Technological capabilities aside, Nokia has dreamed up what could be one of the most original creations of our time. Think about a cell phone that has multi-touch like the iPhone, but with a full keyboard. The phone is dirt and moisture repellent. It can be flip or candy-bar style, can be stretched, molded and shaped (only when you want) and it fits easily in your pocket, on your wrist or, if need be, can simply disappear.

The actual phone doesn’t exist – yet. Nokia recently announced a joint venture with the University of Cambridge to develop this cell phone technology – which Nokia calls ‘Morph’ – within seven years.

How? Nanotechnology.

In short, the Morph will be made of stuff similar to spider silk, but on the nano scale (billionths of a meter, or if it’s easier to imagine, 1/10,000,000 of a centimeter).

Nokia and Cambridge want to base new technologies – specifically cell phone technology – on this new nanofiber, and theoretically the possibilities are limitless. At least according to Nokia.

Nokia released a promo video showing its concept morph into shapes the user creates, changing colors and even going transparent on the fly. The phone sheds dirt and moisture, and basically kicks the living crap out of any technology you’ve ever seen in person or in science fiction – including those totally awesome screens in ‘Minority Report.’

Nokia seems to be setting its sights awfully high for a concept it wants to make a reality in seven years, but in my opinion, they could be doing better. Innovating on an even bigger scale.

What about laptops on the nano scale?

If Nokia is aiming to create a paper-thin cell phone that can fold in on itself, why not just expand that canvas?

Imagine the possibilities opened up by having a laptop that can fold up to the size of a pamphlet and fit in your shirt pocket. But why even stop there? Imagine the possibilities of nanotechnology incorporated into your shirt pocket. Or your sleeve or a bracelet, necklace or wallet.

How about a wallet that tells you how much money is in it, calculates a tip based on how much money you take out and reminds you when a credit card payment is due?

Or maybe a shirtsleeve that updates you when a friend is nearby, that you can write your class notes on as it transforms them into text, that can let you know when you get a new e-mail, IM or Skype call.

The possibilities of Nokia’s Morph are suddenly endless. But can it happen in just seven years? Well, maybe not on the level I’m hoping for, but if Nokia and other companies don’t start aiming for this level of technological advancement, then in seven years all we’ll have is the new Motorola Toastr – a cell phone that cooks your bread and is thin enough to spread butter on too.

AJ Chavar is the technology columnist for The Daily Orange, where his columns appear on Wednesdays. He can be reached at ajchavar@syr.edu. He has not had good toast from a cell phone. Ever.

Published on February 26, 2008 at 12:00 pm