NBA basketball-themed phone launched in China
updated 04:00 pm EDT, Thu July 5, 2007
NBA N111 Phone
The NBA today revealed that it will capitalize on the popularity of its sport in China by releasing a custom-branded phone. Dubbed the N111, the handset will stress the theme with basketball imagery on front and back, including a texture similar to the ball itself. Variants on the phone will even come in different colors for favorite teams, the organization says. Every phone will ship with related games and the ability to keep track of a team's playing schedule and other details through WAP browsing.
The initial design will also balance between features and cost. Photos and videos can be captured through a 1.3-megapixel camera. Storage for these as well as pre-made AAC/MP3/WMA songs and AVI, H.264, or MPEG-4 videos is provided through either 64MB of built-in memory or a microSD card. Internet access is unknown but will be quick enough to stream video clips.
The N111 and two as yet unrevealed NBA phones will be available in August for a price equal to $247. Frequencies are limited to dual-band 900/1800MHz and make it unlikely that the phone will leave the southeast Asian country, though the device includes English support for travelers and expatriates who need a localized calling option. [via Mobile163 and Coolest Gadgets]
