If you know that your personal happiness lies somewhere in the Verizon / Android abyss but neither the
Droid nor the
Droid Eris are hitting the spot, you might consider trying something completely out of left field. How "left field" are we talking here? Well, for starters, odds are good that you've never heard of a company called Saygus, and its shiny new QWERTY slider, the VPhone, won't be offered directly from Verizon -- it's a product of the carrier's
Open Development initiative. Sure enough, that handset we
spied a few days back is real, and the specs are all panning out: 624MHz PXA310 XScale core, 512MB of Flash on board coupled with 256MB of RAM, 3.5-inch capacitive WVGA touchscreen, WiFi, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera, front-facing VGA camera and -- of course -- EV-DO Rev. A support. The current incarnation is running Android 1.6, but it should be running 2.0 by the time of its launch next year, along with getting some Google-certification to let it run the Google apps. Saygus' real thrust here is apparently two-way video calling (good thing they picked Verizon, huh?), though they aren't showing it off just yet. Otherwise it's pretty much stock Android, and when asked if they swiped something from HTC Sense UI, Saygus said those buttons and the extra home screens are actually a standard part of Android's open source repository. The hardware itself is rather chubby, but it leaves room for an oversized QWERTY keyboard that could very well solve your Droid woes. No word on price or a firm release date.
posted Nov 10th 2009 6:42PM
according to JD Power, your apparent mistrust of Hyundai is a mite misplaced.
But that's another blog.
According to Engadget's last post on the phone, Verizon isn't even releasing this. Saygus is releasing it on their own, something possible due to the open handset alliance.
That looks just like the droid
that's what I was thinking... I kept waiting for Mr. Miller to elude to that. Maybe a side by side pic with the droid?
No, it looks like something Canada wont see for 5 more years.
It looks like the Droid's fatter, uglier sister.
let's be honest
it looks.... kirrrffy
@Aaron Brown: You mean allude and not elude. Bugs bunny eludes Elmer Fudd. Engadget comments allude to the not-so-hidden crush that Engadget has for Apple. I don't know why Americans bitch about Indian tech support so much. They obvious speak English at a much higher level than most Americans.
To clarify, I am born and bred American.
@NikAmi
And "they obvious" speak English at a much higher level than you.
Maybe you can learn something from those Indian tech support employees.
@Ramifications I looked over my post three times for mistakes because I knew that there was going to be at least one in there, some eagle eyed reader would catch it and, given the fact that I mocked the spelling of someone else, give me shit for it. So, nice catch and I am forever humbled.
@ David: who cares if this isn't coming to Canada in 5 years? We've got the Droid (Milestone - sorry) coming here in Q1 2010.
http://www.rgbfilter.com/?p=2273
I'm not too worried.
Is that part of the SenseUI on the right side?
Lol, it is!
HTChris Hanson: Why don't you have a seat, Sagus.
Good call, I came here just to point this out!
anyone read this article yet?
"Otherwise it's pretty much stock Android, and when asked if they swiped something from HTC Sense UI, Saygus said those buttons and the extra home screens are actually a standard part of Android's open source repository."
Droid? Is that you?
Can any company besides HTC use Sense UI? This phone may be confused
That does seem like the Sense UI snippet at the right.
Since this isn't HTC or Motorola, can we expect it to run $50 on contract even with those specs?
HA! On first read of the headline I thought I read Gaygus VPhone.
Mind you we have Gaytime popsicles and icecream here in Australia.
And butter-menthol drops...
and egg-laying mammals....
and..
I've got a bit of a chub right now too...
talk about chubblier, uglier sibling
what, not a single word in the post on the extreme droid-look-alike-ness, with a touch of sense on top? this thing looks like a classic KIRF to me...
Okay I have a Nokia N97. IT HAS VIDEO CALL... the only problem is that my provider (AT&T) doesn't really have video call...
So what is the point of having it anyways? And with the current situation of providers having max out bandwidths and stuff i don't think they are going to like the idea of streaming live video just to say Hi.
In Europe we've had video calling for many years and it can work on the most basic UMTS, which is 384 kbit/s. Average web browsing on the phone probably uses more bandwidth, although I guess it can tolerate more interruptions than video calling..
Since it's not being released on Verizon, do you think Verizon will know to charge you the $30 minimum data plan fee?
Since it's not being released directly through Verizon (or so the article says), do you think Verizon will know to charge you the $30 minimum data plan fee?
yes, you mentioned that.
Man, I know Verizon has a new relationship with Google, but do you really need four Android phones? Why not give the WinMo people some lovin'?
The imagio is probably going to be your best bet until WinMo 7 comes around. Unless verizon gets the HD2, which is doubtful.
Being a winmo person so long, I can say that the droid is by far the best phone I've ever owned. (including my iPhone, thats just MY opinion, some say different. To each his own)
I did not think video calling was possible on CDMA. Am I incorrect?
yes, verizon has video call for deaf or hard-of-hearing customers
http://newscenter.verizon.com/press-releases/verizon/2007/verizon-introduces-broadband.html
Anyone know what class of chip that "PXA310 XScale" is? A8? Anyone know? Google hasn't the foggiest.
Yeah, curious as to what chip is in this badboy... and it's performance..
As far as i can tell its an ARM11 core, so performance would be on par with the HTC Hero.
Similar chip to the one in the Omnia i910.
unstandardized qwerty fail
WTF, we DONT want a D-Pad! Bad Saygus, bad!
At least not on the right ...
The biggest thing I don't like about it is that the numbers are secondary and on the same side as the FN key. I hated that on my old Dash.
Anyone taking bets as to how long it'll be before Moto sends a C&D their way and forces Saygus to redesign the thing?
Aw crap. I was planning to pick up the Droid on Friday, but that keyboard looks better. And I was going to buy a tablet in a couple of weeks, but nVidia guy scared me. Can anyone help me spend my money? I'll pay $1 (American).
this isn't the droid i'm looking for
It looks like the Nokia Surge..
To be honest, that does look like a great keyboard to use. It has some nice specs. If HTC or Moto or any other company built this, it would make me take a second look. Anyone familiar with the processor used in this? Comparable to OMAP? Underclocked Snapdragon?
All VZW need to do now is offer a cheaper rate plan because these kind of handsets won't be subsidized.
"yes, verizon has video call for deaf or hard-of-hearing customers
http://newscenter.verizon.com/press-releases/verizon/2007/verizon-introduces-broadband.html"
You are Incorrect about video over their network. a VideoPhone is a home based device that uses your home broadband or wifi connection to connect the deaf caller via video to an interpereter to make calls or directly to another videophone user.... this article is saying that they have a customer service person now with direct VP (videophone) connection in their customer service dept... Sprint also offers VP customer support... No one yet offers video 2 way wireless phone... But I can't wait till they do... for more info see sprintrelay.com or sorensonvrs,com
Sprint does offer a Deaf only service plan on blackberry or pre with no voice minutes and blocked incoming voice calls plus 5gb thethering for 30 a month though
Is there some kind of bottleneck in the software why the phones can't have say, 512mb-1GB of RAM and 2+ GB of application space?
Android phones will never be true competitors to the Iphone until they have some application storage space, they just won't. Because realistically, with Iphone games racking in at 100mb+, 512MB or even 1GB of application storage space (and no option to install actual apps to SD) just won't cut it.
If the iPhone came to Verizon, Sprint or Tmobile, I don't think any tech savvy person would choose an Android device, I don't care how much you say "I hate the iPhone, blah blah blah", the truth is, if it were EASILY available to you, on your network - you'd probably get it. I LOVE my G1, but I'll be the first to say I certainly wouldn't. I wouldn't choose the Hero. I wouldn't choose the Droid and I certainly wouldn't choose the G1/G2 or Cliq. I'd choose the Iphone...why? Features? Nah. Sheer speed and 'flow'.
@neoprimalgmailcom
Sigh. Please read about how Android handles the files. It loads the executables in the memory, and the data files on the card. And if you HAVE to have your .exe in the same folder as the data files, Android is getting apps2disk in Q1 2010, for people just like you.
Oh, sorry. Now you'll have to scramble for another reason why the iFail is "better" than the Droid.
That keyboard looks soooo much better than the Droid's.. and the D pad doesn't seem to get in the way all that much... If I were on verizon this might be the android phone I would get.
I wonder if you could activate this without needing a giant data plan. I currently have the Motorola Q on Verizon, which is a smartphone that does not need a data plan. I cannot upgrade to any other smartphone with windows mobile, android, or blackberry operating system without them forcing me to carry a $30 data plan. I don't need that, I use wifi or text. If I could use this phone without Verizon forcing a plan on me, I would be thrilled.