The days have mostly been lovely and sunny, with clear blue skies.

Internet connection:

• David at Silicon Hutong suggests that I am not alone in experiencing a really draggy net connection lately.
• (A different?) David at tech86 reminds us that WiMax Beijing is coming soon…
• Kaiser Kuo at Ogilvy Digital Watch mentions that China’s trans-Pacific internet pipe is being upgraded.
• Another possible explanation for why websites keep timing out on me…

Most popular phones suggested to me in shops in the student area of Wudaokou (I’m looking for a camera phone):

• Nokia N6300 @ RMB 1980
• Samsung Anycall G608 @ RMB 5000
• SamsungAnycall D908i @ RMB 2550
• Nokia N95 @ RMB 5880
• Nokia N73 @ RMB 2680

On Chinese phone companies’ design approach:

• CECT offer a phone that doubles as a heart monitor….
• … and HEDY present us with a waterproof, washable phone (possibly inspired by unfortunate events at public toilets in China, which are often slits above a pit?)

From the link to the CECT ‘heart’ phone above, I note with interest this quote from CECT parent company Qiao Xing Mobile’s Chairman, Wu Zhi Yang:

“We dedicate a large amount of resources to our efforts to develop highly differentiated handsets. The C7000A is a result of these efforts. It represents a breakthrough in the use of mobile handset technology. No longer are handsets only tools for entertainment and communication. We have been able to incorporate a piece of advanced medical technology that could possibly save lives. It is this kind of differentiating handset feature that we continually strive to offer to our customers in China.”

Note that they’re only making a few hundred of this model. VERY exclusive… but without doubt something that could easily find a worldwide market. And I suspect that a washable phone might find a ready market in developing countries… Just another couple of example of phone design innovation in China… I’m going to try to track down more about that washable phone.