Mobe!
Get a grip, it's gorgeous
If only I wasn't so skint at the moment. I'll have to start selling some more Beocom 6000s😕

Andy T.

Well, at least its design is "different" 😉. But why a combination of click wheel and touch screen? Looks like if B&O and Samsung could not decide what kind of user interface to use.

- Mike 

I wouldn't say it's ugly, but I certainly agree with Mobe that the Serene looks much better! The Serene is very slique and stylish by design. And perhaps more to the point, there really isn't anything outstanding and NEW in my opinion. We can already buy a cell phone + MP3 device. The aluminium touch wheel is just iPod, and everything else seems pretty ordinary.

Just my opinion, but will be interesting to have a go sometime soon.

Seriously Andy, it does nothing for me!!!

Its something I expected say 5 years ago but now.. the serene looks so much better in comparison!

Looks like they called it quits and just released the phone hoping to compete with the itouch but its a no goer from the start imo.

Lacks the wow factor..
 

For the look, it is a matter of taste, i like the serenata much better than the serene. Let's not forget that we did not like the Beolab 9 until we've seen them in the flesh.

In term of ease of use and innovation, other B&O speciality, i think it is a real B&O product. The ICEPower amplifier in such a small form factor is something new.

I would buy it if I was not going to buy an iPhone... 

I would say TWO YEAR to late !

Guy 

I have to agree. I will reserve judgement fully until I see it but first impressions aren't that appealing to me. I think the ring tones certainly could have been a lot different to that of their predecessor. As has been stated, it does look like many other phones out there. I think the dedicated website was implemented very well and smartly and strategically created a lot of excitement and anticipation for a new product but through it all I don't really see much in the way of what I would term 'B&O innovation.' Having said that, the BeoSound 3 and the BeoVision 7 were products that I didn't like much either at the beginning but they have since grown on me - the magic of B&O - so we'll see what happens with the Serenata. What I would say is that the Serene has certainly grown a lot more on me now! Watch this space.

Simon.

If they are after "the guy who has everything" market then they've probably met their design brief. It looks different enough to everything else to be instantly recognisable (watch out for it in the hands of an image concious celeb some time very soon - i.e. Beckhams etc or worse still celebs in their own minds - Goody, Katona etc).

Its price will keep it exclusive while the iphone will be owned by all the "street level - must have everything new" types.

I know I sound jaded but is either really the answer to the phone/mp3 player application - I don't think so. Both are just too big to be everyday phones - they are designed to be noticed. How many will carry either as an everyday convienience tool be used for their own gratification rather than as something to be seen with?

Sorry!

(Grumpy of Durham)

p.s. I do think it is a much, much better attempt than the Serene.

I became skeptical about B&O and mobile phones after the Serene. Let's not forget that one of the biggest flaws of Serene was it's inability to synchronize with PC and Mac. 

I'm more enthusiastic with the Serenata now. However for that price I'm expecting some elegant synchronizing features (contacts and calendar), especially with the Mac. B&O consistently ignores Mac compatibility, although they have many Mac users their community. Software Updates should be available in the long term.

It's design and the presentation on the website is very successful. I would like to know which materials they used. The Serene had too much plastic.

"The Serene had to much plastic"
Shock, horror!!
The over all feel of the Serene is nothing short of fantastic.
Mine has been in my pocket now for a year and it looks like new and feels like a mini BV8.
I just love the feel.

Andy T.