Ericsson shows world€s first titanium mobile telephone

Ericsson shows world's first titanium mobile telephone During the International Furniture Fair in Stockholm, Ericsson will show for the first time the R320 TITAN, a design study based on Ericsson's R320 WAP phone. The Titan phone is only made in a limited edition of 50 phones and has been developed to study the material; titan, which has never been used before in a mobile phone. The first, exclusive opportunity to experience the R320 TITAN will be th given at David Design's showroom in Stockholm on February 8 and during th the International Furniture Fair in Stockholm, from February 9 until th the 13 . Together with exciting new furniture from David Design and a new line of clothing from NN, fully working models of the titanium phone will be on display. However, the R320 TITAN is only made in a limited edition of 50 phones and is not planned to become a commercial product, the aim is to experiment with new materials and design. "As Titanium is one of the strongest materials available, it is extremely complex to work with and it has been a high-level task for Ericsson's engineers and designers to succeed in making this product look good," says Jan Ahrenbring, Vice President Marketing and Communications at Ericsson Mobile Communications. "For an innovative company like Ericsson it is obvious to experiment with new materials." Ericsson has a long tradition of using metals in their mobile phones; many models have magnesium frames for providing strength. The unique solution to use a solid metal construction, which Ericsson is first in the industry to present, gives durability and also unique design. The R320 TITAN's clarity in form is in line with today's Scandinavian design, long embraced by design connoisseurs and recently picked up among style and trend- conscious youth. The R320 TITAN is shown for the public for the first time in Scandinavia because of Scandinavia's reputation for good design and also because Scandinavia is the top mobile telephony region in the world. 73 percent of the population in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway has a mobile telephone (year 2000) and consumers tend to use advanced mobile telephony services as well. During May and June last year, Ericsson hosted the "Make yourself heard" exhibition at Forum For Form in Stockholm. The exhibition showcased design, art and handicraft which all represented strong personal expressions. The co-operation with David Design during the International Furniture Fair is the next step for Ericsson in adding design on the agenda. David Design, a young and fresh institution for design, is producing a furniture collection that is sold in 22 different countries. The design is based on Swedish tradition, which means simple, direct and subtle design, quality in materials and craftsmanship, function and comfort. Values that match Ericsson's products, including the R320 Titan. It was September last year at a spectacular event in Hong Kong, that Ericsson globally unveiled the R320. With its sleek and elegant design, WAP-functionality (Wireless Application Protocol), calendar and big display, it is a phone for the customer who appreciates functionality and efficiency. The R320 is only 15 mm thin and weighs less than 100 grams. During 1999, Ericsson launched a completely new product portfolio, where the R320 is an important product. The R320 has a WAP-browser to access Internet content. WAP is a microbrowser especially developed for mobile use and the main worldwide industry standard for providing Internet communications and advanced services on digital mobile phones and other wireless devices. Titanium was named after the Titans - powerful mythological sons of Uranus, the sky god, and Gaia, the earth goddess. Titanium was first isolated more than 200 years ago in Cornwall, England. It was not purified until 1910, and was not refined and produced in commercial quantities until the early 1950s. Titanium is today used for military applications, surgical implants and jewellery, and in other areas where strength is important. Titanium is a common metal although relatively costly to produce. Pure titanium is as hard as platinum, which is by far the strongest of the precious metals. Titanium is immune to corrosive attack by salt water or marine atmospheres and also exhibits exceptional resistance to a broad range of acids, alkalis, natural waters and industrial chemicals. Considering all its various and forthcoming applications, titanium is the metal of the future. They say silver is for luck, gold is for love, and titanium is for life. R320 and R320 TITAN features include: GSM 900/1800 dual band WAP browser Calendar with synchronisation Voice dialling/answering In-built infra-red modem and RS232 cable modem Full graphic display Voice memo Games; Tetris and Klondike Vibrating call alert Alarm clock, timer and stopwatch Calculator th Pictures of the R320 TITAN will be available Tuesday February 8 in the afternoon at http://www.ericsson.com/pressroom/phli_pcoph.shtml Additional information about Ericsson mobile phones is available on the World Wide Web at http://mobile.ericsson.com Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers - the world over. Please visit Ericsson's Press Room at: http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Peter Bodor, Press Officer Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Phone: + 46 8 404 2423, +46 70 328 24 23 Jan Ahrenbring, Vice President Marketing and Communications Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Phone: +46 70 590 9900 Bo Albertson, Marketing Manager, Information and Events Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Phone: + 46 8 764 1388, +46 70 510 0992 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/08/20000208BIT00050/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/08/20000208BIT00050/bit0002.pdf