solarin smartphone by karim rashid for sirin labs

karim rashid designs privacy focused solarin smartphone for sirin labs
all images courtesy of sirin labs

as the value of digital privacy becomes ever more important, sirin labs seeks innovative encryption and secure technologies to protect every step of the way. ‘solarin’ designed by karim rashid studios, aims at the international business person who carries sensitive information but doesn’t want to compromise on usability, quality and style.

‘at every level, solarin outperforms,’ explains fredrik oijer, VP of product at sirin labs. ‘advanced carrier aggregation technology combines multiple LTE carriers for wider bandwidth, providing a faster, clearer connection. using 802.11ac 2×2 MU-MIMO technology provides up to three times the bandwidth of a smartphone, and WiGigTM (802.11ad) pushes data transfer limits, allowing next generation features.’

the sirin labs ‘solarin’ smartphone

following over two years of research and development in sweden and tel aviv, ‘solarin’ is made up of over 2,500 inner components within a designed exterior to achieve fast, seamless connectivity across any continent. from the construction of its unique metal matrix composite, used in the aerospace industry, to incorporating titanium panels for structural strength, the ‘solarin’ is made from the highest grade materials for optimal functionality.

‘unlike most high tech companies where a designer is asked to simply package technology, the beauty of my collaboration is that from the beginning I worked closely with the sirin labs team on everything from the engineering to the software, coordinating with the global consultants, sourcing the most high-performance materials and technologies (for example the bodies are made from precision-engineered metal matrix composite) and adding input on the UI interface to shape the first solarin,’ explains designer karim rashid.

side titanium panels

‘the end result boasts very advanced technologies that don’t exist elsewhere with mobile phones today, like a 2K screen and 3D surround sound (something I felt was always missing in the mobile industry) , and the highest security defense mechanisms in its hardware and software,’ continues rashid. ‘security became one of the inspirations for the form including detailing of the pronounced security switch. the phone design involved perpetually reworking, integrating, and reconfiguring the latest hardware. from the perspective of the physical design, in 2 years we developed about 63 iterations to create an object that is formed from the highest quality of materials. we worked on how these components and materials come together in a beautifully-crafted luxury object, that marries the most prescient technology.’

the main body is made from metal matrix composite

‘cyber-attacks are endemic across the globe,’ says tal cohen, CEO and Co-founder at sirin labs. ‘this trend is on the increase. just one attack can severely harm reputations and finances. solarin is pioneering new, uncompromising privacy measures to provide customers with greater confidence and the reassurance necessary to handle business-critical information.’

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