'Diamonds' Could Be A Gadgeteer's Best Friend

Cell phones, mp3 players and other handhelds have suffered long and hard at our hands -- subjected to scratches, dirt, spilled goo and more. But the folks at Nokia's Finland division think they may have found a solution -- and a glitzy one at that.

The scientists there are experimenting with a diamond-like coating made from coal. The material renders the handhelds scratch and dirt resistant, not to mention giving it give off a lustrous shine. Best of all, when the handheld has eventually become obsolete (which at this rate is usually three weeks after purchase) and is trashed, the thin coal layer is biodegradable.