Art Lebedev Scartel WiMAX Cellphone Concept

Art Lebedev, the design studios behind the Optimus Maximus OLED keyboard, are working with Russian carrier Scartel to develop a WiMAX cellphone.  The so-far unnamed flagship device will include WiFi, tri-band GSM and a 850 x 480 touchscreen, together with WiMAX to take advantage of the network Scartel have just launched in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Currently a draft specification prototype, the Scartel handset would also have front and rear cameras, a microSD slot, 3.5mm headphone plug and an A/V plug.  Hardware controls are limited to call/end keys and a joystick on the front panel, with hold, volume and mute controls on the right side.  A mini-USB socket is on the right, together with access to the SIM and memory card slots.

Who knows how the design will evolve as it moves toward production status – hopefully they'll shift the headphone socket from the left side to the top or bottom in the process – but this is one handset we'd like to see make it over to the US.  The Sprint XOHM/Clearwire WiMAX network could do with all the eye-candy it can get...

[via pocket-lint]