I would never have expected the sneaker manufacturer, Puma, to be the next in a long line of companies stepping into the mobile phone market. I remember Puma from the '80s as a significant player in the sneaker market. I haven't thought about them much until I fopund out about their pending mobile phone launch, in about a month. Puma Phone looks to be branching out with some unique features separate it from the main players in the already over crowded market. The question really is whether these differentiating features are more than novelties.
The first is the built-in solar cell on the back of the phone. Initially, I felt this wasn't going to be of much real use. However, as I look back on my travels there are many times I was in an airport or some country with a dead battery. Having an alternative way to charge the phone may have helped me out of a jam or two. What remains to be seen is how quickly that solar cell can charge and how direct the sunlight needs to be.
Clearly, the phone was designed to be sporty and fun. I like their stopwatch, compass, and well integrated GPS. This phone probably isn't ideal for my business needs, but has the features that appeal to the 18 year old in me.