Japanese Trend: The Teddy Bear Phone

by: Taly Weiss October 22, 2008

A furry phone friend? Communication providers are starting to toy with a new concept: huggable phones. The Kuma Phone (Bear Phone) from Willcom displayed at the Good Design Expo is a teddy bear with a SIM card inside it, which means you can use it for making and receiving phone calls. “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.” This is the start of an emotional communication trend: turning phones into something you adore, something you’d like to hug, something you want to have as an inseparable part of you. Although many of us would prefer to have it less bulky and be just as satisfied with a furry phone holder, the idea of turning a phone into an object of our affection isn’t completely absurd. Considering how much we rely on our phones and make use out of them practically every second of the day-I’d say the concept is pretty close to home.

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Trend Original: Willcom

Trend Spotter: CScout

topics: tech & gadgets

tags: communication, japan, phones, toys