Mobile Point View by Paul Ruppert: Open Channel D, please

Defining Mobile Hardware Moments

As a child growing up in mid-western suburban America in the teeth of the cold war, my worldly experience was considerably widened through the constant efforts to internationalize me by my war refugee French mother and former infantry platoon leader, retired State Department officer, practicing lawyer American father. Layer on the pop culture of the late 60s and the first of frequent international travel, I can look back and say my true steps to becoming a global mobile citizen were established through tv connections with Alexander Waverly, a New York tailor store front, and the agents of U.N.C.L.E. With the U.N.C.L.E. gun as part of my agent kit, as an eight year old I ran with my street mates holding a #2 pencil with a pin embedded in the eraser saying: "Open channel D, please. Overseas relay." My first use of high-tech mobile and global communicators. That pen phone was super cool on the "Man From U.N.C.L.E."

Check this Out

Well, the "Waverly phone" has finally arrived. Alexander Waverly was the boss ("Section 1, number 1") of Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin who both used the "pen communicator." In the spirit of "Mr. Waverly" I dubb this the "Waverly phone."

My phone handset industry sources advise me that the "Waverly phone" prototype is in the skunk works of an undisclosed handset manufacturer out of Asia which is researching market interest in the device. Believing most users will connect the phone to Bluetooth earpieces, the two target-shaped areas on the top and bottom in the lower image are the earpiece and receiver.

This is not the first effort to create a "pen phone" by a mobile handset manufacturer. Haier has already launched a "pen phone" , the P7, albeit lacking the "pen" the descriptor applied only to size not functionality. No way does it have the stylish design edge of the "Waverly phone."

This piece of field intelligence on a actual "pen phone" caught my eye becasue of the resonance to my imaginative childhood, but also to a serendipitous meeting I had on a Singapore airlines flight two years ago. My seat mate on the flight was a delightful, and strikingly attactive woman. [A rarity since most international travelers are middle aged men.] After some conversation we discovered that we were both in the mobile phone business--Lunita Mendoza--the editor of Wireless World Asia magazine out of Singapore. During the course of flight conversation she showed me her "new toy", a pen phone. Incredible. I recall mentioning that the screen was large enough for sending and reading text messaging. Now the Waverly Phone has arrived.

Background 4 U Gen Xrs & Gen Yrs

The original "pen phone" is a silver pen that converts into a communication device, and is one of the most memorable spy gadgets of any TV espionage show. The "Pen Communicator", as it is called, was used regularly by the stars of both the “Man From U.N.C.L.E” and “Girl From U.N.C.L.E.” tv series. U.N.C.L.E. agents would remove the pen's end piece, flip it around and reconnect it, exposing a gold microphone grid. They would then extract a hidden antenna from the other end, which, when turned, would activate the unit. The phrase “Open Channel D” would put Section II agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin into direct contact with U.N.C.L.E. headquarters in New York City. Alternate voice-activated channels would connect them with each other, or with other field agents. Additional functions include amnesia inducer and electronic scanner. Fun Fact: James Bond's roots run through the show's creation.

Here's the TV theme which was my ringtone for my last phone, a Samsung slider:

Waverly Phone Design Drawbacks-Outside of the absence of the "&", "*", and "#" keys on the pen, I'm sure the ink supply can't last that long, nor the battery life as well. Some might argue the acoustics couldn't be that strong, but with the advent of NXT's thin screen speaker tecchnolgoy for mobiles, the microphone / speaker would be sufficient for secret agent calling. Is the Waverly phone easy to use? Well, details are naturally under wraps, so there is much speculation as to the full functionality of the Waverly phone. Simple to use, absolutely. Minimalist yes. So much so that a simple feature is not included in the prototype: a clip. Absent the clip, it won't stand up in a suit pocket let alone roll off a table once you put it down. (What was the the penalty for loosing U.N.C.L.E., hardware?)

It fits comfortably in the hand resting between your thumb and forefingers. The W phone display is the unit's design showpiece taking full advantage of its real estate. While the beta version is black & white matrix, it is thought that launch versions will include brilliant colors, sharp graphics and halogram projection functionality. Unclear whether the device will be loaded with Android, Symbian or other Moble OSS. Look for it in speciality stores for Christmas '08 or earlier via Alibaba.com

Channel D...Out.

Tip of the hat to the US Central Intelligence Agency, the estate of Alexander Waverly , Archieves of the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, the Nathan Hale Trust, the oral history of April Dancer and gizmodo.

What do you think about the Waverly "pen" phone? Is this for real? I'm in the two way conversations business, especially with regular readers. It helps fuel my muse and provides a better product to get comments. Please share your perspectives, additions, subtractions, bravos, taunts and tomatoes via comments. Anyone out there? Thanks for your continuing interest.