Lenovo LePhone launching in Le May

As Google and China trade blows on the global stage Lenovo just keeps on truckin' with its plans to launch the Android-powered LePhone in China and overseas. Samsung and Motorola you'll recall, already bent under Google's pressure and agreed to delay the launch of their respective handsets in China last week. Lenovo execs are planning for a hat-trick launch in May on China Unicom, China Mobile, and China Telecom with a rest of world launch expected later in the year. Lenovo shareholders also approved the company's planned buy-back of its mobile handset division today, making them just the latest tier-1 PC maker to join the smartphone party. Picture of the LePhone with its optional keyboard accessory after the break.

[Seven Posted Jan 22nd 2010 4:25AM]

haha great picture pun :P

[Jamar Posted Jan 22nd 2010 7:04AM]

@justineromaz I take issue with the "making baby steps into the mobile phone market" bit. Lenovo's been shamelessly copying Sharp, Panasonic, and NEC's Japan-only designs, stuffing cheaper hardware into them, and selling them at bargain prices for a long time now. This is a baby step into the market with something entirely of their own making, yes, but they've been selling phones longer than that.

[n0ne Posted Jan 22nd 2010 4:31AM]

IFONE KEELEUR!!

[3rdsun Posted Jan 22nd 2010 6:01AM]

@n0ne that there is one sexy beast

[ginamcfuddle Posted Jan 25th 2010 9:06PM]

@n0ne Still, this is yet another interesting Android handset in a year of many interesting Android handsets. While it's not planned for release outside of China just yet, it's certainly a handset to keep an eye on from the Chinese company making baby steps into the mobile market...
LePhone Details and leaked vids: http://bit.ly/lephone-details-updates

[collindow Posted Jan 22nd 2010 4:43AM]

That is...really, really ugly.

[Ryan Trevisol Posted Jan 22nd 2010 7:01AM]

@collindow Au revoir LePhone, let's stuff LePhone in LeLocker!

[SuperCharly Posted Jan 22nd 2010 4:55AM]

the keyboard looks like "urgh" ! un-practical !

[bigcow05 Posted Jan 22nd 2010 5:38AM]

@SuperCharly

How is it impractical? The d-pad is in the middle, not off to the side like some other phones so you won't have to stretch out one hand more than the other. It looks ergonomic actually.

[trek Posted Jan 22nd 2010 5:43AM]

@bigcow05 I normally use a d-pad with my left thumb... ala SNES...

[geekthree Posted Jan 22nd 2010 6:20AM]

@SuperCharly

You've clearly not ever watched Star Trek.. everyone knows weired looking keyboards are really easy to type on :)

[Schaustehler Posted Jan 22nd 2010 4:58AM]

Cool design which will probably be as practical as a third nipple on a male, and just about as poplular.

BUT, gotta give props to the Pun. Grade A! Must've just leaped off the screen/page when it hit your brain.

[Thomas Ricker Posted Jan 22nd 2010 5:07AM]

@Schaustehler It did! Discussed for awhile whether anyone would "get it." Glad to see that some people did. -- Thomas

[Lundmark Posted Jan 22nd 2010 5:54AM]

@Schaustehler

Would a third nipple-endowed female earn more respect?

[Schaustehler Posted Jan 22nd 2010 6:32AM]

@Lundmark I don't know about respect, but it would at least be functional...from a mammalian perspective at least.

At any rate Ol' Curtis would have none of it nipple-wise regardless, guy or gal. As far as he's concerned all bodily fluids are sacred, and the COMmuNISTS and their phones want nothing more than to steal them.

[HairyPoster Posted Jan 23rd 2010 1:09AM]

@Thomas Ricker I was scratching my head trying to figure the picture out. Thanks to @nOne for explaining. Even on my 21" hd flatpanel I couldn't tell what that thing in his shirt pocket was supposed to be. Jokes are good...good jokes are even better. Keep up the good work.

[fighterfelix Posted Jan 22nd 2010 6:39AM]

Lenovo le does what others le dont

[joe23521 Posted Jan 22nd 2010 12:08PM]

@fighterfelix

I think you mean, "In a world of LeDon't, Lenovo LeDoes."

[Dr Yusuf AlKindi Posted Jan 22nd 2010 7:40AM]

Perhaps a woman with a third nipple might not get respect, because even with two nipples they do not get resecpt, but, if a whole mammary was sitting below that nipple....Yes, boys, a three breasted woman holding a LeNoVo Phono with Android would get a great deal of respect.

[HardToBelieve Posted Jan 22nd 2010 9:58AM]

@Dr Yusuf AlKindi

Two words: Reply button.

[Dr Yusuf AlKindi Posted Jan 22nd 2010 7:42AM]

Oh! Yes! And another thing.... Who is going to be the carrier for this phone? Assumedly, it will be a GSM carrier, which leaves ust two in the United States of America: TMO or the-large-company-formerly-known-as-Cingular? Which will it be?

[spamiswhack Posted Jan 22nd 2010 7:48AM]

BOMBS AWAY!

[joshl Posted Jan 22nd 2010 7:51AM]

That keyboard accessory reminds me of that lenovo tablet/laptop hybird.

[John Doe Posted Jan 22nd 2010 9:13AM]

Guns don't kill people, Lenovo LePhone's kill people.

[yuppiescum Posted Jan 22nd 2010 9:43AM]

LeCar!

[nickux Posted Jan 22nd 2010 11:10AM]

is that-- Leporte?

[Smurf Posted Jan 22nd 2010 11:34AM]

That is one awesome looking, innovative accessory. I want one.

[MilesBFree Posted Jan 22nd 2010 5:21PM]

Royale with Cheese

[HairyPoster Posted Jan 23rd 2010 1:04AM]

Why does this thing remind me of a Playstation Portable?

[michaspi Posted Jan 23rd 2010 3:18PM]

OH NO YOU LE DIDN'T