Motorola's "next-generation in-vehicle phone," Smart Rider


Back when I was a kid, we had a carphone, and it was awesome. Great sound, great signal, and it was big as hell, with a long curly wire. Looks like Motorola has been rummaging through my childhood memories, and has come up with a new product along the same line. The stubby little thing is designed for hands-free or simple one-hand operation and has such innovations as traffic reports, a built-in microphone and speakerphone (shock!), and seamless bluetooth transitions for calls.

Never mind that anyone who can afford this extra phone probably owns a car with a built-in bluetooth system as well as a graphic display and possibly GPS. While I can see a few uses for this particular phone (limousine fleets, for instance, or other professional drivers), it really is aiming for a niche that no longer exists.
[via Gizmodo]