Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta

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Vertu Constellation Ayzta

Vertu, the high-end Nokia luxury handset company, released a flip version of their phone towards the end of 2009 and I finally got my hands on one!  So this is the unboxing view, and I’ll come back in a few weeks and do a proper review of the phone whilst in use.

I purchased the unit from one of the jewellery stores here in Sydney after much haggling, and carried my plain brown box through the city back to the train stop.  I found it a bit odd to carry a large shopping bag from a fine jewellery store through the city, so I opted to carry my new prize just in the box that grabs no attention!

The Vertu Constellation Ayxta has the following specifications:

Dimensions

  • Volume: 74cm3
  • Length: 100mm
  • Width: 48mm
  • Depth: 18mm
  • Weight: from 174g to 175g

models

  • Polished stainless steel, black ceramic keys, black leather
  • Satin stainless steel, black leather
  • Satin stainless steel, dark brown leather
  • Polished stainless steel, pink leather

performance

  • Up to 6 hours talk time (GSM)
  • Up to 4 hours talk time (WCDMA)
  • Up to 300 hours standby time
  • Multiband GSM coverage worldwide*
  • (WCDMA I/II/V/VI, EGSM 900, GSM 850/1800/1900 networks)
  • GPS navigation with preloaded maps

display and keyboard

  • 2.4″ HVGA display with 16 million colours
  • Laser drilled and back-illuminated keypad

connectivity

  • Bluetooth and USB
  • PC & Mac synchronisation

user features*

  • Multi-media messaging (MMS)
  • POP3/IMAP 4 email client
  • Multi-language predictive text input
  • Web browser
  • Audio/Video player
  • Vertu Select exclusive downloads and content
  • City Brief
  • Worldmate travel application
  • Auto dual timeclock update
  • Removable memory card
  • Alarm clock
  • Calculator
  • User memory: up to 2000 names in phonebook, 1500 calendar notes, 1000 SMS

*Some features are network and/ or service dependent

language support **

Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, UK English, US English, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Hindi, Bahasa Indonesian, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian

** Language availability varies by region

The Vertu Constellation Ayxta operates on AT&T, T-Mobile and a host of other US GSM-Based Telcos in the US.  This has been a big shift for Vertu, which started out being a dual band phone just supporting European bands.  The Ascent Ti and the Ayxta now offer full 3G support, with the Ayxta covering the most bands.

The Constellation line is targeting international travellers and has styling based on aircraft. I’m interested in trying the Vertu Select, City Brief, and the time clock update function, as they distinguish the Ayxta from the other Vertu handsets that I’ve tried.  The Ayxta also comes with Worldmate, Fortress (OTA Backup), and OTA firmware update functions that the original Constellation introduced.

Let’s have a look at the unboxing!

The Plain Brown Box

Vertu Constellation Ayzta Unboxing Plain Box
Vertu Constellation Ayxta in the Plain Brown Box

The Presentation Box

Vertu Constellation Ayzta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Presentation Box

The two Leatherette Inner Boxes

Vertu Constellation Ayzta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Leatherette Inner Boxes

Inner Boxes Unboxed (One contains the phone, the other Chargers and micro-USB Sync cables, one for power and one for Syncing)

Vertu Constellation Ayzta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Inner Boxes

Documentation & CD (PC Sync, Mac iSync, Manual)

Vertu Constellation Ayzta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Documentation

Accessories  (Cables, charger, and Int’l tips, was a bit surprised not to see a US one, but then again I am in Australia!)

Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Accessories

The phone

Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Ayxta Closed

Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Back

Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Open

There are two basic versions of the Vertu Constellation Ayxta, one with the stainless steel keyboard and the other with black ceramic keys.  Since the price difference was quite substantial, I opted for the stainless.  I also didn’t opt for the pink leather!

I’ll be back in a couple of weeks to talk about how the Ayxta did for me!

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Gear Diary Staff
Gear Diary was founded on September 30, 2006, with the goal to create a website that would not easily be labeled. Everyone who is part of Gear Diary is a professional who uses technology in their work and daily lives. On this site, we share our enthusiasm while exploring the gear we use — the equipment that makes our lives easier, more entertaining, more productive, and more manageable. Our hope is that Gear Diary visitors find this site to be a welcoming, friendly, and accessible place to learn about and discuss interesting topics — and not only those that are tech-related! Gear Diary is a place to discover and explore all kinds of new gear, including smartphones, computers, kitchen gadgets, Toys, EDC, camping gear, or even your next new car! You can follow us on Twitter @GearDiarySite.

11 Comments on "Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta"

  1. Quick review on @geardiary one of the nicest Vertu's i've ever seen… http://j.mp/d11pNq

  2. Okay, so … I have to ask. What was the MSRP, and how do you say Ayxta? 🙂

  3. It makes no sense for me to want this considering how I use my phone for everything, but I just do 😛 Might have to pickup an 8800 Arte and be happy with that 😛

  4. The 8800 Arte is nothing to sneeze at, though. ;-)))

  5. Too true, loved that phone when I tested it. It was much smaller but much heavier than my iPhone, but had such a quality feel with the glass and stainless steel, sooooo nice!

  6. Drew Guttadore | April 4, 2010 at 10:47 pm |

    The MSRP on the Ayxta is AUD $8400… I didn’t pay that much.. 🙂 Pretty preposterous really.. I too loved my Nokia 8800, just wish it had been quad band! Still won’t be taking either one to the beach however.. 🙂

  7. That’s more than the hospital bill for the heart attack I just had reading that.

  8. Drew Guttadore | April 4, 2010 at 11:07 pm |

    He he.. 🙂 Not for the faint of heart..

  9. Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta http://bit.ly/bWlyVU ???? ???. $7500 for what is basically a Nokia flip phone.

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