Neonode's N2 ready for summer launch

Sick of the iPhone but like the whole touch-screen thing? Great, then you'll be happy to hear that the Neonode N2 is prepped for sale. Starting this summer, the phone that led the way for the iPhone (their words) will be up for grabs. No 3G or WiFi (or even EDGE) of course, and the launch will be limited to "south-eastern Europe," but hey, it's a start. Maybe we'll get a bit more info after the launch party in Athens (Greece, not Ohio).

[Thanks, Guillermo V.]

[dave @ Jul 2nd 2007 12:37PM]

It is pretty...but no edge or wifi :(

[Tony @ Jul 2nd 2007 12:38PM]

What the heck is that ugly duckling?? You honestly consider that competition Engadget!! :-)

[bluemonq @ Jul 2nd 2007 1:05PM]

heads up, iPhone fans: take a bit of your own advice from the iPhone threads - if you don't care for this phone, don't bother posting here. "if you can't find anything good to say about it, don't say anything."

[John Benson @ Jul 2nd 2007 1:09PM]

...and people badmouth the iPhone!

[Christian Martin @ Jul 2nd 2007 1:15PM]

There's an Athens, TX as well. Just FYI.

[Silver @ Jul 2nd 2007 1:18PM]

"if you can't find anything good to say about it, don't say anything." - bluemonq

OK, how about this: "The Neonode is so blocky it will make its users look skinnier!"

Does that work for you?

[ken gray @ Jul 2nd 2007 1:29PM]

Since it's in Greece, the real question is, "Will they hand out the swag via dead goat? 80)

[zed @ Jul 3rd 2007 3:38PM]

Sony marketing at its best.PS3 lays next to the poor goat here in Greece...(660€)

[Mark @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:15PM]

Since I'm not an iphone fan(check any of my past posts on the issue)I guess I don't need to take their advice, and I just want to say, this goes up for worst gadget of the year for me. I mean seriously, it's fat, has no wifi or 3G or EDGE, and looks like it has the worst, most cryptic menu I've ever seen on a phone. Why would any1 want this?

[0ndsk4 @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:18PM]

Note that the phone is crazy small, has a footprint thats only 66% of the iphone.

[Argot @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:30PM]

Yeah, and even better, it's NOT an iPhone!

[G @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:56PM]

If Playskool had black plastic.

[Jongscx @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:12PM]

Hey... don't forget about us other Athens(es) down here in Georgia and Tennessee

[simplyjas @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:33PM]

Any competition is good for all of us.

[alexberg @ Jul 2nd 2007 6:18PM]

It's not THAT fat, not THAT small.
Tho it does look as a cool mobile phone, not smartphone (imho). Compared to any other mobile phone, it's teh shiatz! (imho)

[Stranger @ Jul 2nd 2007 6:21PM]

To be frank I would say that Mydevice by MyOrigo (a finnish company) was the device which led the way for the Iphone. Preproduction samples were released in the end of 2003 but unfortunately they never made a commercial debute. When reading about the iphone all I can think of is how well it copies the Mydevice, from the touchscreen to mp3-playback to the web browser to the "slide navigation" to the gyro (accelerometer). In fact, even though almost four years separate those two devices Mydevice was more advanced in many ways.

[tnkgrl @ Jul 2nd 2007 6:34PM]

The Neonode N1/N1m (before the N2) kind of led the way for the iPhone (along with the MyOrigo MyDevice) - check out my video review: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2007/06/29/neonode-n1m-video-review/

I think the N2 is quadband EDGE But no WiFi or 3G).

[t-bone @ Jul 2nd 2007 11:06PM]

The what lead the way for the iPhone? Are you saying that is a phone? Does it come with a color screen? Do they have a non-kindergarten version?

[Don @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:00AM]

To answer your question...
Yes, Yes, and you're dumb.

http://www.neonode.com/en-gb/Start-page-nuggets/have-a-closer-look/

[John @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:17PM]

I own an iPhone. I have owned other touched screen from HP to PALM and the iPhone is the best. Not only because of design, quality of markmanship, but because it works. Ok, so AT&T is not that great, and they did take 48 hours to move my phone from T-Mobile, but at the end of the day, the is no phone with better appeal as the iphone.

Not one.

You think that this designers for look alike would learn something about design and engineering from apple. THICK = cooler, clunky does not = crime deterrent. What? Someone is not going to steal your phone because its so clunky and ugly?

Is this another "Shrek" of the phone industry?

Good try but no. I'll stay with my iphone thanks.

[John @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:19PM]

I own an iPhone. I have owned other touched screen from HP to PALM and the iPhone is the best. Not only because of design, quality of markmanship, but because it works. Ok, so AT&T is not that great, and they did take 48 hours to move my phone from T-Mobile, but at the end of the day, the is no phone with better appeal as the iphone.

Not one.

You think that this designers for look alike would learn something about design and engineering from apple. THICK = cooler, clunky does not = crime deterrent. What? Someone is not going to steal your phone because its so clunky and ugly?

[wellingj @ Jul 4th 2007 10:33PM]

What may appeal to you is quite repulsing for me.
This holds more appeal for me:
http://www.openmoko.org/

[lindtdale @ Jul 4th 2007 3:04AM]

This phone is cute for my little brother... If ever this thing will be available in the Philippines(together with the Iphone) I'll definitelybuy one.

[alexberg @ Jul 4th 2007 3:05AM]

Wow I'm surprised!
I thought at least 12 of the people complaining about the N2 and using Iphone as a reference would say something about the interface or the wifi-ability. But seems the most disturbing thing about this phone is simply the thickness. Which funny as it may sound isn't so hurrendeously thick at all, compaired to other phones. Here I'll just give you a quick-pick list of phones to compaire.

N2: 14,7 mm
Iphone: 11.6 mm
Nokia E65: 15.5 mm
Nokia 6500 Slide: 16.4 mm
Nokia 6500 Classic: 9.5 mm
Samsung i710: 13.5 mm
Samsung F500: 10.7 mm
Motorola RAZR2 V9: 13.3 mm
Motorola W218: 15 mm
SE T650: 12.5 mm
SE W610: 14 mm
SE K200: 16.7 mm
SE M600: 15 mm
SE W880: 9.5 mm
LG KE850 Prada: 12 mm
LG KG800: 15.2 mm
LG KE770: 9.9 mm
LG KS10: 18.5 mm
Siemens C75: 17 mm
Siemens A31: 17.6 mm
Siemens CX70: 18 mm
Panasonic SC3: 16.8 mm
Panasonic X100: 18 mm
BlackBerry Pearl 8100: 14.5 mm
BlackBerry Curve 8300: 15.5 mm

So as you all can see from this not-so-thorough-investigation the N2 weighs in somewhere in the middle. Sure the Iphone is thinner, but the N2 itsn't THAT thick. Now you can all go play with your non-mms:ing ATT-phones! :)

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/

[Constable Odo @ Jul 4th 2007 8:53AM]

Looks very functional. That step design is unusual. I don't care much for that square plastic button sticking out or the Neonode logo. It does seem a bit small in length, yet thick enough to have a comfortable grasp.
Not bad. Not great, but not bad.