Lenovo's Android-powered O1 'OPhone' due next month
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted August 7th 2009 3:03PM
posted August 7th 2009 3:03PM
Good news, kids! It looks like Lenovo's O1 "OPhone" handset is finally ready to hit the shelves over on the Mainland sometime next month. Truth be told, the story arc of this Android-powered 3G (TD-SCDMA) handset has been quite the emotional roller coaster: Some were riveted by the sleek, sexy physical design of the thing, while others were repelled by its intensely KIRFish UI. China Mobile is obviously hoping for big things from the little guy -- and getting it into stores before Unicom gets the iPhone sorted can't hurt. Either way, it looks like someone's just taken a bite out of iOrgane's market share!
The picture of the guy on the right makes me... uneasy for some reason.
He has an odd look of hunger in his eyes...and hunger for what is the question.
Probably the vest.
It's obviously a mating call to those pretending to be others on Engadget. (it worked!)
Are they just now getting "saved by the bell" in China or something?
Is his name REALLY Jason?
Its a popular face for girls on facebook to make. IIRC, it was a trend about 5-8 years ago.
Why does that chick have a visible Adam's Apple?
@Antiplor
Its China!
KIRF Paul Chapel is an imposter
A popular facebook trend 5-8 years ago? I think you need to go check on when Facebook was founded because it would be mighty impressive if it was a facebook trend 8 years ago seeing as how it didn't exist.
It existed 5 years ago but unless this trend was that of Harvard girls only your 5-8 years estimate ain't gonna fly.
I imagine him being a disabled model whose face is stuck like that. He defeated adversity and this is his first non-candy related modeling job. Nice job Jason, nice job.
O face.
I can haz multitask?
Silly!
Its- Can I haz this?
That phone must be pretty big if that lady can wear it like a dress.
I wonder if the hivemind over there churning out this crap knows or cares how they come off to the rest of the tech community? Hm.
you would be surpised how well the advertising works in asia. I don't get it, but apparently they do over there.
Pretty much every asian company (with exceptions, I think Asus might be the biggest one) hire a US/UK based design company for American adverts.
Use what works I guess.
Ah, I see what you're saying. I wasn't doubting the effectiveness of the advertising - I was wondering if the Chinese tech community has even the tiniest bit of integrity, or knowledge that they are perceived as producing nothing but shameless knock-off products over and over again. So much so, that they now have the "KIRF" Engagdet meme in their honor.
Well, the OS is mandated by China Mobile, so they have little to say about the UI, apparently it'll appear on many China Mobile smart phones, I won't be entirely surprised to see a HTC phone with the same look. Considering the OMS is a dressed up Android, I wouldn't group it with the other KIRF phones, unless Apple has brainwashed you to believe they own all the square icons with round corners.
On a second note, the last time I checked every multinational tech company is tripping over each other to tap into the Chinese tech market, and they need the support from the Chinese tech community. So the answer is short, no they don't care. They are probably laughing their asses off knowing we are having this heated discussion about those shanzhai (KIRF) devices, because even in China the majority of middle class customers will chose a brand name phone over shanzhai phones.
that is a whole lot of win you just posted
The hardware is beautiful but if only lenovo had the balls to develop an original UI, or leave it as stock android, then it would be my next phone.
I remember seeing videos of this UI in action... This picture really doesn't do it a bit of justice.
surprising!.. no one's talking abt the phone.. :p
Lenovo should make this phone very reliable. I fear that they will lower their standards and this device will absolutely suck.
ThinkPhone...
in contrast to many of the other East Asian (non-Japanese/Korean) consumer electronics brands, I think Lenovo (as well as Asus) have a pretty high quality standard. What are you drawing this conclusion from?
I have a Lenovo x60t (tablet laptop) and I love the physical build quality. Over the past two years, however, it has had more than its fair share of internal hardware problems--even for being a daily computer. I've had to send it back for warranty work four times now, including once when the CPU fan died, and another when they returned it and the machine would freeze after 30 minutes of use.
iPhone 3Gs owner here to say that phone looks sweet!
in contrast to many of the other East Asian (non-Japanese/Korean) consumer electronics brands, I think Lenovo (as well as Asus) have a pretty high quality standard. What are you drawing this conclusion from?
reply fail, that was @will
OMG it's black - and you guys know the rest
Forget the Ophone give me the Aphone
I don't really see what the big deal is?
Ok, so they copied the iphone UI. They also added some more features, etc etc. Isn't the point of competition taking what is currently the best and making it better.
If their phone does everything the iPhone does - but it is cheaper and faster. . . isn't that a good thing?
Isn't one proponent of free software/hardware giving others the ability to improve upon your existing work, or take it any customize it for their specific application. Isn't that seen as a good thing?
Are we really that concerned that Apple's Iphone cachet is going to be that diluted?
already has a leg up on the iphone.....it can multitask
"If things go well I might be showing her my Ophone. "Oh... Oh... Oh!" You know what I'm talkin' about. "Oh!"
"O" Face has a different meaning in China than it does in the US of A.
complete with awkward looking asian?
I've been on this earth for over 40 years and I've seen a lot of things. One thing I can be sure of. That kid? His name ain't Jason.
no, his name is "big head", and he's one crazy mofo (according to the description)
You know I was wondering what the hell that description says about "Jason".
Actually I'm pretty sure "big head" really translates more into "head honcho"/"big boss" since his head isn't that big.
i have used ophone es for 1 mouth
ui is great
what will set this apart from the others?
Jason is Corky's Chinese cousin. Also pictured (L-R), Becka's Chinese cousin Julia, and Paige's Chinese cousin, Catherine. The dude on the far right is NOT Jesse McKena's Chinese cousin, but rather Leluch, Jason's handler.
Am I the only one who looks at the name of this phone and think O-Zone? C'mon, you know O-Zone. Remember the kooky video with the hefty kid dancing in his chair in front of his webcam - I think Americans were calling the song "Numa Numa" or something (Dragostea din tei)?
[suddenly feels alone, very alone...]