Gadgets July 14, 2008 posted by Nigel

The BIC Phone – so is the mobile phone really a commodity now, Grandpa?

bicphone The BIC Phone so is the mobile phone really a commodity now, Grandpa?

The clever French folk at Orange have just launched the BIC Phone which is a handset designed to ~~shave you closer~~, ~~write reliably and cheaply~~, make phone calls while on the move. It comes with an hour’s worth of calls pre-loaded, a charged up battery and the SIM in place. All you’ve got to do is tear off the packaging and start calling and texting. Oh and it’s got an FM radio in it too. I think.

There appears to be some confusion also as to whether it’s a disposable phone or not. Apparently you can use it in throw away mode, or you can send off a registration form to Orange to get it activated for longer term use. The handset is priced at £40.00, and will be available from corner shops, supermarkets and other purveyors of high quality, brightly coloured plastic implements. More here.

The BIC phone is ready to go! It comes with 60 free minutes, the battery charged, and the SIM card already in place. # With the BIC phone, you pay as you go, with a prepaid “mobicarte” refill card. # The BIC phone is easy to use since it focuses on cell phone basics: sending and receiving calls and SMS. # The BIC phone pack will be easy to find. It will be sold over the counter, in major supermarkets and local convenience stores (tobacco shops, newsstands, train stations, airports…), and will be available on 7 August 2008, at a suggested retail price of €49 including tax. The BIC phone will be sold in Metropolitan France only.

Tags: gadget, bic+phone, mobile+phone

About the Author:

Nigel is the managing editor of the Red Ferret, as well as a freelance columnist for the Sunday Times newspaper in London. Loves tech and fancies himself as a bit of a futurist, but then don't we all?

Nigel – who has written 5153 posts on The Red Ferret Journal.

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http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/cb/i1.gif L.

Now that’s what I call environmentally friendly……
http://www.redferret.net Nigel

Yeah L., you’re very right. Maybe I should flag it ‘dumb tech’? :-)
Mike

Jason Bourne will love these too. No records of the owner.
Call in the bomb sqaud and chuck it in the bin!
http://www.geekgyan.com Pushkar

@ Mike : LOL thats true. The way he used cellphones in the movies, it was like he was buying candy bars at randoms. Yep, this one can be like use & throw
http://www.gadgeta.net Electronic Gadgets

They should be required to charge a returnable deposit on these (like bottles and cans) to force people to turn them in when finished with them. Otherwise, just more landfill and more energy usage to produce.
http://www.redferret.net Nigel

That’s a good idea E.G.
PaperAndPen

I think this is a very interesting product. Many people are very conscious of their phone as a sign of status. There is a lot of competition as to who has the coolest phone. The appearence of Bic phones will destroy some of this status competition as it shows the phone being as ordinary as the ball-point pen. Of course I hope the recicling issue will be resolved soon. And I believe it will. Go Bic go!