Mysterious T-swivel handset appears on Korean site, keeps us guessing

Here's a Sunday challenge for you -- what in tarnation is this thing? The mysterious T-swivel type handset has appeared on a Korean site, presumably signifying its status as a simple concept. Obviously, the device packs a full QWERTY keyboard, a front-mounted camera, a rather sizable display and a swivel contraption to keep things horizontal when texting and the like. Beyond that, your guess is as good as ours here. Any clues on this thing's origins? We only ask because, you know, we'd love to actually toy around with one.

[Via Pocketables]

[1234321 @ Dec 7th 2008 3:42AM]

is that a trackpad?

[ZSX @ Dec 7th 2008 5:42AM]

Looks like it is.

The original prototype, the "Yahoo! UMPC" had a mini joystick instead. This looks like an updated version.
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=yahoo%20umpc&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

[Seanross @ Dec 7th 2008 6:32AM]

I hope it isnt... look at the size of it compared to his finger >_>;

[Owen @ Dec 7th 2008 10:10AM]

my friend has a phone, it's a nokia I think, not sure which phone, but it has a trackpad on the directional buttons. It seems to work quite well, they adjust the sensitivity and such so it is usable.

[ken @ Dec 7th 2008 2:29PM]

it's a DMB phone as in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Multimedia_Broadcasting

not Dave Mathews Band.

[Daddio @ Dec 7th 2008 5:15PM]

The things that Palm needs to bring to the table, in regards to from factor, are landscape mode and the familiar one handed capabilities!This device would work. Maybe the mouse pad is to accomidate the new Palm OS2?

[Jon Doe. @ Dec 7th 2008 5:36PM]

No the thing that Palm needs to bring to the table is an actual OS. Palm is irrelevant at this point. No one other then the remaining Palm fanbois think they are even remotely in the "game". They may still sell, but its like overal game console sales....No one gives a shit about the PS2 anymore even though they are still selling. Screw Palm.

[R Nair @ Dec 8th 2008 6:33PM]

Omnia has one, and it works pretty well! I use it in the non-default mode, where it controls a cursor.. if implemented well, it can be a really nice touch.

[PH0ENIX @ Dec 8th 2008 4:55AM]

Yes, apparently a UMPC prototype.

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://media.blogtimes.org/86&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=ko&tl=en

[omar @ Dec 7th 2008 3:43AM]

And a mouse pad! Looks kinda Interesting...

[CapnShiner @ Dec 7th 2008 3:49AM]

No, that is not a mouse pad. I assume you meant touchpad/trackpad. FAIL

[Kris120890 @ Dec 7th 2008 4:37AM]

@CapnShiner
Thanks for telling us you failed but good look in life.

[CapnShiner @ Dec 7th 2008 4:46AM]

I don't see why I'm the one getting low ranked and insulted when I'm not the one who called it a mouse pad. I admit I didn't need to put "FAIL" in my comment, but come on. There's a huge difference between a mouse pad and a trackpad/touchpad. Just picture a handheld device with a mouse pad attached. It's funny.

[oZone @ Dec 7th 2008 7:17AM]

Lol @ people who take low rankings personally. Internet: serious business.

[Adderz @ Dec 7th 2008 9:21AM]

I upranked you because what you said is true...i just dont think it necessarily had to be said.

[JerseyBricklayer @ Dec 7th 2008 11:00AM]

We low ranked you just to fu(k with you.

[kidcanuck @ Dec 7th 2008 11:51AM]

You just don't get it.

[skyblaze @ Dec 12th 2008 3:46PM]

kidcanuck, that's what she said

[Fernando @ Dec 7th 2008 3:45AM]

Is it a phone?

[Saad Rabia @ Dec 7th 2008 4:28AM]

Is it a plane?

[Michas @ Dec 7th 2008 5:08AM]

Is it a bird?

[Neg @ Dec 7th 2008 5:09AM]

Is this madness?

[Technex @ Dec 7th 2008 5:13AM]

This is Sparta!!!!

[Zunavio @ Dec 7th 2008 5:54AM]

Nooo... It's G2 already.

[Matthew C @ Dec 7th 2008 4:49PM]

Spartans!!?? IN KOREA???? I really want this phone/plane/bird now!

[Ross @ Dec 7th 2008 8:17PM]

no it's superman

[Félix @ Dec 8th 2008 4:08AM]

ohh man not him again...
I wish it was a phone, or you know anything you can leave at home and never try to put in your pocket because people, wake up, this thing must weight over 300 g !

it's a FAT phone.

[CapnShiner @ Dec 7th 2008 3:47AM]

Is that a mini touchpad under the QWERTY?

[chansthename @ Dec 7th 2008 3:48AM]

looks kinda like an older i-mate etc.(the rebranded HTC Win-Mo phones)

[JerseyBricklayer @ Dec 7th 2008 3:52AM]

holy ugly!

[MojoBaby @ Dec 7th 2008 7:33PM]

I think the term you are looking for is fugly
(http://onlineslangdictionary.com/definition+of/fugly)

[JerseyBricklayer @ Dec 7th 2008 11:48PM]

Maybe if I was a noob.

[ehhhhh @ Dec 8th 2008 12:40PM]

maybe if you were "Proffesional [sic] - Fusion Fuzo"
http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/06/bellperre-adds-silver-and-golden-collection-to-capitalize-on-b/
http://www.engadget.com/profile/2388656/

[6732db62 @ Dec 7th 2008 4:05AM]

Look the at the "P" in the keyboard, it's a Palm device: you can see the small icon that indicates the function to change the screen bright... it's exactly the same layout of my treo!!!!!
Well, who knows, maybe the new centro!

[CapnShiner @ Dec 7th 2008 4:30AM]

Are Palm devices manufactured in Korea? Since when does Palm use a trackball(if that's actually a tracfkball and not just a button)?

I don't know, that little symbol on the P key doesn't convince me that this is a Palm device. Pretty much everything else about it is completely different from anything Palm has released in the past. If it does end up being a Palm device, I will be very surprised. This would be a radically new direction for them.

[Zorque @ Dec 7th 2008 5:34AM]

I was just thinking, it has the exact same keyboard layout. Even the alt-functions, from what I can see, are the same. Weird.

[Freakin Ijit @ Dec 7th 2008 7:03AM]

Looks like the poster "LiveFaith" has another of "his" designs realized:

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/livefaith/Roteo.jpg

linked from the TreoCentral post:

http://discussion.treocentral.com/showpost.php?p=1523383&postcount=5

[Freakin Ijit @ Dec 7th 2008 8:31AM]

Just noticed what appears to be a body crack across the "top" of the unopened device - further "proof" that it's a Palm device!

http://discussion.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=173784

[Legodude522 @ Dec 7th 2008 7:36PM]

I found the eejit!

[Cary @ Dec 8th 2008 2:05PM]

Yes, Palm Devices are Made in Korea. Heck if you set your way back machine, Taiwan, China, Japan for a Time and Korea.

Do your research.

This is most likely a prototype of the next Palm Device aka Quatro.

Also it will be on the new Palm II OS. Not Garnet or ALP.

That means compatible with the old Palm OS devices for apps. But the cleaner newer look and feel of ALP. Aka the Edlewies

[Lester @ Dec 7th 2008 4:07AM]

I wonder who thought to themselves, "You know what? The only thing wrong with a phone in landscape mode is the keyboard is too wide! Let's figure out a way to make a landscape phone with a narrow keyboard! THAT's what consumers want!"

[Tom G @ Dec 7th 2008 4:18AM]

Correct, there is not 1 good reason i can think of to have a rotation layout like this phone to exist when a landscape-sliding one can exist in the same universe.

Also, this thing looks HUGE, see the guys hand!

[CapnShiner @ Dec 7th 2008 4:34AM]

It is pretty big and is it just me or does it look very thick too? It makes me wonder if this may not be a phone but some weird MID or UMPC running Windows XP/Vista or something. I just don't see the obligatory "Windows key" on the keypad anywhere.

[BlissX @ Dec 7th 2008 4:40AM]

Except that I doubt it's a phone.

Article is plastered with the words, UMPC. It also mentions MID's.

It largely states why UMPC's are failures in that they're:

1. Weak performance
2. Poor battery life
3. More or about as expensive as a notebook
4. The market for UMPC's is limited; market strategy for UMPCs, netbooks are "unknown." Meaning we're familiar with where our notebooks will be headed, but not with UMPCs, MIDs, etc.


Anyhoos, thats what I took of the article with my horrible 2nd grade Korean profiency and Live Translator. :P

[CapnShiner @ Dec 7th 2008 4:55AM]

@BlissX
Oh ya, you're right. I don't know any Korean or even have the language pack installed, but I still see MID, UMPC, Netbook, and Atom in English in the text and the other pictured devices are not phones, except maybe the Anycall branded ones.

Still, I wonder...

[Dan @ Dec 7th 2008 5:07AM]

Actually that's just a guy with a really small hand.

[Freakin Ijit @ Dec 7th 2008 8:24AM]

> ...some weird MID or UMPC running Windows XP/Vista or something...

If it's Palm's predicted-sometime-in-1st-half-2009 "device" (they didn't predict a phone explicitly, I don't think!) then it's running their predicted-by-end-of-THIS-month "Nova" (Linux) OS.

[Das Gluten @ Dec 8th 2008 6:00AM]

This is what I'm having trouble understanding. Why not just have it slide out, and why the trackpad, why not use a touchscreen? This just seems like something that would have been cool 10 years ago.

[Colonel Kernel @ Dec 13th 2008 12:37AM]

The narrow keyboard enable one-handed use for when you have a drink or bag or baby in your other hand. For quick replies and short tasks it's amazingly usefull to not have to put every thing down. If this device is balanced properly, it should be a decent solution to the one-handed/QWERTY/large screen conundrum.

[DoDo @ Dec 7th 2008 4:08AM]

I vote for Palm....