Smart and innovative smartphone design

MANILA, Philippines - People are always after the latest and greatest technology that powers smartphones. Each year, millions of purchases are made to upgrade to the latest smartphones.

However, technology is just a part of the reason that fuels the mobile crowd to upgrade their gadgets. Design is also an important factor. It’s not just the design of looking good but design being functional for everyday use.

Who gets to judge the greatest designs in the world? One of the prestigious awarding bodies is the International Forum (iF) Design based in Hannover, Germany. For the last 60 years, it has assembled an authoritative body composed of experts to judge a slew of products to recognize design excellence and award merit for design functionality.

In 2012, Nokia bagged seven awards for outstanding achievements in design on its products and associated accessories. Here is a list of what iF Design judged to be creative and bold and wowed the jury:

Lumia 800, Lumia 920

Despite its launch two years ago, the Nokia Lumia 800 still resonates a visually stunning look to this day with its sleek form and curved 3.7-inch AMOLED screen.

The phone runs on the still relevant Windows Phone 7.5 OS and is powered by a 1.4 Ghz processor. The classy design is not just a visual delight; it also provides comfort when using the phone due to its thin form factor and solid engineering.

An improvement over its predecessor, the Nokia Lumia 920 continues to dazzle consumers and the iF alike. The use of vibrant colors and a slight curved back plate is both easy on the eyes and in the users hands. The comfort in design is both functional and attractive. It gives each phone a personality with the best innovative technology that measures up to how it is perceived.

The Lumia 920 has a slightly bigger screen at 4.5 inches and runs on a 1.5 Ghz processor that backs the design with the latest and greatest on mobile technology.

Wireless charging plate

If science fiction authors H.G. Wells and Jules Verne were alive today they would certainly be amazed by how far technology has progressed. These days, it is certainly obvious if a device is left alone near a wall socket — it requires charging among a mess of cables.

With the advent of wireless charging, Nokia has paired color, function and design with these wireless charging plates. Mobile users do not have to worry about where to place their mobile phones for charging. Nowadays, one can just simply place the device on the wireless charging plate and your phone starts charging.

Bluetooth headsets

For the better part of the last decade, wireless is no longer a buzzword. Connections made sans the wire make mobile lifestyles easier and untangled.

The iF awarded Nokia’s Bluetooth Headset BH-118 for its colorful and subtle design. Listening to music or having a conversation without worrying about the cables that may strangle you is no longer a concern. Absolute clarity is essential when listening and talking on your mobile device with crystal clear signal without interruption. The BH-118 makes it seem effortless with color and design that match your phone.

JBL PlayUp, JBL PowerUp

Portability and convenience is one of the core design goals of a mobile device. JBL recognizes what Nokia brings to the world of design and its no wonder this great accessory bagged another award from the iF Design awarding body.

Form and functionality are very important for both companies so they have come up with two stylish products that seamlessly integrate with their surroundings. The JBL PlayUp is a portable speaker that has several colors to match the color of your phone. 

Additionally, the design echoes the best sound quality that JBL is known for and includes wireless transmission of music from phones to speakers. Great tonality, a solid bass and balanced treble make Nokia phones a great music device you can easily bring around.

JBL PowerUp for Nokia is another result when great minds think alike. Besides piping music from a mobile phone, it also features a tap-play option when you place your phone on the speaker surface.

Taking its cue from JBL PlayUp, it also features wireless charging while playing music. Simply placing the phone on the top surface charges the phone and the ability to play music continuously without cables is a very innovative idea that merges design and function in one product.

These seven innovative products from Nokia certainly made an impact on the International Forum Design 2012 jury. For more products that aim to inspire design and functionality, visit Nokia’s webpage at http: / /www.nokia.com.ph.