You know, I’ve always been a big fan of Motorola cell phones, especially the Motorola Razr - moderately priced, very sleek, and durable enough for every day use.  But, I have to admit, when I read about the Motorola Aura phone, I was a little perplexed.

In case you haven’t heard of it, the Motorola Aura cell phone is a “poster child” for excess.  At $1,999, the Aura cell phone features a circular sapphire screen, a Swiss-made swivel mechanism, an alluminum keypad, PVD coating (often used on expensive watches). The phone is set to be released in December.

Look beyond the pretty face of the Aura cell phone, and you’ll find a 2 MegaPixel camera, MPEG-4 video playback, MP3 and Bluetooth compatibility, a 2 GB internal memory, and Quad Band GSM/Edge.

Undoubtedly, a solid phone in a finely-crafted package, but my question remains. I know there are always a select few to whom budgets are irrelevant, but in the face of a Wall Street collapse, record unemployment rates, and millions of foreclosures looming, I have to wonder, is this really the right time for the Aura?

If the Aura’s near $2K price tag is just chump change for you, check out the iDiamond iPod.