+ style star: Siemens +

Siemens' mobile phone division has been bought over by by BenQ a couple of months ago, and it remains to be seen if future products after the merger would still be branded Siemens. It will however mark the end of an era for the German company - which was the world's #4 mobile phone manufacturer - with the new Taiwanese bosses.

Although its products have totally lost the edge in terms of innovation since the inception of phones with colour displays, design remained a strong suit. Take a look at the now defunct company's more memorable designs!


Left: SL45 The first phone with MP3 player function, its playback quality can still kick the arse of some of the unbranded MP3 players now.
Right: SL55 Started the slider phone craze despite being a totally rubbish phone with a poor display, tiny keypad and confusing user interface.


Left: SX1 One of the few non-Nokia Symbian phones. Just look at the keypad! I had a hard time typing messages. Full of features though.
Right: Xelibri Remember the quirky Xelibri series that were sold in Tangs and Isetan? Again hopeless to use, but Siemens showed they had balls to release something like that.


Left: SF65 The iPod of phones. A fashion statement over being a communication device apparently.
Right: SK65 As you can see, it takes a different spin on the swivel phone theme, with the pivot point smack in the middle of the phone.

Part of the new full range of '75' series phones, some of which are waiting to be released in the local market. Highlights of the new series include Siemens' first (and last) 3G phones, the new simple and ultra slim model and the inclusion of most up-to-date features in the fashion-led SL slider model.

Left: CL75 Ladies' phone with oodles of style. Finally, a fashion-led model without the initial sticker price shock.
Right: SL75 Gorgeous and eagerly anticipated slider phone now comes with all the bells and whistles of a top end phone. For the high-tech fashionista with a fat wallet.