This slider made in parallel with the now infamous Motorola Aura was apparently canceled because carriers weren’t willing to buy enough of them, although it’s clear that this sucker came very close to release, as Gameloft was preparing their catalogs for its arrival. The E18 Ivory was going to be available in three styles (metal, gold and platinum), the latter of which would have cost “tens of thousands of dollars”. The dual-level sliding mechanism is pretty slick – one click for the directional pad, and another for the number pad, but the specs are otherwise mediocre, boasting a simple 3 megapixel camera. The Ivory’s distinctive form factor makes me think this would have sold well in the luxury market – too bad it’ll never see the light of day.
[Mobile-Review via Unwired View]