Modu Cell Phone Changes Function with Jackets

At first glance, Modu looks to be just another gadget; a new cell phone that'll be in a toxic e-waste pile 18 months from now. But if Modu's developers can execute what they have planned, you'll never want to get rid of it.

As the name suggests, Modu is a modular gadget that starts as a cell phone, and can be inserted into multiple "jackets" that change its function: to a multimedia phone, a portable media player, a car sound system, a full car GPS, a bike mini-GPS and more. Slip on a new jacket, and Modu takes on a new function; the video below the fold even shows it slipping into a MacBook Pro, among other things.

Modu says it'll launch the phone in October in Italy, Israel and Russia for $200 with two included jackets; more would be available for $20 - $60 apiece. The company hopes the phone will arrive in the U.S. in early 2009, but no carrier deals have been announced...stay tuned. ::Modu via ::Gizmodo and ::DVICE