Fujitsu concept phones slide into Milan

Not content with just showing off some nifty concept PCs, including a UMPC with a fold-out keyboard, Fujitsu also has a couple of sliding mobile phones on display at Milan’s Triennale di Milano this week, both of which have a definite Apple-like influence to them.

The “multi-slider”, as it name implies, slides in all four directions, revealing a slightly different keypad for each direction. The design is very iPod-esque, especially considering the four DAP-like buttons on the front of the glossy white handset. It’s sleek, it’s smooth, but alas, it’s still just a concept.

Next to the multi-slider at the special exhibition is what is being called simply the “slider.” This phone seems to only slide one way – for better or for worse – making way to a full touch-sensitive QWERTY keyboard. In this way, the screen takes on a landscape orientation and seems better designed for emailing, web browsing, and other similar activities than actually functioning as a phone.