According to the opinion of American technology historian Professor Edward Tenner, modern electronic aids put more pressure on us rather than helping us save time. There’s no better example of this phenomenon than the mobile telephone, but the designers at Bang & Olufsen have designed a soothing new model called, appropriately enough, the Serene. One of its features is a selection of particularly harmonious ring-tones with titles like ‘Wood’, ‘Steel or ‘Bronze’.

No ‘Crazy Frog’ here please.

The design is classic Scandinavian purity. Serene consists of two halves, joined together by an aluminium joint. An integrated motor separates the two halves on gentle finger pressure. The display and microphone are arranged in the lower half, while the upper has the circular keypad, the loudspeaker and a wheel in the centre that is turned to activate different functions of the phone. The effect is of an old-fashioned 1950s bakelite handset from a black and white film - Ingmar Bergman of course.

The Serene was developed in co-operation with mass-market electronics giant Samsung. Torben Ballegaard Sørensen, CEO of Bang & Olufsen says "We wanted Serene to become a precious item, an item that is a personal expression of quality and convenience. The coherence to other Bang & Olufsen products is experienced through the design and a very simple user operation,".

Serene comes with a triangular battery charger/docking station made in polished anodised aluminium with a recess for the phone. If the phone is placed in the docking station or the phone is used in a table mode it can be used as a mini-laptop as the display can turn 180 degrees for convenient use in this position as well.

As a special feature for Bang & Olufsen customers, a special DECT docking station is available which enables Serene to synchronise its phonebook with the domestic cordless system of telephones from Bang & Olufsen.

The Serene will be sold in Bang & Olufsen stores for approximately $1300 USD (1100 Euros) inclusive of a special Bang & Olufsen DECT accessory and in Samsung retailer partners for approximately $1200 USD (1000 Euros) without the DECT accessory.

For further information please visit www.serenemobile.com.

Text: Classic Driver
Photos: Bang & Olufsen