i had my eye on a cheap basic mobile on ebay to replace the cheap basic mobile i already have when i noticed that the phone above mine on the list, a nokia 8800, had a bid of £1600. surely some mistake, i thought but it ended up selling for £1940 with 7 bidders.
having a look at recently completed listings i see pages of mobile phones, most in used "as new" condition, selling for £1,000 - £2,000 (one even sold for £4,700 but that was a limited edition porsche designed nokia so i'm willing to put that down to sheer mentalness). surely there must be something going on here other than people who can't get contracts shelling out a grand and a half for a nokia N95.
what's the deal?
― jed_, Monday, 16 June 2008 10:50 (seventeen years ago)
Yakuza laundring money selling cell phones with memory cards full of schoolgirl porn to Japanese "speculators".
― Tuomas, Monday, 16 June 2008 11:27 (seventeen years ago)
For those who appreciate the finer things in life, such as a vintage wine or a beautiful sports car, Nokia’s latest products, the Nokia 8800 Arte Sapphire, combines expert craftsmanship, precious materials and functional design.
The word Arte simply translates as art. In creating the Nokia 8800 Arte, Nokia celebrate the art of individuality, inspired by natural light.There are many ways in which to express this. The high performance OLED screen for example is a good place to start. Just two taps are all it takes to light-up the clock face while photos and movies appear in even brighter, more saturated color thanks to the superb contrast ratio.
There’s also a touch of brilliance in Nokia’s choice of eclectic materials. Panels are crafted from premium leather sourced in Eastern India. By avoiding mechanical embossing Nokia ensures that each product is totally unique and that the hide’s natural grain is preserved. Fine layers of coating are applied to protect against everyday use and add an extra dash of finesse.
At the heart of the Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte, sits a single sapphire center-key. As one of the world’s most durable materials, it is steeped in history and has a timeless appeal. The word sapphire originates from the Sanskrit word for beloved, what better word to describe this coveted design?
Both the Nokia 8800 Arte and 8800 Arte Sapphire are finely tuned to meet the needs of today’s sophisticated consumers who expect their phones to deliver. Take the open-and-close sliding mechanism for example. Thanks to a unique 'pop-up' feature, which uses a bi-stable spring and stainless steel ball bearings similar to those used in high-performance automobiles, the gliding action is elegant, seamless.
Even the soundtrack of both handsets has a smooth edge. Master producers Kruder & Dorfmeister composed a collection of graphic grooves with visuals by Fritz Fitzke. After all, individuality is an art in itself.
― Alba, Monday, 16 June 2008 13:25 (seventeen years ago)
Yeah, they said the same thing about my Compaq presario, back in the day.
― Mark G, Monday, 16 June 2008 13:26 (seventeen years ago)