Nokia Scentsory a Phone that you can smell
It is always interesting to view concept products. You never know which one will become the next big thing. Even more fun is to look at concept products from the past and realize why none of them became the next big thing. Some of them you have to wonder what the designers were thinking.
This next product might be one of concept products that the designers will forever lament even suggesting it should be marketed. In fact, I am even surprised Nokia has a working prototype of the Scentsory cell phone. Perhaps smell-phone is a better description, as this is, as far as I know, the first mobile electronic device that can emit scents.
Of course, once a device like this hits the web, there is inevitably a ripple effect on tech blogs. I've seen many entries on the Scentory, and most of them ridiculing the very nature of the product. Some have them have suggested that the device somehow transmits odors like it does your voice. However, I don't think we are there yet, technologically speaking. I suppose that would encourage us to pop a breath mint before we would call someone.
I'm thinking that somehow the scents are stored within the Scentsory. I am guessing that the Scentsory doesn't store these scents digitally. Is there a way to do that? I suppose that there was a time where we couldn't store visual images or sounds in our computers, but we obviously can now. I'm guessing that these scents are activated via capsules or something that you can reload.
Of course, the odors of this phone may be the biggest selling point, but it isn't the only feature. Personally, I think that phone has got the goods as far as its folding is concerned. I mean, look at how it folds out into something that looks like it should be on Superman's chest! It also has an origami function that folds out into a little pouch like one of those fortune teller fold-ups that you played with in grade school. I can only assume that the "pouch function" is designed to hold the scent in, maybe?
I am also assuming that the little screen is a display. I can't help but wonder how large it is, since it looks quite small in the picture. I'm also wonder how does one talk on it? It doesn't look your typical candybar, clamshell, or slider setup. I do like where the buttons are placed. I also don't know anything about the subscription service, or if there is the obligatory camera.
Something tells me it will take quite a while before the Scentsory will ever see the consumer light of day. Until then, your cell phone conversations will be entirely smell-free.