Freak Peek sneak peek leaks, piques curiosity

For many of us, the mere thought of toting yet another device in our pocket, purse, or belt holster is truly disgusting, particularly when said device resembles a primitive BlackBerry hewn from solid stone and does literally nothing but send and receive email for twenty bucks a month. For others, though, the Peek might be just what the doctor ordered. Laptop Magazine took a quick look at the $100 email-only brick, declaring it "dead simple" to use -- a good thing, considering its target demo -- and finding its expansive soft-touch keyboard easy on the fingers. As ugly as it might be, it'll be easy enough to hide; Laptop says users will have no issues tucking it into a pocket, owing in no small part to the fact that it's a full 30 percent thinner than the iPhone 3G. Still, we're going to like 'em ten times better when they're hacked to run Android, Doom, Maemo, or pretty much anything else that ends in "ux."

Update: Gadling's got a hands-on with the Peek as well and expects to post a full review in the next few days. Have a... peek, why don't you?

[Ignatius @ Aug 26th 2008 9:05PM]

Eek!

[Will H. @ Aug 26th 2008 9:33PM]

A sneak peak for the geek leet.

[James Mack @ Aug 26th 2008 9:51PM]

Sweet! Keep the beat.

[MrGam3r @ Aug 26th 2008 10:01PM]

"curiosity" does not rhyme with "ee". FAIL.

[amol @ Aug 26th 2008 11:12PM]

Hello again geeks (that is, hello from Peek)

Our Peeksters are still counting the votes over in this thread from
the 50 or so people clamoring for a Peek --

http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/20/peek-the-handheld-that-does-e-mail-and-only-e-mail/2#comments

Same offer applies here as there. Post your quiz answers on this
thread and we'll include you in the free Peeks pool.

We know you guys like your smartphones. We made one with less of
everything for people want things to be easier. You probably know someone like this. They are the ones who find the 7 remotes in your living room annoying. They can't remember if your new TV is 1080i or 1040ez. They forward you jokes. They pay half the rent...

For them, we made a nifty email personal email service for non-geeks with less of everything:
- less setup, less than 5 minutes from Target's checkout line to
getting your emails
- less chunky, super thin (9.9mm = 30% thinner than yours),
- less cluttered, more cool looking (IDEO designed),
- less power usage so endless battery life (5 days = 2-3x yours),
- less cramped screen -- it's big and wide
- less "alt" and "shift" -- ultra simple keyboard (like, an @ key;
find that on yours),
- no new accounts -- works with your current email account (even
Yahoo! or Gmail or
whatever with no ports or forwarding settings),
- no salesmen - just grab it at Target
- no contracts (0 years),
- no hidden fees (none) or other nonsense (400 page bill?),
- no Verizon/AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile to deal with....

We'll be on the lookout for quiz answers posted here with >5 checks. Or just email me at amol at getpeek dot com like all you folks did on the last thread (you know who you are)

- Amol from Peek

[YourTechSupport @ Aug 27th 2008 1:21AM]

1_x_ "I don't like the cell phone company and the thought of calling them makes me want to puke."
2_x_ "Yes, of course I do e-mail."
3___ "I have a cell phone already and it's on a contract, so maybe I'll consider that new phone you showed me next year some time."
4___ "2-year contracts suck. Actually, all contracts suck."
5_x_ "Sure my phone plan *says* it's $70 per month, but it comes out to like $94 after taxes and stuff. And I think that is lame."
6_x_ "I don't want to carry that burrito-sized thing you keep calling a 'smartphone'."
7___ "I want this thing to be working in like 5 minutes flat and no I don't want you to do it for me (but thanks for offering)."
8___ "That sure sounds cool, but I'm not sure I need a telnet client on my phone right now."
9___ "Okay, so you got port forwarding to work on your Airport Express. THAT is why you were late for my birthday dinner?"
10_x_ "Super thin device, cool looking, endless battery life, big screen, ultra simple keyboard, works with my current email account, buy it at Target, no contracts, no hidden fees or other nonsense, no Verizon/AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile to deal with, and only $100....I like it"

[CL @ Aug 27th 2008 4:40AM]

What kind of email and attachment types does this device support?
HTML formatting?
Images?
Word docs?
Excel sheets?
PDF?

[CL @ Aug 27th 2008 4:47AM]

"The $99 Peek supports IMAP and POP accounts and most Web accounts, including Yahoo and Gmail. Since it’s made for Joe Consumer, it supports images but not Office docs or other attachments."
-http://blog.laptopmag.com/a-sneak-peek-at-the-e-mail-only-peek

Having even a crappy 0.3mp camera on the thing for attachments would have been good.

[Skelotic @ Aug 27th 2008 10:42AM]

1_x_ "I don't like the cell phone company and the thought of calling them makes me want to puke."
2_x_ "Yes, of course I do e-mail."
3___ "I have a cell phone already and it's on a contract, so maybe I'll consider that new phone you showed me next year some time."
4__x_ "2-year contracts suck. Actually, all contracts suck."
5_x_ "Sure my phone plan *says* it's $70 per month, but it comes out to like $94 after taxes and stuff. And I think that is lame."
6_x_ "I don't want to carry that burrito-sized thing you keep calling a 'smartphone'."
7__x_ "I want this thing to be working in like 5 minutes flat and no I don't want you to do it for me (but thanks for offering)."
8___ "That sure sounds cool, but I'm not sure I need a telnet client on my phone right now."
9___ "Okay, so you got port forwarding to work on your Airport Express. THAT is why you were late for my birthday dinner?"
10_x_ "Super thin device, cool looking, endless battery life, big screen, ultra simple keyboard, works with my current email account, buy it at Target, no contracts, no hidden fees or other nonsense, no Verizon/AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile to deal with, and only $100....I like it"

[Matthew C @ Aug 27th 2008 6:59PM]

mrgam3r,are you always such a buzzkill?

[k4ffy @ Aug 28th 2008 10:59AM]

This actually looks like an interesting device. Don't mind the naysayers!

Take this handy quiz. Put a check if you know someone who would agree with these quotes below:
1_X_ "I don't like the cell phone company and the thought of calling them makes me want to puke."
2_X_ "Yes, of course I do e-mail."
3_X_ "I have a cell phone already and it's on a contract, so maybe I'll consider that new phone you showed me next year some time."
4_X_ "2-year contracts suck. Actually, all contracts suck."
5_X_ "Sure my phone plan *says* it's $70 per month, but it comes out to like $94 after taxes and stuff. And I think that is lame."
6_X_ "I don't want to carry that burrito-sized thing you keep calling a 'smartphone'."
7_X_ "I want this thing to be working in like 5 minutes flat and no I don't want you to do it for me (but thanks for offering)."
8___ "That sure sounds cool, but I'm not sure I need a telnet client on my phone right now."
9___ "Okay, so you got port forwarding to work on your Airport Express. THAT is why you were late for my birthday dinner?"
10_X_ "Super thin device, cool looking, endless battery life, big screen, ultra simple keyboard, works with my current email account, buy it at Target, no contracts, no hidden fees or other nonsense, no Verizon/AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile to deal with, and only $100....I like it"

[k4ffy @ Aug 28th 2008 11:12AM]

1_X_ "I don't like the cell phone company and the thought of calling them makes me want to puke."
2_X_ "Yes, of course I do e-mail."
3_X_ "I have a cell phone already and it's on a contract, so maybe I'll consider that new phone you showed me next year some time."
4_X_ "2-year contracts suck. Actually, all contracts suck."
5_X_ "Sure my phone plan *says* it's $70 per month, but it comes out to like $94 after taxes and stuff. And I think that is lame."
6_X_ "I don't want to carry that burrito-sized thing you keep calling a 'smartphone'."
7_X_ "I want this thing to be working in like 5 minutes flat and no I don't want you to do it for me (but thanks for offering)."
8___ "That sure sounds cool, but I'm not sure I need a telnet client on my phone right now."
9___ "Okay, so you got port forwarding to work on your Airport Express. THAT is why you were late for my birthday dinner?"
10_X_ "Super thin device, cool looking, endless battery life, big screen, ultra simple keyboard, works with my current email account, buy it at Target, no contracts, no hidden fees or other nonsense, no Verizon/AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile to deal with, and only $100....I like it"

[Nate @ Aug 26th 2008 9:07PM]

The title... ha. I love the title. Might be the best one I've seen.

[Ridgecity @ Aug 27th 2008 3:02AM]

This is Dr. Seuss, you'll be hearing from my attorney.

[J2 @ Aug 26th 2008 9:07PM]

TRUE!

[projektR @ Aug 26th 2008 9:12PM]

Eeeeeeeew!

[Ran @ Aug 26th 2008 9:17PM]

How ugly art thee? Let me count the ways...

[Sofunnytom @ Aug 26th 2008 10:34PM]

I believe you meant to say "thou".

[gad get @ Aug 26th 2008 10:40PM]

I believe it would be "thou."

[Amani576 @ Aug 26th 2008 10:48PM]

No, I'm pretty sure he meant "thee"
GR

[rTwelve [xbl:chilblane] @ Aug 26th 2008 9:20PM]

The font on the keypad reminds me of those little Radica video poker games... probably fitting.

[zann243 @ Aug 26th 2008 9:51PM]

really? because it reminds me of Arial, italicized in CAPS

[Yevon @ Aug 26th 2008 9:29PM]

Hey, the 90's called. They want their keyboard back.

[Matthew @ Aug 26th 2008 9:32PM]

THE worst alliteration ever!

[Will H. @ Aug 26th 2008 9:33PM]

THE worst doublepost evar.

[zann243 @ Aug 26th 2008 9:53PM]

Really? Interesting.
Because Alliteration is the repetition of the first consonant sound
your thinking of assonance - the repetition of vowel sounds

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Aug 26th 2008 10:17PM]

Hey. I want in on the fun.

[Prokanda @ Aug 27th 2008 3:30AM]

Hey zann.... you're thinking of "you're".

[Matthew @ Aug 26th 2008 9:32PM]

THE worst alliteration ever!

[Will H. @ Aug 26th 2008 9:34PM]

THE worst doublepost evar.

[Raylon @ Aug 26th 2008 9:54PM]

I don't know, yours is pretty bad too.

[zann243 @ Aug 26th 2008 9:53PM]

Really? Interesting.
Because Alliteration is the repetition of the first consonant sound
your thinking of assonance - the repetition of vowel sounds

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Aug 26th 2008 10:17PM]

Hey. I want in on the fun.

[Cerberus @ Aug 26th 2008 9:33PM]

This type of device seems completley pointless in this day and age...

[YourTechSupport @ Aug 26th 2008 10:10PM]

That's the point.
Most people won't need this.
But look at it. It's a dedicated device that does one thing really well.
Besides. It will probably be hacked in short order into.... something.

[Tagbert @ Aug 27th 2008 11:02AM]

The market has grown to the point that there is room for specialized devices that focus on a single function. Yes, it is a niche market and not for everyone. For those who need something like this it is probably better than using a less optimized combination device. (of course, I don't know enough about this thing yet to know if it really is optimized or not)

[apple fanboy @ Aug 26th 2008 9:34PM]

i wish everyone would just get an iphone so we wouldnt even have to deal with these other pos phones and what not

[Cerberus @ Aug 26th 2008 9:36PM]

Your name obviously shows your not bias, I love how your totally not trolling Engadget!

[Drew @ Aug 26th 2008 9:52PM]

@Cerberus:
Oh my God.... Learn to use words properly, please. YOU'RE and BIASED.

[Nzo @ Aug 26th 2008 10:05PM]

Or just delete the 'not' ;)

[lurk@wurk @ Aug 27th 2008 12:36AM]

Actually, YOUR is correct.

[Prokanda @ Aug 27th 2008 3:30AM]

Actually, lurk, the correction was completely founded. The person they were referring to said "your not bias" and meant "you are not biased".

Your is not the same as you're. Your is possessive (i.e. "Your house is really nice."). You're is an accusatory contraction (i.e. "You're making an ass out of yourself by trying to improperly correct an already proper correction.").

[Cerberus @ Aug 26th 2008 9:34PM]

This type of device seems utterly pointless in this day and age...

Just curious, what type of jobs do actually require a email only device?

[fred @ Aug 26th 2008 9:56PM]

Construction, or delivery?

When you just need to send messages to people in the field, and don't need an expensive part-time pmp/part-time smartphone, this is the perfect choice.

[Bill @ Aug 26th 2008 9:35PM]

I don't think its that ugly. Its black square bezel is nice, and its thin aswell. This is just a bad just a bad picture is all. The keyboard is the only thing that looks bad to me, but if its easy to use I wouldn't mind.

Not that i'm going to buy one of these things or anything, i don't need one

[Jon Doe. @ Aug 26th 2008 9:39PM]

Ahh the techno snob. Did it ever occur to you that just like the ever popular subnotebook that not everyone needs the kitchen sink. Hell this is PERFECT to deploy in a company where you don't need to give everyone

1. A laptop
2. A cell phone.
3. Expensive data plans to go with either.

so bring it on.

[MonkeyBridge @ Aug 26th 2008 9:50PM]

I like the title. And actually, I think this looks pretty cool, but then again, I think the pager is due for a comeback.

[Carl Vitullo @ Aug 26th 2008 10:07PM]

lol, the pager.

[majortom @ Aug 26th 2008 10:34PM]

if you work in a teaching hospital, pagers are everywhere. I have seen doctors carry two or three depending on what service(s) they are covering.

[ipodrulz @ Aug 26th 2008 9:53PM]

Love the title! How are they going to make this compatible with Hotmail? Cause it doesn't support IMAP/Push.