Optima OP5-E MID first non-Nokia MID to run Maemo

Honestly, now that Nokia's hooked up with Intel we didn't think we'd ever see any more straight Maemo devices, let alone random third-party Maemo MIDs, but here we are, looking at the Optima OP5-E. The 4.3-inch touchscreen MID with an 806MHz Marvell processor and 128MB of RAM is said to be going through some final software testing before release, and it apparently will support SMS and telephony in the future, so apparently those KIRF iPhone looks are for more than just confusing tourists. No pricing and likely no availability outside of China, but hey -- Maemo, people. Give it up.

[Via Pocketables]

[G @ Jul 16th 2009 3:54PM]

well that looks slightly iphonesque

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 3:58PM]

How so? The only thing I see that this even has remotely in common with the iphone is that it's glossy black. The UI is completely different, the form factor is completely different, even the materials used look completely different.

[yes @ Jul 16th 2009 4:16PM]

physically it resembles the iPhone (while not 100% though).

ok ok, heavily inspired though (as for the looks), but for the software it's another story.

feel free to either lowrank me or not, i'm just telling my opinion though.


(pre fan)

[G @ Jul 16th 2009 4:52PM]

i didn't mean the software or the UI, but the overall shape is exactly like an iPhone


i am no iPhone fan, but a fact is a fact

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jul 16th 2009 5:08PM]

Thanks for repeating what Nilay already wrote.

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jul 16th 2009 5:10PM]

Screw that comment, my dog got on my keyboard.

[uberfu @ Jul 16th 2009 5:18PM]

Whatever! @mark - hold an iPhone next to one and if you can't figure it out - then you're blind.

[ldrn @ Jul 16th 2009 8:12PM]

A box with a screen? It looks like an iPhone in the same way that the iPhone looks like my years-older Axim 50v.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 17th 2009 12:55AM]

Mark, you're an idiot!

[Newone @ Jul 17th 2009 8:58AM]

To me, all these touchscreen devices look like a kirf of soaptin.

Check this one:

http://uncommonscents.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AS69615&click=2

Same shape with metal frame.

[Abdel @ Jul 16th 2009 3:58PM]

ID’s haven’t been well received however I do think that people underestimated these devices. It’s just amazing how much you can do with a Nokia N810, but its only default I think was its lack of 3G capability. I guess this will all be fixed when the N900 gets released, so guys you might definitely want to keep an eye on this one.

[Dragonfly @ Jul 16th 2009 3:58PM]

You guys can low rank me all you want, but I'm only saying what you're thinking. It looks like an iPhone.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:01PM]

How so? The only similarity I see is that it's glossy black...

[chumanfu @ Jul 16th 2009 4:13PM]

yeh it does have the same shape.. but thats bout it

[yes @ Jul 16th 2009 4:19PM]

@Mark
please, stop being pretentious.

and this is coming from a non-iPhone user.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:21PM]

@yes: Do you know what pretentious means?

[Trimzulu @ Jul 17th 2009 8:53AM]

Pretentious was used correctly. That is all.

[yes @ Jul 18th 2009 3:46PM]

@Mark,
i know what it means.
and i'm using the word correctly.
and u r annoying.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:00PM]

I challenge anyone to name one similarity between this and an iphone aside looks wise from it being glossy black.

[Dragonfly @ Jul 16th 2009 4:04PM]

You must be related to Stevie Wonder if you don't believe this looks like an iPhone.

[Kamil @ Jul 16th 2009 4:05PM]

altough i hate it when people call anything with a wide screen/ chrome edges an iphone clone, i have to agree on this one. all its missing is a homebutton

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:05PM]

Nope, wrong answer. That is not a similarity.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:08PM]

@Kamil: ... and a portrait default orientation, and a plastic backing, and a lack of other buttons around it, and either a microphone or a speaker(depending on what that slit on the right is). So basically it has a glossy black finish in common with the iphone.

[paddyireland @ Jul 16th 2009 4:10PM]

hmmm, I wonder (takes breath):

- Exact same frame (chrome bezel)
- similar placing of screen
- rounded rectangle (switch/ button?) at the side of the screen ( looks the same as iphone speaker)
- same design of side buttons
- similar ratio of dimensions

wait, were you being serious? oh and do i win a prize?

[reddyroc @ Jul 16th 2009 4:12PM]

4.3" screen. Rounded edges with what looks like an iPhone similar bezel. I don't think it's fair to compare everything to the iPhone but c'mon this is a dead ringer looks wise. That being said there ain't nuthin' wrong with that, except that it could be a bit bigger if it's gonna be a mid. Just sayin'

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:15PM]

- Exact same frame (chrome bezel) --Actually this one looks more bronzish
- similar placing of screen --You mean on the front of the device?
- rounded rectangle (switch/ button?) at the side of the screen ( looks the same as iphone speaker) -- ...and the G1 speaker, and the HTC Hero Speaker, and virtually every other smartphone speaker in existence.
- same design of side buttons --Um.. no... There's at least 4 buttons lining the top on that picture and as far as I know the iphone has a total of 2 other buttons than the main big one(also missing)
- similar ratio of dimensions -- Holding up my G1 to this picture reveals it's the same ratio as that as well. So it's a copy of both?

[dsteve303 @ Jul 16th 2009 4:16PM]

and also IT SAYS iPhone RIGHT ON IT

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:17PM]

@reddyroc: iPhone has a 3.5" screen... source: Apple's website.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:19PM]

Besides all these arguments try looking at the read link and see the picture of it there, it actually has absolutely nothing in common.

[reddyroc @ Jul 16th 2009 4:26PM]

I stand corrected about the screen size but it still looks like an iPhone. :p

[Verythrax @ Jul 16th 2009 4:28PM]

Forget it, Mark. For these morons every thing that make calls and is black looks like an iphone.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:32PM]

Ya, I'm more irritated with Engadget for the knee-jerk "KiRF" reaction to any touchscreen phone that come out of China. There are some that are clear mimics of the iPhone. This, along with the OPhone(unfortunate naming but looks nothing like the iPhone in any way) are not.

[paddyireland @ Jul 16th 2009 4:32PM]

Actually this one looks more bronzish - so your admitting the bezel is the same design

You mean on the front of the device? - No in the exact middle of the device, unlike the G1, etc.

...and the G1 speaker, and the HTC Hero Speaker, and virtually every other smartphone speaker in existence. - Yes, so your admitting it's like the iPhone

Um.. no... There's at least 4 buttons lining the top on that picture and as far as I know the iphone has a
total of 2 other buttons than the main big one(also missing) - I said " style ". Get it right

Holding up my G1 to this picture reveals it's the same ratio as that as well. So it's a copy of both? - Are you actually that stupid to hold up your phone to an angled picture and compare it's proportions?

I still want my prize - -

[yes @ Jul 16th 2009 4:34PM]

@Mark,
"and a portrait default orientation"

i LOLed on that!
i cant see that to be a strong argument. and people here are just implying that the physical design (not the interface) is a dead-ringer to the iPhone. but yeah, that doesn't necessarily mean that it should be a 1:1 clone. heck, even the clones in the KIRFdom aren't EXACTLY same with the real deal, and doesn't need so while they still can receive KIRF seal of approval.

btw back on the topic, looks like Maemo got a big potential. but in the meantime, i personally think that WebOS is the way to go (as for the linux-flavoured OS of choice for mobile platform).

.

[KRIS_C_123 @ Jul 16th 2009 4:35PM]

you asked for similarities, they are only stating things that are similar i.e. NOT the exact same. So stop trying to prove them wrong.


Similar: Related in appearance or nature; alike though not identical.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:39PM]

--If by "design" you mean it has some form of metal around the back/sides then sure...

--and yet just like many other smartphones/PMP's(including the sony-erikson one that's a couple posts down from this one)

--along with every other smartphone on the market, yes.

--"style"? It only shows them from the side. All you can see of them is that there are, in fact, buttons.

-- then where are you getting the comparison to the iPhone ratio from?

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:43PM]

@KRIS_C_123: OK, maybe I should rephrase that(although I thought the meaning was fairly obvious given that it was a reaction to the wording of the article. I mean, come on, it's similar in that it does, in fact, exist, too): Instead of just similarities, things that make this an iPhone knockoff, as Nilay stated.

[JohnTitor @ Jul 16th 2009 4:45PM]

give up Mark, you know you're wrong when even the iPhone haters tell you you're wrong

[thisisit @ Jul 16th 2009 4:46PM]

@yes
"...the physical design (not the interface) is a dead-ringer to the iPhone. but yeah, that doesn't necessarily mean that it should be a 1:1 clone."

totally agreed. the device got resemblance to *that* phone. only *blind* people cant see that.

[chickenator @ Jul 16th 2009 4:58PM]

@Mark
the article read,
"...so apparently those KIRF iPhone looks..."

so nope, i can't see Nilay had stated anything like "things that make this an iPhone knockoff" anywhere as u claim. he's just merely implying that it got a resemblance (on unspecified scale) of KIRF iPhone looks, and that's all.

so please, read again.

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 5:05PM]

@chickenator: He changed the text of the article since it was first put up. What he originally had up for that sentence didn't make any sense.

[chickenator @ Jul 16th 2009 5:15PM]

nope, haven't seen that earlier.
btw just give it up already, it's just a phone.

[Verythrax @ Jul 16th 2009 4:04PM]

Maemo rules. Nilav, please give up.

[Kev @ Jul 16th 2009 4:31PM]

This has to be the most powerful camera there exists

Camera
Network camera 30 Megapixel Only for video communication
Main camera 200 Megapixel Focusing (interpolation 320 Million pixels)

[Mark @ Jul 16th 2009 4:33PM]

Nah, dude. Didn't you read that article hear about that 1.8 Gigapixel camera made for the UAV helicopter?

[Benson @ Jul 16th 2009 4:41PM]

Yeah, I think they accidentally a couple decimal places -- VGA (which is what the video cam must be) is 300k pixels

[paddyireland @ Jul 16th 2009 4:37PM]

KRIS_C_123 you are my new best friend! :D

[Wesley @ Jul 16th 2009 4:39PM]

Bigger screen, faster processor, larger capacity battery than iphone and it says Optima on it by the way. I like it.

[htd @ Jul 16th 2009 4:43PM]

dual cam? as there's a tiny webcam in the front, it would be perfect for skype video chat if there's a skype client on it that supports video.

[Benson @ Jul 16th 2009 4:45PM]

So, anyone know where 800MHz CDMA networks live?