Trends in Japan - CScout Japan Blog » Kuma Phone teddy bear from Willcom

Kuma Phone teddy bear from Willcom

Written by: Michael Keferl on August 30, 2008 at 1:58 am | In Technology & Gadget Trends |

Late summer seems to be the perfect time for fun and innovative concept phones, but this was a bit unexpected.

At the 2008 Good Design Expo PHS mobile provider Willcom showed off their concept Kuma Phone (Bear Phone), a stuffed bear that holds a SIM card and can actually be used for making and receiving phone calls by holding it up to your ears.

willcom bear kuma phone

To demonstrate, visitors could use Willcom’s new Nico.Marble candy-themed phone, also aimed at women wanting more cuteness and ease than strong functionality.

The bear seems a bit silly and, yes, “Japanese” by cuteness standards, but the idea is fun and was adored by the expo crowd. You can save up to four speed dial numbers in the bear, one in each paw, which are activated by pinching internal sensors. It vibrates and makes custom noises for incoming calls, which can be answered and finished by pressing the tail.

In a pamphlet, the Kuma Phone was priced at about $500, which seems a bit steep, so we’ll see what happens if/when this little bear makes it to market.

To get the full report on the Good Design Expo and others as they occur in Japan, check out our custom subscriber-based Trendpool.

Tags: design, Mobile, Willcom
Category: Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends

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Stuffed Teddy Bear Concept Phone…

Spotted on Trends in Japan, a concept phone in the shape of a stuffed teddy bear - that holds a SIM card and enables you to make and receive calls.

It was shown off at the Good Design Expo by mobile provider Willcom….

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[...] Trends in Japan via The Raw Feed via DVICE [...]

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[...] tatsächlich von japanischen Provider Wilcom angeboten und wurde, glaubt man den Kollegen von CS Scout Japan, mit großer Begeisterung vom Kunden [...]

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[...] which leads us to wonder if they plan on using Boyds / Vermont Teddies or something.[Via textually]Read | Permalink | Email [...]

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[...] Here’s an idea: people gesticulating wildly with their hands-free headsets already look crazy—why not capitalize on our nation’s love of all things crazy and cute by putting a cellphone inside of an, oh, i don’t know, a teddy bear! So went a recent design meeting at Japanese firm Willcom apparently, who was showing their $500 Kuma (bear) Phone concept at the recent Good Design Expo in Tokyo. Kuma takes an embedded SIM card and has assignable speed dial points on each paw, which you dial by squeezing. And of course, to accept and hang up calls, you squeeze its ass. Of course. [Trends in Japan] [...]

Pingback by Willcom Kuma Phone Puts the Cellphone Inside the Teddy Bear [Cellphones] | All tech stuff — September 3, 2008 #
[...] anunciado será de US$500 dólares. Me gustaría conocer a la persona que compre uno de estos… Fuente de la noticia This was written by Jose Elias. Posted on Tuesday, September 2, 2008, at 5:28 pm. Filed under [...]

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[...] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [...]

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[...] Via | Kilian [...]

Pingback by Kuma Phone… Ay que teléfono tan tierno! — September 3, 2008 #
Stupid

Comment by Anao — September 3, 2008 #
Talking about creativity… but will you actually use it and take a call in public?

Comment by MayR — September 3, 2008 #
[...] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [...]

Pingback by Demo All-In-One Blogs » Blog Archive » Con el oso-teléfono conseguirás que te encierren en dos minutos — September 3, 2008 #
[...] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [...]

Pingback by Tecnologia All-In-One Blogs » Blog Archive » Con el oso-teléfono conseguirás que te encierren en dos minutos — September 3, 2008 #
[...] C’est exactement ce qui s’est passé lors d’une réunion de design au sein de l’entreprise japonaise Willcom, qui a ensuite exposé son concept d’oursophone Kuma à 335 € lors de la récente expo Good Design de Tokyo. Kuma fonctionne avec une carte SIM et vous pouvez assigner des raccourcis à chaque patte, qu’il vous suffit de presser pour déclencher la numérotation du numéro correspondant. Et pour accepter un appel ou raccrocher, vous lui pressez les fesses. Evidemment. [Trends in Japan] [...]

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[...] [TrendsinJapan] [...]

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[...] to me why Japanese mobile phone provider, Willcom, recently demonstrated their latest invention, the Kuma Phone, which is basically a stuffed teddy bear cell phone. You simply insert your SIM card into the bear [...]

Pingback by Beta: The WB - Blog - From our mouths to your ears — September 4, 2008 #
I can hear it now ” daddy, daddy can i have a Molbear phone for my birthday!!” :-)

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[...] 不断挑战人们视听极限的国产山寨机之前的奥运系列或许深深的震撼了你，不过若认为如此创意只能出自江南山寨之手，阁下便是大大低估了世界各国人民的创造力了。日本Willcom在"Good Design Expo"上展出了小熊造型的手机：捏捏四个小爪子即可实现快速拨号；来电时小熊又会不停震动发出嗷嗷叫声；按按尾巴就能开启、关闭通话。500美元的售价可能偏贵，考虑到某国市场需求，小熊的造型改换一下可能更有出路。 [...]

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[...] Teddy bears [...]

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