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In this era of ever more sophisticated smartphones, the need for a “simple phone” on the market has become increasingly evident. Enter the OwnFone, the latest entrant in this trend-defying category that adds a twist of personalization to the mix. A creation of UK-based CyCell, OwnFone is a mini, lightweight, and customizable low-cost mobile phone that focuses on providing direct access to a select set of key contacts. In addition to choosing the color and style of their device, users can design the handset around up to 12 names for quick dialing. Two, four, 8 or 12 name buttons can be preprogrammed and prelabeled on the OwnFone, which receives calls as well; the fewer the buttons chosen, the bigger they are. Meanwhile, phone numbers are not stored in the OwnFone, but rather are kept in a secure computer server instead. So, in the event the device gets lost or stolen, the user’s key contact numbers are protected. The credit card-sized OwnFone is rechargeable and will last in shutdown mode for up to a year without charge. Braille and photo buttons are coming soon, the OwnFone site says. Pricing is GBP 55, and three price plans are available, with no long-term contract required. The video below explains the premise in more detail: Currently, the OwnFone only serves users in the UK and Northern Ireland. Entrepreneurs around the globe: time to bring something similar to your part of the world? Spotted by: Murtaza Patel