Video: Samsung's Alias 2 dynamic E-Ink keypad in action
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 8th 2009 4:54AM
posted May 8th 2009 4:54AM
[Thanks, Mike M.]
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i still have yet to see an e-ink display irl but it looks truly amazing
Well, the e-ink part is interesting, but everything else looks boring. But, hey, it's a start.
I use to long for that form factor for a smartphone. One thing I'm not too thrilled about when I buy my TP2 is exposing that beautiful screen to the elements 24/7, protecting only by super-thin screen protector. I'd rather be able to clamshell it for extra protection. Put a tiny mono LCD on the outside so I can see who's calling.
The e-ink seems completely unnecessary. Why not a regular pad with the numbers written vertically upright and when it opens in flip phone factor, those keys have priority, but when you open it in texting factor, you have to Fn to get the number keys and the alpha keys have priority. It might be cool if you have complete control over key arrangement or if you can assign launch keys to anything, and at that, it'd be cooler on a smartphone.
Does anyone know if the buttons are pushable or is it a touch e-ink screen?
Sorry to bring up a totally unrelated subject but it really shouldn't be buried...
Has anyone noticed that they backlit a E-INK display. I thought that was impossible. Why wasn't that pointed out? If it is genuinely the first backlit e-ink display then that alone should be news.
Part 2 of the video shows the QWERTY keyboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7T4EMKby0#t=1m2s
Thanks to the people below.
We're in 2009 and all she shows are the threaded texting and prefs options? Why keep switching between portrait and landscape if using the very same keys in each mode!?? Not even a demo of the keypad going into QWERTY? Come on Engadget, choose your content!
Related: Why is it American phones are so ugly and lacking actual quality features such as 5MP auto focus camera, radio etc?
It obviously switches among both views in the video. Look a little closer next time.
Finaly e-ink is starting to appear in the real world?? (please done mansion the kindle as it is only available in America) cant wait for Colour
I agree America has massive of tech companies who are innovative but when it comes to Mobile Phones you seem to always produce or sell ugly or low tech phones (Motorola razor yes every other NO, Iphone Excellent camera rubbish unless it has a 5 megapixel??) the rest of the world is years ahead I blame the American Mobile phone companies because they use different data bands (god the are awkward the dictate what you can have)
@nick
Why not reading what you're replying to and paying more attention next time before posting, instead?
@ Paul
Get off our planet, please.
Why is it that you can't even tell the difference between a Japanese phone and an American one?
worst. review. ever.
Are you kidding me? First phone with a dynamically changing e-ink keypad and she is blabbering about themes and ring tones?
Well, "quality features" means different thing for different people. My e71 has pretty decent camera, if it was released in 2004. Is it a crappy phone? Also, Blackberry is American, right?
@ giuliop . He does say the demo doesn't show the text going into qwerty and it obviously does. He is correct with his statement about the features and prefs but the phone is weak with exception of the E-Ink. As for the content. Its pre-release footage that only her and a few other people have access to show. It is either this or no post at all.
Blackberry is made by RIM, a Canadian company. So it's North American, but not "American" in the common sense of the word.
No. it doesn't go into QWERTY. it goes into LANDSCAPE, but there's still the normal phonepad there rather than a QWERTY keyboard. Try using your EYES when you look at the vid.
Nick - QWERTY doesnt mean landscape, it means a full keyboard, and she never does switch it to qwerty by doing something crazy - like writing a text message. she keeps messing with the menus, which no one cares about.
@nick
What bothers me is your use of the word 'obvious'. I'd say the only obvious thing here is that you don't know what a QWERTY keyboard is.
Nick hes talking about going into QWERTY mode, I didnt see her show the phone in that mode once. Thats once stupid reviewer, she seems like she doesn't exactly know all that shes talking about, as if she is reading off the box.
Some god features she did explain, but come on... (Im sure it does go into QWERTY and all, but show us a little sumthin sumthin, let that phone do some seducing)
There was an old Motorola e-ink phone done a year or so ago. Very minimalist design with no features except the e-ink screen. You can get it unlocked for $30 or so nowadays.
Part 2 of the video shows the QWERTY keyboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7T4EMKby0#t=1m2s
Thanks to the people below.
Although I can't think of any other uses for E-Ink I hope there are some. Maybe an E-ink specific app like he game Simon or a brain teaser of sorts lol. It is cool to watch though. Are the numbers and symbols completely variable?
You must have a lack of imagination :-/
- USB-sticks with all kinds of info ands stats, even when not plugged in, on all the time, no internal battery needed.
- digital watches (without the seconds displaying), it can show the same info for one minute before it needs to change again, without ant energy needed for the display that whole minute
- displays for certain stats in cars
- advertising posters that only need energy when the ad is changed
Come on, the possibilities are almost infinite!
Isn't the point of the changing keypad to have both a QWERTY keyboard and a regular numpad? I didn't see the keyboard once in this video.
That's exactly what I was wondering.
Actually there is a second part to this video that shows the QWERTY keyboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7T4EMKby0&feature=channel
Verizon needs a new logo desperately.
I was just talking about this with a friend the other day.
I do need a new phone, but my only concern about this one...
"Where does the microSD go in"
Samsung seems to fuck up on this simple thing a lot and have it behind the battery...
If it's like the old Alias, the card goes in the side -- Always accessible, without removing the battery
that is awesome! if only those blank keys could be macro's
I don't understand why are you commenting then.
On topic:
aren't e-ink displays too expensive? I mean, look at kindles and such devices...
I've seen the alias2 for $1K on ebay.
bah, cool device anyways, but I don't really like the ugly keypad/keyboard
@sredlums .
I'll take OLED on my USB sticks. LCD on my advertisements and save money on both. There aren't a lot of practical applications for this outside of the mobile entertainment. I could see this in game controllers, possibly. Applications that have changing variables, but with that every time it changes you have to reorganize your mind to change with it. Unless its something simple like this phone or a 4-6 button controllers. There's not much room for this. Even this phone is technically impractical. Flipping the screen to change the qwerty is not useful. This phone is just boasting technology. It is cool though.
What would you do with OLED on a USB stick?
If it was E-Ink it could show the free space or contents of the drive when it's not plugged in. See how that would be useful if you have many drives?
Screenshot on the left looks like Microsoft Bob. FAIL.
This video review is so clearly by a woman... she blathers on about ringtones and themes whereas a guy would just focus on the e-ink and show it changing and figuring out how many different key configurations it has etc.
She had to cut chunks out of the video, because it was taking too long to upload and she was under a time crunch.
She has a longer, near ten minute, version that shows all of the keypad transitions and goes deeper into the threaded messaging, that will get posted later.
That being said, people need to cut her some slack. This is the first time she's shot a video and posted YouTube, and frankly, she did a better job than a lot of these other guys shooting "professional" reviews (I'm looking at you PhoneDog).
bit of a boring video, would like to have to have seen about the phone's only exciting feature the keypad, didn't even see it in qwerty form.
1. Surprised she posts at HoFo and still has little idea of what people want to know (hint: more keyboard less themes)
2. She sounds like Sarah Palin
3. Awesome keyboard
jeez guys, she was lucky and got the phone early, she's a casual consumer. it's not like she's some huge phone afficianado like everyone else. she even says in the source thread, she was very nervous about making a video - probably because of all of the predictable blind criticism.
(emphasis on huge - she's obviously interested in phones, she's on howardforums.)
I wonder why the outer display went from color to B/W?
Seriously, I've had the original Alias for two years. I REALLY like the form factor -- Thin, relatively small, Clamshell (Sorry - I've been stuck on that since the original LED Startac), QWERTY keyboard.
The keyboard is a nice feature, but the small buttons was the only thing I didn't like about the phone (6' 4", 240 pounds, but I could still make them work in a pinch - It just wasn't fun).
I can see this new keyboard as the solution. I might have to upgrade to this. I've been avoiding a smartphone (Still use and love my PocketPC), and with the GIN Email program, this seems to do everything I need.
GinGin, I don't give a rat's ass about what you had for dinner, get to the point!
This keyboard is a beautiful solution for a programmable universal remote. Perfect in fact
This is a sad review -- felt like I wasted my life... BUT in her comments on Youtube, she's showing things that people at Howard Forums wanted to know about... AND she does include a second video now showing the QWERTY.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7T4EMKby0
I really don't think this phone is that bad-looking. The keypad does look like a plain white grid, but e-ink is definitely something cool to consider.
From what I can see on the box, isn't this called the Samsung 'Reciprocal Of (Alias Squared)'?
Is that a back-lit E-Ink display? How is that possible?
When they say 'E-Ink keypad' they mean an E-Ink keypad.
There is a backlight under the thin e-ink display
it is top lit - v.interesting Samsung light pipe technogy and it looks fantastic
I wanted to see everything this phone does. :( I give you a grade of C - . What did you have for dinner?
coolness... too bad it's Verizon.
Wait a minute...
People always say they love Verizon's coverage... but hate their phones...
You just said it's a cool phone... so wouldn't it be awesome that Verizon finally got a cool phone?
That's not it at all. A lot of Verizon's phones are cool, but it's what they do with them that makes the difference. They do have the best network, hands-down. But they nickle and dime you for every little extra feature on your phone. I had a phone with Verizon and I had to pay an extra monthly fee just to be able to copy MY OWN mp3's to it!
I'm of the opinion that when you buy a phone, it should be yours to use how you please. The only thing a service provider should be concerned with is giving me the ability to communicate with the network.
>> "I had a phone with Verizon and I had to pay an extra monthly fee just to be able to copy MY OWN mp3's to it!"
Get a better phone.
I got a Verizon Blackberry Curve for $30 after my 2 year upgrade... and I can do ANYTHING with it.
I've replaced my 8GB iPod Nano with it. I can download podcasts to it, copy movie files to it... anything.
sounds like user error or lack of knowledge if you dont know how to transfere mp3 files to your phone or sd card. There has never been a fee to transfer your own mp3 files to a phone on verizon.
"Get a better phone."
First of all, it wasn't the phone. The same phone on other networks was not locked down like that. Secondly, I did: G1.
Anyways, you're missing the point. That was just an example, not the only anecdote I can give... Verizon has a long history of doing that crap, and they still do it. Blackberry is so popular that they can dictate their own terms with Verizon, but anything that Verizon can lock down and nickle-and-dime you for they will.
I realize many people don't care about the antics of a company. I'm just one of those rare savvy consumers nowadays, like those that seemed to have died out 40 years ago. If a company is mistreating customers, I will mistreat that company.
>> "Verizon has a long history of doing that crap, and they still do it."
My previous phone was a Samsung a930... and it had MP3 capability. I didn't use it because I already had a an iPod.
I don't know anyone who plays music on their phone... so it's probably not a big deal to most people.
What phone did you have before?
I don't even remember the model#, it was a POS and not well branded. I just remember I could connect a USB cable, which would charge the battery but not allow me to transfer anything unless I handed them my wallet. But again, I'm not talking specifically about MP3 playback (I hardly listen to music on my phone anyways), that was just an example. I had another phone that I bought a tether for and I thought it was ridiculous that I couldn't dial-up with it without paying an extra service fee... why the heck wouldn't it just deduct from my minutes? Another example is their new Verizon Hub. $35 a month for an internet video phone... which you can't even browse the internet on. You can get other similar services for much much cheaper (like Skype).
>> "I had another phone that I bought a tether for and I thought it was ridiculous that I couldn't dial-up with it without paying an extra service fee... why the heck wouldn't it just deduct from my minutes?"
Most cell phone companies charge for tethering... it's never included in your "minutes" but may be included in your data plan... which you pay extra for anyway.
And the Verizon Hub has nothing to to with a cell phone... it's a device on its own. And a stupid device at that.
I know what you're saying about Verizon... they cripple their phones compared to other carriers... like removing Bluetooth file transfer and charging for GPS. But, they are the largest carrier with the best network despite that.
My solution? Use another phone or device for music playback... use a Garmin GPS in my car... and I've never had the need to transfer a file over Bluetooth. I'm obviously not the only one that feels this way.
How's the battery life on the G1? I've heard it can't last a business day... is that true?
"they cripple their phones compared to other carriers... like removing Bluetooth file transfer and charging for GPS. But, they are the largest carrier with the best network"LOL, that's what I've been saying this whole time! This looks like an cool phone, but I'm sure Verizon Wireless will find a way to cripple it and nickle-and-dime you to death.Yes, the G1's battery (much like the iPhone) only lasts a day or two (depending on use & background processes). I run an app in the background that checks the GPS and updates my position every few minutes, so the battery is fairly drained at the end of the day. The battery is quite powerful, that's not the issue, it's just that these "smart phones" are basically like a PC shoved into a tiny package -- of course they're going to drink up the battery like there's no tomorrow. My first cell phone was a giant thing (without even a backlit LCD) that barely fit in your pocket, but the battery (even though the mAh was fairly low) lasted a week! The trade-off is worth it though, for me anyways.
this girl is very boring that is doin the review. they didnt even show the QWERTY part of it in the video.
Part 2 of the video shows the QWERTY keyboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7T4EMKby0#t=1m2s
Thanks to the people who found it.
OMG, someone call Art Lebedev and tell him to do this with his Optimus Maximus! I'm sure it would be at least a thousand bucks cheaper with e-ink buttons instead of OLED
I have Verizon and all I want is for them to release a reasonably priced ($250 or less) smartphone with WiFi and no expensive data
plans that you're forced to pay for even if you don't need it. It would also be great bonus if the smartphone could have regular GPS
(not VZ navigator...real gps). How is it that other carriers release phones that actually have features, but Verizon doesn't? And what's
up with them releasing crippled versions of phones months after they've been available on other carriers (without being crippled)?
I got a Palm Centro in August when I upgraded only because it was the least restrictive phone with the most features available on Verizon for under $250 (at the time). I'm glad that I got it (even though the Centro kind of sucks) because when I eventually upgrade I won’t (unfortunately) be able to go back to a smartphone because of the forced internet plan that I would have to sign up for (this new policy came out after I got the Centro). The only way I could go back to smartphones on Verizon is if the data plans get cheaper or if they stop forcing data plans on people who purchase smartphones.
I'm embarrassed by how bored I am with this phone. I *really* am a phone snob.
Why can't they have the blank keys not light up and stay black?
Staying black (or becoming black) isn't an issue - that is a question of style. It may be possible that Samsung would alow this "feature" in the phone but I havent seen the final form and cannot comment.
Having them not light up is diffferent (that would require an led for each key - pretty infeasible really)
Why is everyone freaking over the backlit E-Ink? Check out the Sony PRS-700 Reader.....
That isn't back lit either.
Alias 2 commercial with Ozzie Osbourne. Brilliant
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1d4_1242803353