Inbrics M1 is the thinnest Android slider we've seen, probably everything we ever wanted
By Paul Miller 
posted January 9th 2010 9:40PM
posted January 9th 2010 9:40PM
Inbrics actually has a lot of custom UI and software running on top of Android, but the most interesting part is what they're doing with video calling and beaming media from handset to videophone to TV to laptop over DLNA or through an access point device that plugs into the TV over HDMI. Inbrics also has a Cover Flow-style media browser that isn't super deep in functionality, but still puts the stock Android stuff to shame, and some rather sexy custom widgets.
The plan is apparently to get a carrier to bite and rebrand this phone in the US, so price and availability are still pretty hard to pin down, but if this phone can hit the market soon it sure could give the rest of the QWERTY Android sliders out there some body image issues.
OMG DREAM PHONE!!!!!
They even got the front camera!!! I can't believe this.... I do agree that the processor is the biggest concern here (but it's faster than the Driod's, right?)... esp with Tegra 2 teasing (whenever that comes)... but yeah this phone is ALL WIN.
@TareG
No. It's not faster. Can people stop confusing numbers with actual processor performance? Jesus.
@Flowah
Oh... so, if it's slower than the Droid and has a mediocre camera, well then AS USUAL there's always this perfect phone that has to screw one or two things up....
Seriously this is a dream phone in every single way, except for the processor (pretty much most imp thing in the phone) and the ancient camera.... SIGHx10
@TareG
http://www.anandtech.com/gadgets/showdoc.aspx?i=3595&p=5
The camera can still be okay. MP #'s aren't everything. I'd wait for real world reviews on the camera quality if I weren't already disappointed with the processor/didn't already have a Droid.
@TareG Very few cameras have an optical resolution that matches their digital resolution (meaning if you took a photo of a checkerboard pattern from a certain distance, each pixel in the resulting image would be exactly black or white), so in reality a typical 5 MP camera could have the same quality as a resampled 3 MP camera.
@TareG
As it's been said, MPs don't tell the whole story. A 3MP camera could perform better than a 5MP one.
I do hope it has flash, tho (it looks like it does). I'd never take a phone without a flash light for the camera, that's for sure.
@Endadget
I swear I know about the megapixel myth. The thing is, this is an unknown company and one shouldn't expect them to perfect the other parts of the camers , and so, their 3mp camera is unlikely to be better than Nokia's 5 mp...etc.
One of the best things at CES 2010.
Only gripe is the camera...
Still awesome though.
Also a couple things turn me off about this phone.
1. 3MP camera, easily could have been 5MP.
2. OLED screen, I'd be happy with that, but knowing that AMOLED is very available I don't see why they didn't go with that. One it's a battery saver, two you can make the screen really thin and fit more technology into the phone.
At that thin size, how tactile is the keyboard?
@Machinedog
"but what's particularly stunning is that the phone is not only half an inch thick, but it has a full QWERTY keyboard that's surprisingly clicky and typable."
@Laeon Oi, I'm blind as a bat.
This might be a worthwhile replacement to my G1. I'd like to know how long the battery lasts though, as I've been spoiled by the Seidio Extended Fatass battery. Also, I'd rather they ditch the custom interface. None of the phones with custom software have been updated yet.
Even though the screen looks smaller than 3.7" would, but it's 3.7" and that's all what I care about. I don't like the homescreen and I'd prefer to have Nexus's Android on top of this...
One thing of concern though... I can only see a Home button and a Back button. Where is the obligatory Menu button?
My dream phone at the moment would have a
3.5 AMOLED Capactive Touchscreen
854 x 480 screen resolution
8MP camera
Front facing WVGA video camera
4G
2000mAh battery
slide out qwerty keyboard that's clicky like the pixi
and oh so much muchhhhhh morre im sure but that's off the top of my head lol
@danielbello92
So, an Xperia X10 with a keyboard? Join the club.
I'd just add Tegra 2 to that list (if it won't be vaporware like Tegra 1)... me needs battery life.
@danielbello92
Seriously, HTC has the ability to make so many amazing phones, yet they choose not to.
Seriously...
TouchPro2+AMOLED+Snapdragon+Android+Sense+5MPCamera=Perfect Phone.
@kevin52094
sing it. Jizz in my pants. hot damn boy, i like.
@kevin52094
Mr business man, can you please tell me what will you be selling next year after this perfect phone? Oh I see, probably "How to get bankrupt in 1 year" books.
Damn that is sexy.
Plus, seeing the keyboard, it's a Korean device! Hoozah!
@(Unverified) Hell yeah! This will be my next phone.
So they've been keeping these types of phones from North America because they though we weren't ready!? Bring it on!
If it were possible to procreate with a cellphone, this is the one that I would seed.
...so it's like the N900 with Android?
@Widgetech
Only not a thick heavy brick, and with a capacitive screen, and Android.
Thank you Paul. If I hear that idiotic "inbuilt" one more time I'm gonna lose my friggin' mind! To read that the phone has "16GB of built-in storage" was a treat from the new moronic term Engadget has been using of late.
I wish someone would come out with an OQO-style cellphone. Maybe with an atom processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, touchscreen, and a 3G radio coupled with Windows 7 and some windows-based dialer program.
@Alex
Windows 7 doesn't belong on smartphones, and Android doesn't belong on netbooks.
@TareG
Yeah, you're probably right. It just seems to me that smartphones are constantly trying to emulate the experiences provided by a full-on PC. Obviously that's a difficult task given the small form factor and battery constraints, but I think a real PC-based cellphone would be the no-compromise solution.
@Alex
I'm sure they're already in testing. I hope you enjoy either one hour of battery life or a four pound phone.
@Dafrety
I will cherish both, thanks.
@Alex
is that some sort of joke. cuz its pretty damn funny.
so close!
Very nice looking. Beautiful keyboard
But am I the only one that finds it weird they have no pics or video of this running in portrait mode??
@onlyever1 Really? with Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler?
If I was avert to the opinions of the masses I would not be here (check a dictionary). I just simply highlight the joke that the Engadget comment system is.
Looks great hardware wise, although that 800MHz proc does worry me a bit. It also worries me that they want to tailor it to each carrier's requirements... much like Dell seems to be doing with their Android offerings.
I'd rather a company take the stance of Google or Apple and say here is the hardware and the OS: take it or leave it. Now it's probably much harder for a startup like Inbrics to do this, but it's worth a shot.
@risk
As far as I'm concerned, the placement of the headphone port is a deal breaker. Enjoy putting that thing in a pocket with headphones plugged in.
IS it too much to hope that this one goes to Sprint?
Samsung chipset....not for me thanks. Still stick with my Droid.
HAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!
Android 1.5?!
Don't make me laugh.
@blinky They said it's gonna have 2.0 soon. If it does make it to a carrier in the US, it might not even be too much to hope for 2.1, although their custom skin might make that tricky too.
Anyone else expecting a different accent?
@(Unverified)
Hahaha
i was!
THE absolute most important question:
How much RAM?
The 800 MHz is already a downer compared to the N1's Snapdragon, but the RAM will absolutely break the deal if it's 256 or less.
@HighestRanked
So by extension, you're a joke? It explains a lot.
Seems like they announce a new android phone that's far superior almost every week now....
Damn, that screen looks sharp.
I so wish I had a keyboard like that on my droid. I really can't stand that they put the keypad offcenter just for the dpad which is pretty much useless except for NES Roms. Even so it's just not worth it. They should have left out that dreaded D-pad and left more room for larger buttons on the keyboard.
@Dafrety Me? not at all. I have my opinions but when I say something, --which just happen to be different than most everyone else's highly skewed opinions-- it suddenly turns me into the lightning rod of people that love to click that [minus] rank button. Hence the comment system ranking becomes a total joke.
I am HighestRanked.
can some one at xda cook a winmo firmware for it?