Icono Finger Phone Puts the 'Hand' in 'Handset'

Designer Zinc Chan's Icono Finger phone concept is confusing: it's a phone inspired by a hand gesture, which was originally inspired a phone. By capping your thumb and little finger with a D cell-looking mic and speaker, the Icono converts your hand into a piece of hardware, leaving it stuck in a position that simultaneously means "Sup, bro" and "call me, babe." It's a pretty neat idea, if you've got particularly strong and flexible fingers. More »

The OpenFrame Home Phone iPhone Clone

The team at OpenPeak is hoping to spice up the outdated landline phone by "borrowing" the entire iPhone concept and repackaging it as a feature-rich communication hub for the home. Initially, the "OpenFrame" will include core touchscreen apps like calendar, news, weather, etc., and it doubles as a digital photo frame and an internet radio. Beyond that, the idea is to get developers interested in creating third party apps—just like the iPhone. The device is expected to be sold through telcos like Verizon and AT&T for between $200 and $300 sometime in early 2009, but I say just pick up an iPhone and stop wasting money on landlines altogether. [OpenPeak via Wired Gadget Lab]