Android-based E28 touchscreen phone gets demoed on video

Just in case you haven't had your Android fill from this year's Mobile World Congress, the folks from PhoneMag have now let loose a video that shows the much-anticipated OS in action on a working touchscreen phone from E28. As you can see for yourself in the video after the break, the OS is a tad sluggish but not unreasonably so, which is all the more impressive given that it's apparently running without any modifications on some pretty lackluster hardware (a 200MHz OMAP TI 730 chipset and just 64MB RAM and 64MB ROM). Of course, this is just a demo in the truest sense of the word, so there's no indication that you'll actually be able to get your hands on the phone anytime soon.

[Via SlashGear]

[zi wang @ Feb 12th 2008 10:16PM]

Not bad, the interface looks very simple and easy to use.

[Jeff @ Feb 12th 2008 3:31PM]

the scrolling between icons at the bottom seems cumbersome and unnecessary... but i'm hopeful.

They need to get usability down first, then worry about flashy stuff, like a fancy slide from icon to icon. As long as it's usable, you can fancy up the visual effects all you want. It seems like people aren't understanding this yet.

But as far as most current (non-osx based) phone OS's, i think you're right. relatively simple.

[fahnboi @ Feb 12th 2008 2:39PM]

Towards the end, the filmer says "It's running on current hardware and it works really good". That is all.

[Mark @ Feb 12th 2008 2:40PM]

Do they scroll between the icons in this demo too for a good 10 minutes? (It's blocked at work.)

[Goldaar @ Feb 12th 2008 3:55PM]

@Dax
I don't know what you are smoking, but the OS will be completely open source when it's released, meaning you can add or remove features you want or don't want. There will be no ads pushed to your device, you will merely be more likely to run web based apps and therefore become an impression. You need to not be so paranoid about this project. The fact that they will be using unified API's for every device the OS will mean more homebrew apps and more ways to access your digital information.

[Homeboy @ Feb 12th 2008 2:50PM]

Not impressed.

[Dax @ Feb 12th 2008 3:10PM]

I am not either. All I can think of is that Android will have one goal, and that is to push advertising and content to your phone you do not want. There are a lot of smartphone OS's out there now, and without Android bringing some really great features, it will flop. I think Google will get it on to hardware by offering manufacturers and carriers revenues from the litany of advertisement that will come on it.

[Dax @ Feb 12th 2008 3:13PM]

I am not either. All I can think of is that Android will have one goal, and that is to push advertising and content to your phone you do not want. There are a lot of smartphone OS's out there now, and without Android bringing some really great features, it will flop. I think Google will get it on to hardware by offering manufacturers and carriers revenues from the litany of advertisement that will come on it.

[RichardBronosky @ Feb 12th 2008 4:02PM]

@Dax
Android has one goal, allow true innovation by removing the limitations artificially (and contractually) imposed by network vendors. Give the consumer the unfettered ability to utilize the possibilities of the hardware. This has never happened before. It will result in a renaissance.

Forcing unwanted ads onto a phone is the exact opposite of what an open platform does. People need to educate themselves before they parrot uneducated opinions.

[Jon Shipman @ Feb 12th 2008 2:52PM]

Hey, it's the speed of my T-mo Wing! :-0

[DSeaver @ Feb 12th 2008 2:56PM]

This lets me hope that my ATT 8125 can run it, I plan to get a Tilt later this year when I get my upgrade. I would love to see android on my 8125

[Dave @ Feb 12th 2008 2:59PM]

ROFL. Why get a tilt? just looking at this video shows how slow my Tilt really is...sad when a demo 200mhz OMAP is schooling a 400mhz ARM...

[Fernando @ Feb 12th 2008 3:16PM]

@Dave

Well the Tilt's slow unresponsive speed has Windows Mobile 100% to blame. I mean that thing has a dual core processor and it still sluggish. When is Microsoft going to come out with an OS that does not hog up all your hardware resources, so that maybe, just maybe you can run some decent software on it?

[Ayle @ Feb 12th 2008 6:08PM]

@Fernando

Oh God.... you didn't hear anything about the missing video drivers on the tilt didn't you? Oh and about the dual-core processor thing, it's not the same technology used on the pc: basically it's two chips included in one package with one governing the the hardware while the other part run the os and the programs launched by the user. It was not designed for multiprocessing.

[Todd @ Feb 12th 2008 3:03PM]

Unknown, unproven Chinese hardware - WTF? Can a brother just get an Android demo on a real world, common phone? Not a "simulation", not some two foot wide stack of desktop hardware, just a regular Nokia or Moto?

Also, that E28 has a D-pad and a touch screen? And Android supports simultaneous D-pad and touch screen inputs?

[L @ Feb 12th 2008 3:25PM]

Do you really think you can just drop Android onto any phone that's on the market?
That's a bit naive...

[sivilalized @ Feb 12th 2008 3:51PM]

Holy crap!! It's a phone!

[danny @ Feb 12th 2008 3:11PM]

Improvement after improvement. It's great to see the direction this software stack is heading. Now if Google would only make their own, real gPhone...

-D
http://www.androidboards.com

[KC @ Feb 12th 2008 3:11PM]

All I can say is WOW. They demo'ed just about everything, but an actual phone call. =)

[Ayle @ Feb 12th 2008 6:02PM]

This reply wasn't meant for you. Sorry. It seems like Engadget comment system needs a major overhaul.

[Ayle @ Feb 12th 2008 6:01PM]

Oh God.... you didn't hear anything about the missing video drivers on the tilt didn't you? Oh and about the dual-core processor thing, it's not the same technology used on the pc: basically it's two chips included in one package with one governing the the hardware while the other part run the os and the programs launched by the user.

[The_Steven @ Feb 12th 2008 3:18PM]

Hey, if I can flash the rom in my old HTC 8125 with this, it could bring some new life to that old phone!

[OutCell @ Feb 12th 2008 3:23PM]

Isn't Android suppose to be full touchscreen like the iphone?

When he went to Google maps in the beginning, he had to hit the button to get a menu!
It needs a lot of work + real big companies to produce a good product/device.

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 12th 2008 3:26PM]

Android is the operating system stack... not a phone.

[OutCell @ Feb 12th 2008 3:38PM]

I know that, just like the iphone interface is the OS X. What i meant is that i heard the Android is OS X's (iPhone) competition but yet it is still not close :P

[jake @ Feb 12th 2008 9:24PM]

Here's where the confusion sets in. Android is a OS stack as said many times, meaning it CAN compete with the iphone's touch based interface but it also can work with any form factor of phone. It's far from finished and for an OS still in development, it runs pretty damn fast on a low bar smartphone, faster than I expected. Think if it had the hardware of the iphone, how fast it can run.
Then people bring in how they hate the scroll menu on the bottom. The thing about an open platform is that the entire interface can be customized easily. That means you can change your home screen and the rest of the interface to exactly like the iphones if you so please (though you would probably get into some copyright problems). If it doesn't get bogged down near the end of it's development this could turn out to be the ultimate OS for smartphones and maybe even dumbphones.

[OutCell @ Feb 12th 2008 9:50PM]

Can't wait for the action :p

[Matt @ Feb 12th 2008 3:25PM]

Wow, that's pretty responsive... So outta curiosity how would it run on a ARM 11, 369 MHz CPU, 64 MB SDRAM, 128 MB ROM?

[Harold J. Johnson @ Feb 12th 2008 3:54PM]

Has anyone seen an iPhone's touchscreen after it's been heavily used for 6 months? Does it hold up well? Can you still see clearly, or does the screen have wear? I'm curious about this. I mean, who wants a phone that's not going to be truly viewable after 6 months or a year of use? I may be making some assumptions that are plainly untrue, so I'd like to know if anyone out there has seen an iPhone's screen looking like it's already a few years old. I'm guessing there are accessory transparencies that protect the screen, but do those affect the touchscreen's functionality much? I have to take off my iPod's scrollwheel cover when I want to play a game of Vortex, otherwise it's not responsive enough.

[something @ Feb 12th 2008 4:06PM]

I've had the iPhone since September with a screen protector on it the entire time. The touch screen is no less responsive. While I can't speak to the wear and tear on the actual screen, I can say that the protector itself has no physical damage whatsoever.

[w00t @ Feb 12th 2008 4:08PM]

Harold, despite your rather oddly placed comment, I will answer the question for you...

The iPhone screen is glass, so as long as your not careless with it it'll look just as good after 6 months as it did when you took it out of the box (once you've cleaned all the fingerprints off, of course!) It's not plastic scratch hell like the iPods...

Back on topic, I'm liking where android is going, keep it up Google the competition is welcome!

[cashmonee @ Feb 12th 2008 4:09PM]

@Harold
My iPhone is just turning 6 months old and the screen is in perfect shape. It looks brand new, and I don't have any case or shield. Remember, the iPhone's screen is glass making it much more resistant to scratches than the plastic used on most phones.

[Buzz @ Feb 12th 2008 6:34PM]

Agree with the above. Own it since September, absolutely no degradation in image quality or touchscreen responsiveness.

[CanCar @ Feb 12th 2008 3:46PM]

It is not something of the other world. It really does not impress me! anythingjewishcardonations.com

[Goldaar @ Feb 12th 2008 3:59PM]

Androids competition is every mobile OS on the market, from small flip phones and candy bars to smartphones. It is just about unification of standards, so yes it will "compete" with OS X on the iPhone, but it is up to the manufacturer to decide what device they want to put it on (prada anyone?).

[RichardBronosky @ Feb 12th 2008 4:23PM]

"...up to the manufacturer to decide..."

No, Android is about the consumer choosing. People don't "get into" these demos cause they don't "get" what Android is about.

Android is about consumer choice. If you want security, microsoft gives you the choice of not using windows. The Linux desktop drowns you with choices. With Apple, if you don't like the Dock or the Finder, or anything else... you have to deal with it. With Android, if you don't like something, like the scrolling icon navigation, replace it.

As for manufacturers are concerned, they have one choice "How much effort do you want to invest in enabling or inhibiting the utilization of your hardware?" The community will take care of the rest. Just like installing Linux on routers. All Linksys had to do was get out of the way.

[Adam @ Feb 12th 2008 4:27PM]

This is just a step in the process to creating a more "linux-like" phone OS. I believe that as far and as fast as Google has put this out, that it can get really impressive quickly. It's taking "less-than-capable" hardware and through the miracles at Google coding, turning it into an impressive phone. Think of what it could do if installed on a CAPABLE phone. Think of what the simple Android software stack could do on one of today's smartphones. Not to mention the open-source customization that is possible. I for one will thank Google for breaking the overloaded preinstalled systems in place on most of today's phones.

[SickNick @ Feb 12th 2008 5:52PM]

The reason they used this phone and not a Moto or Nokia as someone asked is because this is one of the few current linux phones, Moto actually started using linux on some phone my Rokr E6 runs linux i shud try to get that on there. Anyways i hate it when people are like im not impressed, the damn thing is open source... in other words every day theres gonna be something new for it. Shit my linux desktop looks nothing like it did when i first put it on, nd will shit on Vista or Mac interface. Bottom line you can make this into watever u want..

[LinuxMag @ Feb 12th 2008 6:08PM]

This is the first android-on-real-target annoucement, but I dont think it's the last one.

no key input demo on this one.
no gsm call demo on this one.
no cantacts demo on this one.
no mediaplayer demo on this one.
no camera preview demo on this one.

Lets wait and see.......before the EOF 3GSM

[softdev @ Feb 12th 2008 8:07PM]

I dont like the external body colors. http://www.kanati.com.ph

[BenjaminD @ Feb 12th 2008 10:04PM]

Awesome!

I can't wait until this becomes available! As an iPhone owner, this looks really interesting and should create some excellent and VERY worthy competition for Apple's OS X iPhone operating system. I wonder if I'll be able to dual-boot between the two... (radio firmware compatibility issues?)

I'd love to see a demo of how reconfigurable Andriod really is.

[subash_Mandanapu @ Feb 21st 2008 10:13PM]

Google thought Open source will fuel the innovation. I feel its not a good idea to relay completely on open source developer. At least Google should guide the people by building some more interesting things like Apple. One more thing which is not clear is, How do the open source developer get paid? As they mentioned though ad-revenue share, but will operators allow that?

[JAZ @ Feb 25th 2008 3:58PM]

Hey, can some one say me the pros and cons of installing Android in my ATT 8125. Will the performance increase, and the normal working continue.

Thanks