Android-powered Sciphone Dream G2 is neither dreamy nor the G1's successor

The G1's taken some flak for being just a little less fashion-forward than the hottest handsets on the market, but as retail Android handsets go, it's the most beautiful thing going -- and we think that illustrious title's safe for the time being. Meet the "Dream G2" (groan) from China's Sciphone, a brick of an Android-powered handset promised for a November 28 release featuring EDGE data, WiFi, 4-megapixel cam with autofocus, 50MB of internal memory, microSD expansion to 16GB, FM radio, a QVGA display, and "the most advanced software ever engineered." Without a physical keyboard (as far as we can see, anyhow) and no software support in Android promised for a few months at minimum, it's unclear how you'll input text, but hey, the release is still a good ten days away -- maybe these guys are good at thinking on their feet.

[Via ModMyGphone, thanks neerhaj]

[Dan Fruzzetti @ Nov 18th 2008 8:56AM]

The first sentence should read "The G1's taken some flak..."

This phone makes me wonder if Google had any preconceived notion of monitoring the quality control process for hardware when Android is the intended OS. Shouldn't they be worried about inconsistency of the user experience when Android is put on a sub-par device?

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Nov 18th 2008 9:18AM]

Nah, Google usually just goes on whims and hunches when they do things.... they're so maverick-y

[schmitty338 @ Nov 18th 2008 9:26AM]

...isn't that exactly what people bitch about how Apple handles OSX?

Lack of doing this is largely why windows has gotten so much flak lately.

[Patriks7 @ Nov 18th 2008 8:56AM]

From the front it looks kind of like a hybrid between the G1 and a Nokia N85 or something..

[Paulo @ Nov 18th 2008 8:59AM]

Handwriting Stylus....

As said by the accessories list.

* GSM Quad-Band Cell Phone
* Lithium Batteries (2 pieces 1500mAh)
* Home charger
* Car charger
* USB DataCable
* 1G TF card (Installed in the phone)
* Handwriting Stylus
* Earphone
* Quick Start Manual(English)
* Retail Package

[Ryan @ Nov 18th 2008 9:11AM]

It looks like a hybrid between chicken grease and a face that hasn't seen Clearasil in a few days....

[Nihility @ Nov 18th 2008 9:12AM]

It's the same thing as with WiMo phones. Some of them are horribly cheap, useless pieces of s**t and some of them are almost usable. It's up to the company that makes the hardware to give it enough juice* and style, Android will take care of the rest.

*touchscreen,keyboard,bright and sharp screen,light weight, thin, battery life,durability,storage,processor,memory,speakers,mic,connectivity options,accessories etc...

[JOCOMAN @ Nov 18th 2008 9:12AM]

Dream........more like nightmare!

[ZSX @ Nov 18th 2008 9:13AM]

I can't wait for some of these unheard-of manufacturers start putting Android on their phones rather than their proprietary software. This, after all, is what Android is about isn't it? No manufacturer/ vendor lock-in and software to adapt as you see fit, and hopefully at a bargain price too.

[Nomi @ Nov 18th 2008 9:15AM]

Ya

[broli @ Nov 18th 2008 9:15AM]

Wow this is actually exiting. Usually the software with these clones is the big killer, with non existing support for it. But now that the game has changed they only have to make sure it runs smooth which might be the next big killer. But atleast it's a good alternative for 1/2 or maybe even 1/3 of G1's price.

[JL @ Nov 18th 2008 9:36AM]

As a G1 user - IMHO, i don't care that its not the "trendy fashion statement". Android has its quirks but it works beautifully for me. I just wish Google/T-Mo would resolve the POP/IMAP email issue.. That's my only complaint.

Am curious as how the Sciphone is going to work with a handwriting stylus - makes me think of PalmOS (not ragging on it, was a long time PalmOS user until going WinMO).

[chefgon_ign @ Nov 18th 2008 10:40AM]

"Am curious as how the Sciphone is going to work with a handwriting stylus"


Simple - they aren't. Android doesn't have an available input API yet, which means integrating handwriting recognition with existing programs is flat out impossible unless Sciphone actually went ahead and coded their own API into the Android OS. Based on the quality of the rest of this thing, you can probably take a wild stab at how likely that is.

My favorite part of this handset is the X button on the lower right of the D-pad, which is present on the QVGA emulator skin as a dead button. Yes, it literally does nothing.

I'm also wondering how the QVGA resolution holds up, the QVGA mode in the SDK has been royally messed up for a while now while they've been focusing on the G1 release. Relative positioning holds up, but the icons don't scale down so they just overlap eachother all over the place.

[joe23521 @ Nov 18th 2008 9:40AM]

Why is it unclear how you'll input text? Is it not a touch screen?

[000000 @ Nov 18th 2008 9:43AM]

There is no on screen keyboard for Android. Yeah, you heard that right. Great OS huh?...

[chefgon_ign @ Nov 18th 2008 10:44AM]

"i have a serious bone to pick about the G1 hardware after having bought one during the pre-sale and attempting to use its nearly useless keyboard."


Wow, really? I've been through about half a dozen QWERTY smartphones and the G1's keyboard is far and away the nicest one I've ever used. It's pretty damn near perfect. What didn't you like about it?

[Justin Maldonado @ Nov 18th 2008 11:26AM]

You can still use a kernel based keyboard that works just like an onscreen keyboard. That's how we have it on our fully functional HTC Touch (Vogue) port. I'm still looking forward to an official software keyboard, but for now the one we use works fine and they could easily be using the same on this phone.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=382265 - Vogue Port

[lucio @ Nov 18th 2008 9:47AM]

OS: Android ? Home Edition V1.0 OS support

Bah. It's the Home Edition. Gimme the Premium Edition!

[lucio @ Nov 18th 2008 9:50AM]

Premium? I meant *Ultimate Edition*!

[Patriks7 @ Nov 18th 2008 9:53AM]

This ain't Vista buddy..

[Cybergypsy @ Nov 18th 2008 10:12AM]

Yawn.........

[roach @ Nov 18th 2008 10:41AM]

It looks like Google is going to go through the same issues MS is going through with some of the hand held manufacturers (and PC manufacturers) by putting their OS on ugly underpowered hardwares. Let the nightmare begin.

[chefgon_ign @ Nov 18th 2008 10:49AM]

You've reached that conclusion based on a Chinese knockoff company releasing counterfeit hardware under somebody else's trademark? In that case, I'll say that Apple's iPhone OS is in big trouble because there was hardly any quality control on the "I-Phone" that I imported from Hong Kong for $15.

[TareX @ Nov 18th 2008 11:10AM]

Blows.

[Theli @ Nov 18th 2008 11:15AM]

"Shouldn't they be worried about inconsistency of the user experience when Android is put on a sub-par device?"

That's left to the hardware manufacturer. Judging from the look and specs of the "Sciphone Dream G2", it seems to exemplify a market that Android may be partially intended for. And that is the ultra-cheap no-name phones that normally would run some oddball proprietary operating system you've never heard of.

Now, it will probably offer a sub-par mobile experience compared to higher-end (read: more expensive) smartphones, but with a name like "Sciphone Dream G2" I would think that the expectations on this device would be pretty low already. People who would normally buy a phone like this will probably appreciate whatever improvements Android provides. If it works...

[Gadgetsguru @ Nov 20th 2008 11:25AM]

Millions of people around the world love these Chinese knockoffs including myself. These phones give people options to pick and choose. First there are unlocked, has two sim card slots (I have two different carrier on the one phone), MP3, MP4, cool features as shake feature, video recording (not even Iphone or G1 has this feature) and I still SMS, MMS, Internet etc. Also has Java.. so basically I still can customized the phone with apps that I like. Most importantly I pay hundreds less and not lock in to an ridiculous monthly plan (added bonus..everywhere I use the phone people think it's the original :) Long live Chinese knockoffs.

[Temo @ Nov 18th 2008 11:36AM]

Great.... I told my self I was going to buy the next Android phone... I guess I have to skip to the 3rd phone...

3rd is a charm!

[Temo @ Nov 18th 2008 11:40AM]

I also like all the question marks on the spec sheet.


Android Home Edition? So is there a a Android Girl Friend edition and a Android Internet Surfer edition?

I mean cell phones are to use OUTSIDE the house (except if that is your house phone)

[jake @ Nov 18th 2008 1:37PM]

I think we will see quite a few knockoff phones that will be sporting the Android OS.

Of course it seems like it doesn't have all the built in apps that came with the G1 (ie like youtube, im/texting, and more importantly the market) so the appeal of these won't be as high as for the "official" Android phones.

I say people should just wait for the next official Android phone.

[Imran @ Nov 18th 2008 5:32PM]

4megapixel? That's a bit of an odd one...

[rahy @ Nov 19th 2008 8:02AM]

Hmm, looks wierd.. at this point, im hoping to buy any other android phone than G1.
this guy claims its fake?? http://imandroid.org/2008/11/18/the-fake-identity-sciphone-after-zzzphone/ ??

[Hozefa Sadriwala @ Nov 19th 2008 9:53AM]

Well the whole Android concept is to provide a single platform for all mobile devices. This extends to all hardware manufacturers, network providers, apps writers and finally end-users. Across this spectrum there is ample scope for modifications and customization. This is exactly what the Sciphone guys have done.
Proliferation in the market would be the key to Android's success and T-mobile G1 cannot accomplish that single-handedly.
So to all Android lovers and well wishers,
I think it doesn't matter which is the next Android...but the larger picture is....
ALL PHONES SHOULD HAVE ANDROID! (and the sooner the better)
Can I have an AMEN on that?

[Gnotus @ Nov 25th 2008 1:24AM]

Hi,
You all will be surprised about this G2 Dream, hehehe Nothing you are looking for, it is a fake android system, cannot understand why someone will go to the trouble to copy something that is free.
Att