With that vile big "G" on the back, the blingers should love it. PersonalIy I think it looks sh*te, but I don't drive a Hummer or similar upkerbers

The romans didn't have a 0, hence their mathematics being so crummy.

What are these guys using? Oh, a standard arabic representation. What a load of pretentious garbage - but what do you expect from a phone that does less than a £50 nokia, but costs 5 grand?

...does it come with a dolphin-leather bag? Bedazzled dolphin-leather bag of course?

I eagerly await the ivory version,

Stop being so negative!

The Russian “Premium” phone market is quite well developed, and it is nice to see a Russian model on offer. People are tired of Vertu and other drastically overpriced models, so this particular handset will suite Russian middle-management nicely. And if it truly has Windows mobile 6 – it definitely has more to offer than £50 Nokia – exchange email being one.

Roman numerals are a nice tough, though personally I would have preferred the original decimal digits, http://www.ericofon.com/faces/face18.jpg just to make fun of people saying “why can’t you have normal numbers innit”

" People are tired of Vertu and other drastically overpriced models, "

What part of "this phone costs 5 or 7 grand" don't you understand?!

He means that the Vertu line is even more overpriced. If you find this stuff sickening, then you clearly are not the target demographic. I for one would wish it came with the molars of some oppressed ethic group for buttons. Bound in human skin...

"What part of "this phone costs 5 or 7 grand" don't you understand?!"

- The part were Vertu costs three-four times as much (other than the vanilla model they have that no one buys).

As I said, this is for Russian Middle-management. Not for data-room attendants ;-)

lol i've just been to the vertu site - the phones look like the nokia 7250. klass.

I can guess the standard ringtone: "Bling, Bling!"

To be honest, without the price tag, the 70's lounge teaktastic look just reminds me of an old TV remote somehow.

no, really.

for once, it is totally obvious why. keep away from open flame, by order of the fire marshall.

this is idiotic on so many levels, it added a sensuous luster to my "dumb expensive toy" list. Paris and Nicole should get these for their next gig...

This of course is in the same category as the wristwatch made from pieces of the Titanic that cropped up recently. It shows the mentality of the 2% of humanity that controls 98% of the world's wealth, and who don't give a rat's arse about the planet, other people, or anything other than flouting their obnoxiousness and wealth knowing no one can or will do anything about it.

...wood-o-plastic [TM] to me. 5 grand for something that looks like cheap tat, I don't think so.

..What a brilliant, and well researched and written story!

Love it.

More like this please.

I didnt think they answered to anything less than Poseurs

So Vertu is drastically overpriced, making these only moderately overpriced.

I imagine that there are millions of people that are tired of paying £20000 for a stupid mobile phone. Ah ! Such is the hard life of those who have to go to Sotchi to get a decent sun tan.

Well I paid €89 for my mobile, and I find it was largely enough. It's a Samsung d900i, and already on the camera side it has 3 megapixels. And as far as looks are concerned, I think mine looks just as good. Seems like I saved £4950 ! And a dolphin !

saw a very shiny bejewelled one in selfridges last year - yours for... £39000 (!)

Let me grab my club. I have this great idea for a new Yang-tze river dolphin-skin phone.

...Not so much the phone. Still waaay overpriced.

WAIT !!

Everything I learned about making things easier for people

to handle things easier cannot be found with those controls.

Roman numbers.... arrows and markings only the makers knows about.

This is a manual makers complete nightmare and a finacial disaster for a buyer.

Should someone actually use this phone or have it on display ?!?!?