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Luxury Phone-maker Vertu Collapses (bbc.com)
A British-based company that made smartphones costing thousands of pounds will be liquidated after a plan to save it failed. From a report: Vertu was known for its high-end, jewel-encrusted handsets, but recently faced financial difficulties. The company's liquidation will result in the loss of nearly 200 jobs. One technology analyst said Vertu would have faced competition from companies offering to customise other smartphones with precious materials. Vertu phones carry hefty price tags -- its Signature range starts at 11,100 pound ($14,350) and one model featuring 18-carat red gold costs 39,100 pound ($50,600). When contacted by the BBC, an external spokesman for the firm said: "Well it's gone into liquidation and I'm not being paid by them any more."
No matter how much money you have; you'd have to be a real pretentious douche bag to buy one of these. And a real pretentious douche bag to sell one of these.
If I saw someone using one of these there would definitely be an urge in my gut to punch him in the face.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
It was the concierge button. THAT was what made Vertu great. You push a button, you're instantly connected to a personal concierge who would arrange whatever you needed. Dinner reservations, flights, flower delivery, dry cleaning, etc. The Vertu phone came with a lifetime concierge-on-demand service. What killed it was the expansion of Google Voice/Siri type apps and integration with other vendors. You no longer needed a human to do that for you...
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!