Modu Announces New Transforming Cell Phone

Let’s face it. Right now, there are a lot of mobile phones on the market. Phones for music, phones for texting, phones for email, and every now and then you can find a phone for talking. The problem is that because of all the contracts we’re forced to sign, we can only afford one phone at a time (unless you have money to throw away, and then you need to think about starving kids or something because you shouldn’t be buying another phone). What if I need to make a long trip and want a phone that plays music? Then, the next week, I want to wear my leather pants out to the club and need a really slim phone? But then, I’m going to family reunion and I need a really good messaging device? Well, an Israeli start-up company, modu, is hoping to change the way you think about and buy cell phones.




On February 7, 2008, modu launched what they call “the world’s first modular mobile phone.” At the center of this idea is the modu, an easy-to-use but fully functional phone that also happens to be the lightest phone in the world, as documented by the Guinness Book of World Records. The phone, about the length of a credit card, is designed to fit into a multitude of modu-jackets (stylish phone enclosures) or modu-mates (modu-enabled consumer electronic devices). As of this date, modu already has carriers lined up (Telecom Italia’s mobile division TIM, BeeLine (VimpelCom) of Russia and Cellcom in Israel) and also has partners such as car multimedia and Blaupunkt that have signed up to design modu-mates, ranging from MP4 players to digital photo frames and cameras. There are a lot more companies, such as SanDisk, Texas Instruments, and Universal Music Group that are throwing in their support. The idea was that you, the consumer, can now change your phone without draining your bank account. Let’s say you buy a phone that has a large display for watching music videos on your long commute to work. Then, after a couple of months, all that rocking out hard work pays off and you get promoted. Now they want you to get a phone that can check email, text, etc. so that your boss can keeps tabs on you at all times. the world’s first modular mobile phoneYou want to spend that new check on real food, i.e., not Ramen Noodles, but now you have to buy a new phone! This won’t happen if you have the modu. Just purchase a new mate that has a keyboard and capabilities for email, texting, etc. and you’re good to go. I think the idea is great. It really sounds like modu is trying to realize the full potential of personal communication. Good job guys. Let’s hope it catches on. You can check their website (modumobile.com) for the whole story and some pics of the ideas/products (such as the ones seen below) .