Altek teases 'Leo,' monster 14 megapixel smartphone for unveiling next month
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 27th 2010 1:34PM
posted May 27th 2010 1:34PM
altek Launches "Leo", the World's Smartest
14 MP, 3.5G Professional Camera Phone Powerful Optical Zoom Lens Takes the Smartphone to the Next Level
Altek Corporation, a global leader in the design and manufacture of digital cameras (TWSE: 3059) is pleased to announce its imminent launch of Leo, the world's newest, smartest 3.5G professional camera phone. Operated via its generous touch screen panel, Leo delivers 3.5G (HSDPA) functionality and features a 3x optical zoom and 14 megapixels CCD. Altek plans to launch Leo in June at CommunicAsia (CMMA) in Singapore.
Alex Hsia, president and CEO of Altek, notes that, "picture taking has already risen to become one of the most important mobile phone functions for consumers. Phones able to capture high definition, high quality images and video are a win‐win for users as well as telecommunication service providers, as the latter can anticipate rising bandwidth usage rates when users share images remotely."
"The Leo mobile phone," Alex continued, "is the product of our accumulated advances and breakthroughs in imaging technology as well as Altek's continued refinement and improvement of optical technologies. Stylishly designed, Leo plugs users into a wireless world of excitement and fun. Its high‐end digital camera and video functions means Leo users need never again let a special moment pass by unrecorded. Leo's high definition digital images (14MP) and video (720p HD) can be uploaded instantly to the Internet via onboard Wi‐Fi and 3.5G connectivity for sharing with friends and family."
OVERKILL.
@paulodourado shh....
there's no such thing.
@oldpass56
Optical zoom on a smartphone? Brace your selves for the "I could've used that for a down payment on a new flat." price tag.
@tobsmonster2
Umm i dont think so the Nokia N93 had optical zoom and was several times cheaper than most down-payments on any flat. Optical zoom doesnt necessarily lead to an astronomical price tag
@paulodourado yeah, the sensor on this thing will be so small, who cares its 14 mp
@encler
Hey Engadget "Aitek" in the title and "altek" on the phone and tag. Error?
@paulodourado
Battery Fail - i'll carry a Flip If i want something like that - has it's own battery so it wont suck on my smartphone's supply...
@encler Looking at the photo, the sensor details say it's somewhat small/average. Waiting for details on the optics and lens performance.
@paulodourado Agreed, especially when even with 14MP, it still only does 720P recording!
@paulodourado : number of megapixels doesn't mean anything right? Right?
Course, if this thing was running Android, and the rest of the specs matched up to the Evo, it'd be possible... or, nah.
NEW AD: "Is that an Aitek in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"
@encler at least I'm guessing the sensor will be bigger than those on other phones that don't have optical zoom.
@paulodourado : Is that a "Leo" in your pocket or...?
@One Love It's too hard to deny.
So sexy!
If that was a camera alone I would still buy it!
Sigh... And I thought Samsung or LG will bring the zoom lens out to the general public first.
That wont be comfortable to carry around in your pocket
@MoonWalkerCTE
Most probably the lens will retract into the body
@MoonWalkerCTE - Thats what he said!
@Picaso4me
Oops sorry my bad!
And to avoid a confrontation, I say Peace! (like that goddamn Bieber kid)
@Picaso4me "if lens fails to retract into body within 4 hours, call tech support"
@DantheMan If the lens ever fully retracts into the body, it better be damn cold or you better call tech support immediately.
@MoonWalkerCTE That's what she said.
@Picaso4me Darn you.
@masons You were half an hour late, dude. Come on. (That's what she said)
do you really need that many MPs? : /
@Picaso4me
today 256kbps or 320kbps MP3s are common and standard. a few years ago the standard was 92kbps or 64kbps. what you're saying is similar to what people said about 320kbps back then. hope you got what i mean :)
@tareqhs
That's not similar at all...
There is no detriment to increasing MP3 bitrate, even if you can't hear the difference (except taking up more HD space, of course), but in a sensor this small, 14 MP is likely going to be very very noisy in anything but brightly lit photos. My brother has an old Nikon D70 with only 6MP, but a sensor size much much larger than in any cellphone with 14MP, but it takes WAY better photos, especially when there is sub-optimal lighting.
@tareqhs The 'standard' for MP3's was never 96 or 64 kbps! They were all 128 kbps at first.
No need to revise history to make your point.
@Schmitty338
I love how all you guys are talking about MP3s, when the guy asked about MPs...
@masta vaan
We know he was asking about megapixels...
the first reply was using the MP3 analogy to show how he thinks he is wrong.
I don't think the analogy is sound...(haha....punny)
Next thing you we'll have phones with interchangeable lenses!
@bitingback that's the point where I say it's a camera with a cell phone built in
@Playos
Haha. The smartcamera? I'm sure Sony Ericcson would put out a better phone if the Alpha camera employees had a go...
@bitingback We have a winner!
I'm just waiting for some enterprising camera manufacturer to drop Android into a digicam. Personally, I'd rather it didn't even have cellular radios - just wifi would be fine. Smart camera, yes please!
Unfortunately, 14MP means nothing if the optics and CMOS are crap. Although, it does mean higher compression, if you're into that. :P
@Glitch Actually it might mean larger file and longer time between shots (to save that image, or higher RAM usage).
The pictures look like 3D renders rather than actual device shots - the lines are way too perfect, too straight, too detailed, too focused and the whole image is too dust-free, blur-free, distortion-free and noise-free.
I'd like to see the device itselft, not that its supposed to be like, before making any conclusions.
"Hey man, you've got something sticking up in your pocket"
"I know, it's my..."
Good luck telling the difference between a pixel you want vs. a pixel you don't want. 14MP in a cell phone sized sensor/lens is almost laughable counterproductive.
That looks surprisingly badass... Just saying.
it will hardly fit in your pocket nicely! If only they could give us 3x optical zoom with the lens to be flush and only stick out when you want to take a photo, it would be great. 12mp is crazy, way too high, 8mp would be better.
Great, now we can have even larger crappy photos.
oh snap
Can we get a phone like that here?
Its not the megapixels I'm concerned with - its a phone with a decent camera lens/sensor in it. The 8MP cameras they're shoving in the latest phones here are laughable. My 10 year old Olympus 2MP point and shoot takes much better pictures.
@DeekoVB5 exactly. But most people look at it like "5mp? Damn my 8mp is better of course..."
Make the pixels higher... people will assume better quality.
If it's got xenon flash I'm sold.
@bremic9188
nha, i want an Bionic SuperAMOLED flash with 24 mega pixels
wtf do you need that on a phone? just by a DSLR if you want to make quality pictures
@DeviantmacG because I don't want a DSLR. I want to be able to take good pictures with something I can fit in my pocket.
@DeviantmacG
Because a dslr doesn't fit on my pocket. I carry an s90 in my pocket to clubs, so this should be no problem.
@bremic9188
It looks as if there is a xenon flash in the first picture. Most phones with LED flash have circular openings. But the first picture makes out a picture of the flash that looks like those on a compact still camera.