What you're looking at may be the most interesting prototype product I have ever seen. It is a prototype of a flexible Android phone called the PaperPhone by its designer, Roel Vertegaal of Queen's University.
The concept combines a number of technologies, such as flexible e-ink displays and circuit boards, to achieve "bendable phone" status. However, the device can do more than just make calls. Testers were able to navigate the Android homescreen, scroll through a contacts menu, read an ebook, and play some music.
While the screen bending navigation technique used for the demonstration seems somewhat clumsy, it does have its uses and is pretty cool too. Flipping through an e-book by "turning the page," for example, is really neat. When coupled with touchscreen technology, bend navigation has the potential to be a great way to interact with a smartphone.
As you can see in the image, the device runs an older version of Android. Although this is promising, don't expect to get much more than basic functionality out of the device's 9.5-centimeter e-ink display. The prototype is not a powerhouse either, and I wonder how prone it is to tearing.
Then again, prototypes are not supposed to be finished; they are all about potential. And in my opinion, this device has a massive amount of potential. Even if users aren't into the "bend to interact" idea, having a phone as thin as a sheet of paper that won't shatter like glass should be appealing. I know I would love to have a flexible Android phone with a color display. If you are as excited as I am about this application of technology, you can check out a video of the prototype below the break.
