Henry Holland and O2 go dutch on dongle

Just after Christmas, we predicted that mobile broadband dongles would follow mobile phones by becoming more of a fashion item than a purely functional device for getting online. We also forecasted that limited edition exclusive dongles would become commonplace, as ISPs look to distinguish themselves from the competition.

Today, we’re awarding ourselves prescience points a-plenty with the news that Henry Holland has designed a dongle for O2, which will be available for a limited time until February 27.

You’ll know said cove from appearances on Channel 4’s fashion programme Frock Me, where he often talks more than a little inanely about matters of the day with his childhood friend Agyness Deyn. Typically they’ll conclude that like the war in Iraq is REALLY BAD.

But judge not before you’ve seen the fruits of his labour:



Admit it, you want one. With any luck though, the House of Holland polka-dot number will be the first of a slew of dongles with eye-catching looks. We’ve already discussed the prospect of Star Wars dongles and how fanboys would snap them up in a trice. So what else is on our wishlist?

I’d like to see a collaboration with Bathing Ape. Imagine some natty camouflage numbers along the lines of Nigo’s work with Pepsi:



Can you picture them? Nice eh? Or better yet how about some designed by Futura 3000 who did the Unkle sleeves? Or even Jamie Hewlett of Gorillaz and Tank Girl fame?

Star Wars USB Memory Sticks - Why Not Mobile Broadband Modems?

See above what are without doubt the finest looking USB memory sticks in Christendom. I got the Boba Fett one for Christmas and am happy to report that it's every bit as cool as the bounty hunter himself. Better yet, they're in limited runs of up to 5,000 and are individually numbered for collectability. And while fanboy purists might scoff at the Wicket the Ewok offering, I've always thought that the fluffy fellas' contribution to the Rebels' good fight was underrated. For me, they're akin to the Gurkhas of the Star Wars Universe - loyal almost to a fault and most pertinently full of spirit and scrapping despite their lack of size.

But I digress....A bit of digging reveals that Mimobot is the company behind these mini marvels and that as well as top grade Star Wars merch they're in the business of producing a whole host of branded and brilliant USB sticks. There's a series of Halo-themed products and a Domo range for fans of the cult Japanese anime. Or if it's designer toy stylings that float your boat, you can choose from hundreds of Pete Fowler-style goodies.

In fact, with the sheer range of desirable goods on offer, it makes the very functional-looking USB modem sticks now selling in vast quantities look like very plain girls at the digital party. And in this respect I can't help but feel that broadband providers might be missing a trick. After all, how much more likely would you be to choose one mobile broadband package over another if they offered you a range of eye-catching designs for their USB modems? I think we all know that the answer is VERY VERY LIKELY. More so, if the designs were limited edition and were made exclusive to a particular ISP.

If broadband companies have any smarts they'll apply their energies to ensure that fashionable, more individual looking USB modems become the NEXT BIG THING. You've only to look at what big business fashion mobile phone handsets have become to see the potential. A vast market of people who want devices that say more about them than the standard cold, grey bit of plastic that currently passes for a mobile USB modem could be lying there untapped.