Jose Tomas DeLuna came up with his KRE8 project during a school design session sponsored by Motorola. The phone brings together ideas from Nintendo’s Wiimote, Tonium’s Pacemaker Portable DJ and iPhone making a portable music system.

DeLuna developed a way to increase functionality by splitting the phone in two parts, each responsive to gesture. Through movement, the phone works out which mode it uses. These being Instrument Mode (for guitar, drums, violin playing) which uses touch-enabled software. This allows the user to slide in instruments, clips and effects in the middle of a song such as gain or bass. The phone also allows for Mix Mode (for DJ-ing) and Record Mode. The design does not use the real dial process like the Pacemaker, rather large visual interface. The phone divides like a Wiimote to sound out beats.

The ideal version of the phone for DeLuna would see the output of the beats recorded as a MIDI Signal. These then shared to other phones through 3G. This is different from the social networking aspects of other applications and models (like the Pacemaker), which places its social networking and music sharing options on the web only.  There has already been a little criticism of the phone such as the use of the main screen and serious concept flaws. I think that the use of a phone would be a little fun. I have seen a few methods of mobiles used as a substitute for traditional DJ’ing equipment. As far as using this in the real world of music production and mixing to a live audience, I will hold off judgement. I still use (and love) vinyl – remember that stuff?

[via Wired]