Years of progress in making phones smaller and more portable have all been dismissed in one stroke by Japanese gadget and novelty company Hashy-Topin. Phone x Phone is a clever iPhone dock/charger unit designed to transform your iPhone into a plain ol' regular fixed-line telephone. Because you didn't really want to be that mobile anyway, did you?
But in all seriousness, having a single point in your home or office for charging your iPhone is not at all a bad idea, even if it looks a little technologically backwards. At the very least, Hashy-Topin should appeal to a certain geek nostalgia, blending old and new in a manner that hits that retro-cool sweet spot.
The minimalist Phone x Phone design comes in an assortment of colors (black, white, yellow, pink, and blue) and has a rubber coated surface ensuring that the phone is easy to grip. When speaking through the telephone's receiver, multitaskers can use still interact with the iPhone's touchscreen to send emails or play games if the conversation gets a little boring.
While we have yet to test it or check how it feels and sounds, it's definitely a fun idea for an iPhone dock.
Phone x Phone supports most recent models of the iPhone - the 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4 - and as of December 1 can be ordered in Japan via Hashy Topin (Japanese) for JPY2000 (or about US$24). Check out the company's promo video below for a more visual explanation of how Phone x Phone works.
If you're after a little more technical sophistication (and expense) in the search for a conventional handset to use with your iPhone, check out the Moshi Moshi 04.