subway mates when huffing and puffing on your handset while within close proximity to other Earthlings, though.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

You know -- after gawking at smartphones all day, Kyocera's latest flip phone just looks stunning in its own simplistic way. Sure, there's nothing at all fancy about the NS01 that we mentioned in our KDDI blowout. It just makes / receives calls, sends the occasional text message and displays information on a 2.8-inch QVGA display; heck, even the two megapixel camera doesn't make it extraordinary. Still, the all white design just does it for us, and the included belt strap is simply too cute to ignore. 'Tis a shame we aren't privy to pricing details, but folks over in Japan should be able to snag one soon on KDDI.

If the Samsung t339 in jet black was simply too shadowy for your tastes, how's about a few pixels of white and gray meshed in? The WiFi-packin' flip phone has just arrived in an all new, completely groundbreaking hue: Charcoal. We know what you're thinking: "Why didn't T-Mobile issue a more drastically different color?" Our response is that is "we simply have no idea whatsoever," but those digging the shade pictured above can get in now for $0.00 on contract.

[Via CellPhone signal]

Only in a market where a diamond-studded mobile sells out in three days during economic turmoil will you find a not-too-riveting handset being served up for brunch. Over at what we can only assume was a lively presser in Japan, Willcom has taken the wraps off of its WX340K flip phone and ultrathin BAUM candybar (both crafted by Kyocera). Outside of style alone, neither phone is all that mesmerizing, with the former packing a 2.7-inch QVGA display, two megapixel camera with AutoFocus, POP / SMPT support and a NetFront browser; the latter simply changes it up with a 2.4-inch LCD. Both critters fully support the FeliCa e-wallet system, though pricing and availability details seem to be missing. More completely odd hands-on shots are in the read link.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

You'll never catch us recommending that one engage in the precarious act of drunk dialing, but those scouting a phone to appropriately showcase their adoration for fine adult beverages can finally do so on US Cellular. Starting today, the LG Wine (UX280) is available in two hues from the carrier, and both are running just $29.95 after applicable rebates and a 2-year contract. What's the off contract price, you ask? $179.95 with no strings attached.

[Via phoneArena]

Desperately in need of a "new" (in terms of a never broken seal only) smartphone? Don't mind tinkering with the last version of Windows Mobile? No need for a QWERTY keyboard? If you were miraculously able to answer "yes" to the aforesaid questions, you're in luck! Verizon Wireless has finally accepted that no one in their right mind wants to pay a decent price for a Pantech PN-820 smartphone that's rockin' WinMo 5.0 and a design that's straight out of 2007 (literally), so instead of just lighting the remaining inventory on fire, it's doing the next best thing: offering it up for $9.99 on contract. The sad part is that this thing isn't even worth ten bucks with that hundred pound agreement tied to it, but we're sure a few suckers will bite. They're born everyday, you know.

[Via RCRWireless]