Neonode N2 gets unboxed, videoed

Granted, this whole unboxing process took a tad longer than we're used to, but considering the absence of an Apple logo and the fact that the folks in Greece likely roll with a bit more patience than we gizmo freaks here in North America, we won't grouse too much. Still, the first widespread unboxing pictures (and a video for good measure) of the highly anticipated Neonode N2 have officially hit the 'net just under a fortnight after the launch party in Athens, and we must say it's looking pretty good. From the well appointed packaging right down to the matte black outfit, the N2 is (finally) yours to witness (psst, the video is after the jump).

Read - Neonode N2 unboxing
Read - Neonode N2 unboxing, part II
Read - Neonode N2 Interface shots

[Miles @ Jul 18th 2007 4:15PM]

Looks like a crappy iphone rip off with a huge button.

[Argot @ Jul 18th 2007 4:29PM]

No, you got it backwards. The iPhone is a crappy ripoff of the Neonode.

[Miles @ Jul 18th 2007 4:31PM]

What would you say if we all agreed that they are both crappy?

[Chas @ Jul 18th 2007 8:32PM]

What's crappy about it, and how is it a rip off of the iPhone?

Observe, contemplate, formulate, then contribute something of value.

I own an iPhone, and think it is the best phone I've have ever owned, but this device has some cool features, starting with its small form factor and memory expansion capabilities. Nice to see that more devices are adopting the touch screen interface.

[Argot @ Jul 19th 2007 6:45AM]

BTW, check out this picture. A neonode/iPhone side by side... Jesus, that thing looks huge! :)

http://i15.tinypic.com/4oq0lf8.jpg

[Miles @ Jul 19th 2007 2:47PM]

Oh wow.

A phone with a touch screen so small you can't even use it.

The picture in the article makes it look huge, but now I see it's just a small toy.

[Rob @ Jul 18th 2007 4:20PM]

Oh man, and I thought we were the only ones dealing with difficult packaging.
The guy almost messed up whatever that little phone is.

[az1324 @ Jul 18th 2007 4:20PM]

Except for the fact that neonode has been around forever... in some limited form.

Groovy soundtrack though.

[Don @ Jul 18th 2007 4:27PM]

I disagree, I like it quite a bit. Packaging is great too.

As far as it being an "iPhone Clone", I know that anything that has a rectangular shape is automagically a "clone" of the iphone/ipod/iwhatever by zealots.

In the end, it isn't an iPhone clone, any more than the iphone is a clone of a dozen touchscreen WM phones before it. I also think that the unit's form factor was announced prior to or very shortly before the announcement of the iPhone. It's smaller, has expandable storage, and is far less expensive but lacks some of the iPhone's features. I'd replace my phone with it in a second if I knew where to get one that will work on AT&T/US.

[Cesar Cardoso @ Jul 18th 2007 4:28PM]

July in Greece? Geez, people have WAY more interesting things to do then unboxing gadgets ;-)

[Don @ Jul 18th 2007 4:28PM]

very shortly after, I meant to say.

[nabil shahid @ Jul 18th 2007 4:28PM]

that thing is tiny.

[Josef F @ Jul 18th 2007 4:43PM]

Cool! Now I know how to say "Quickstart Guide" in Greek!

[alexanderb @ Jul 18th 2007 4:49PM]

This phone is a must have to me. I just fell in love with the sife and the touchscreen as soon as I heard of it. The open (as it seems at least) mind of those behind it appeals to me as well. This is a phone not a smartphone and as such it kicks ass (imho!)

[hickhamt @ Jul 18th 2007 5:10PM]

what's amazing is that im seeing a neonode product in the flesh.. a few years back they kept promising the release of the original N1... delay after delay turned alot of people's excitement into the same feeling that people have for that Stoern or Steorn thing now... including me! but it's definetly NOT an iCrap clone... they've been developing the N1 and N2 for longer than apple's been probably thinking about making a phone... but people who didnt know that either arent a phone geek like me that keeps up with the cellular industry including OS's and handset technology or they dont have the yahoo engadget RSS widget on their desktop (the suckup that i am...) anyway, the point is that if you go to start typing and call it an icrap clone, you should really stop and go google evidence for your argument before you look like you dont know what your talking about (aka, a babling idiot).. and also, i shouldnt call it the "icrap" .. i've played with one.. it's a VERY slick phone (for the interface) but if you want a phone that's made by people who know what they're doing when it comes to making phones and have packed way more features and better than iphone features into a tiny phone and you dont mind paying that $600 or so for an UNLOCKED gsm phone, check out the Nokia N95... better camera, sat-GPS, same amount of flash space and/or more, non-crazy headset jack, support for A2DP stereo bluetooth, library of 1000's of thirdparty apps/themes/etc, actual ability to set your own ringtone without hacking the phone.... and a few more... no brainer i think...

[sgiga @ Jul 18th 2007 6:28PM]

This is the coolest phone in years. Boots from the SD card. Hmm maybe it is possible to run Linux?

[Bazza @ Jul 18th 2007 6:51PM]

I wish it had wifi, then it will be perfect.

[tnkgrl @ Jul 18th 2007 7:40PM]

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the Neonode N2! The older Neonode N1m is a pretty cool little device which pioneered some of teh thinking behind the Apple iPhone: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2007/06/29/neonode-n1m-video-review/

[Iain @ Jul 18th 2007 8:39PM]

I have an N1m sat right here as I type, only got it quite recently too (last few weeks).
It's a very nice phone in some respects but quite obviously dated.

It suffers, due to the way the screen works with the IR sensors around the side, from a lack of room on the screen when you're typing, because the keypad takes up so much room - this picture demonstrates what I mean: http://www.flickr.com/photos/titanas/731564214/in/set-72157600669537853/
And it's a shame that the N2 isn't a bit smaller. They probably could've gotten rid of the button at the bottom of the screen and saved some more space.

But, apart from that, if it's like the N1m, the N2 will be a fun little phone, the UI and the touchscreen are a joy to use.

[Sam Daniel @ Jul 18th 2007 9:39PM]

In the end, it isn't an iPhone clone, any more than the iphone is a clone of a dozen touchscreen WM phones before it. Jay Whtilow also thinks that the unit's form factor was announced prior to or very shortly before the announcement of the iPhone. It's smaller, has expandable storage, and is far less expensive but lacks some of the iPhone's features. I'd replace my phone with it in a second if I knew where to get one that will work on AT&T/US.

[Miles @ Jul 19th 2007 12:02AM]

iPhone was the first phone that had multi-touch and gesture based input.
This phone's makers probably went "Hey lets "borrow" that feature! It'll be an iphone killer!"

You can still copy off something after you announce your product.
As long as it happened during development you can change it to be a knockoff.

[sgiga @ Jul 19th 2007 2:06AM]

Miles, look at the facts. The link posted above shows the Neno UI. This UI was used on the N1 from *2004*. This is three years ago. The N2 use the same interface.
http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2007/06/29/neonode-n1m-video-review/

[Martin Carlsson @ Jul 19th 2007 5:10AM]

I thought neonode was Swedish?