Bond and Vesper's Dummy Phone
The Bond Experience
Newtown, PAPosts: 5,490Quartermasters
(New pics of Bond Dummy Phone Deluxe now posted)
Thought some of you Casino Royale fans might like to see these Vesper dummy phones. I know I wanted to have one of her phones in my display but since I wasn't going to use it I didn't want to pay $400 for a dust collector. So I did the next best thing, I bought a few of the static dummy phones they use for store displays. These are made from the SAME materials but do not have the electronic GUTS of the working phones....all the buttons, thumb wheel and physical mechanics work and the details are all there FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE. I also ordered several of Bond's phone. My plan is to crack one of these open so I can put a screen of Mr. White's phone number.
And now for Bond's phone:
Thought some of you Casino Royale fans might like to see these Vesper dummy phones. I know I wanted to have one of her phones in my display but since I wasn't going to use it I didn't want to pay $400 for a dust collector. So I did the next best thing, I bought a few of the static dummy phones they use for store displays. These are made from the SAME materials but do not have the electronic GUTS of the working phones....all the buttons, thumb wheel and physical mechanics work and the details are all there FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE. I also ordered several of Bond's phone. My plan is to crack one of these open so I can put a screen of Mr. White's phone number.
And now for Bond's phone:
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Comments
cheers
these two in particular:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Ericsson-M600i-M600-Dummy-Phone-in-stock-White_W0QQitemZ320028088035QQihZ011QQcategoryZ3311QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-Sony-Ericsson-Dummy-Phone-K800i-Silver_W0QQitemZ120060640474QQihZ002QQcategoryZ42423QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Thanks!
I'm guessing by "cardboard" Mantis is refering to the "box" models used to display carrying cases, etc., yes? They're fairly easy to detect though deceptive at a distance; alot of iPod displays use a similar sort of mock-up. The cardboard units are essentially a mounted, folded photo and don't have real buttons, thumbwheels, etc. Provided the vendors aren't using photos of actual phones while shipping cardboard mock-ups (and their feedback scores suggest not*), the two examples you cited should be safe. I'd be wary of the "dummies" listed at US$ 2 and lacking photos.
Still, I work for an eBay (indirectly) and I'm constantly amazed at the intricacy of the scams taking place every day. On the other hand, in the past year I've purchased items in Hong Kong for much more than these "dummies" cost from dealers with much lower feedback and wound-up with more than satisfactory results.
If you must have one of these, your best bet is probably to follow Mantis' example and just get one from a Sony/Ericsson dealer (the dummy might cost more but the shipping will be a fraction of what those eBay sellers are asking ... plus you're assured of what you're getting) ... or wait a year (or less ... Sony doesn't have the greatest rep in the mobile industry) when the folks who are buying today start upgrading. Besides, while waiting is a challenge, imagine all the little trailers and animatics you can download into the real thing!
*Wonder why the one seller has such a huge German clientele ...
Well, I had already ordered those, then i saw the bit about the 'carboard' dummies, so got a bit worried...not so much about the vesper phone that i linked to but the silver k800i....as theres only one pic i was a bit worried about it.
Both are on their way to me...so I'll let you know how it worked out when they arrive!
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1) Pressed cardboard dummies just as described above.
2) Plastic shelled dummies with no working buttons or doo dads.
3) Deluxe plastic and metal shelled dummies with movie parts etc...even the recharge area is an original piece.
Make sure you ask the seller which of the three you will be getting. I will take close up pics of both of them (silver and Vespers) this friday that you will be able to send to sellers on Ebay to confirm if this is truly what you will be getting.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320058837366&rd=1&rd=1
Wouldn't that just be a non-working phone?!
Have you actually seen both 2 and 3? I know when I was in the telecom industry, dummies were actually more costly to produce than the real thing hence we would use actual but damaged/defective units when we could. Could that be what's happening here?
After opening one up I was shocked, these are completely different and designed only as dummies. They have metal weights in them, the buttons have dummy clickers behind them, the flash bulb is clear plastic with facets to look like a bulb! the screen areas are placed in from the front as the front plate is a single piece with no access slots as there would be on a real phone. Seems like a lot of trouble but maybe they used real phones at one time and these might have been targetted by thieves.
just waiting for the k800i from the same seller.
great idea mantis {[]
No genius required ... just a decent screen grab to work from. I actually thought it would be more fun to have a real phone and download the CR trailer and/or the animatic of the Ocean Club GPS sequence I was given. Mantis planned to have a M600i dislay Mr.White's call back information.
The K800i screen is easily removed to replace the ocean scene, but Vespers phone is near impossible to break into without destroying. These dummy phones are made very well.
PMJB, I am far from artistic and lack patience, so I'll wait for someone else to come up with an insprational piece of art. On the shoulders of giants and all that {[]