14 DAY TRIAL // Concept phones are not an unusual or rare thing, but most of them represent a device that will most likely never become a product, and most concept phone designers will present phones that come with good looks and not cutting-edge features.
In this case, HP has presented a prototype, that was discovered at the If Design Awards at this year's CeBIT. The handset was designed by Teague, for HP, and is dubbed the 'Data Center Communications Vision of the Future Server'.
To stick as close as possible to what the designers had in mind when coming up with this handset, it is envisioned as ' ? integrated hardware/software mobile technology device enables IT personnel to monitor data center equipment, diagnose and track problems, and perform system services. It visualizes and communicates problems related to HP servers and data centers, and works as a fully-integrated system to streamline day-to-day tasks. It synchronizes with the user's PC to track inventory, communicating through RFID and Bluetooth to control data center access, and connects through a USB dongle to identify problems and diagnose repairs. Its rubberized surface increases the durability.'
Now judging from what's pictured, it looks like a ruggedized Pocket PC with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a large touchscreen display. But from the description it looks like it will not behave like your average PDA.
Instead, it looks like the device is intended to work as diagnostic equipment and interface with servers and data centers. Since it's still a concept, there is no information on when and if we'll ever get to see this device in stores, or if it will only be available through enterprise channels.