We've been hearing about / poking fun of ITG's xpPhone since June of last year, but amazingly enough, we'd yet to actually see one in the flesh until today. Slyly stuck in the back corner of Microsoft's Computex booth were a trio of xpPhones, at least one of which was shockingly functional. As the story goes, the company has decided to axe Windows XP in favor of a much more lightweight version of WinXP Embedded, and responsiveness seemed suitable enough given the circumstances. And by "circumstances," we mean "the outrageous size." You see, we've no qualms making and receiving calls on an ultra-sleek Dell Streak, but this bad boy was pushing a solid inch in thickness. Sure, there's a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, optical sensor and integrated Bluetooth, but that hardly makes it viable in a world where smartphones are thinner than wallets and full-fledged laptops are rolling in at under 10mm. During our time with the device, we found the display to be surprisingly crisp, and while our finger presses were easily recognized, the omission of an accelerometer, the tremendous size, inexcusable weight and the tremendous size kept us from falling head over heels. We will say, though -- it'd make a darn good weapon should someone pull a fast one in the alley, and we'd probably buy one for kicks at under $150. Comedy ensues after the break.
Amen, I would have like to have been a fly on the wall at the design briefs & subsequent meetings ! Maybe, just like Apple, they were trying to create a market that did not exist before ? Aah, sorry, it did exist, the market for butt-ugly tech.
I used the XPphone a couple of months ago, it was actually pretty neat and if it was released 4 years ago I would have definately bought one. The ability to move around the XP desktop on a phone actually gave me a big smile for some reason!
The problem is that there was nothing on it that you cant do just as well as any current smartphone OS.
yeah, but it's cool in a StarTac kind of way, not in a "I'm going to buy this" kind of way - which tends to make problems in the accounting department.
Reminds me of a guy I saw at the airport last year with a laptop over his head. He was obviously using SKYPE, but he was "wearing" it like the roof of a house. Funny stuff.
To think i though about getting this ! dame i had no idea it was that BIG and can't imagine people hating on Dell Streak would say about this one ...Guess i will stick with my Toshiba TG01 untill i get a dell streak next year
Now, stop teasing us Engadget, nobody expects you to hold this slab to your head, you are expected to use an external bluetooth headphone for this. Soon, you'll be able to phone too on your Tablets, you will also not be holding the tablet to your head. Solution enough in the market I say.
i'd rather get an android-based cellphone along with a netbook,to inform you guys of the price of the xpphone,it costs rmb3999 in china for the evdo version,which is an enough sum of money to buy a smartphone and a netbook.
@daceaki Yeah, well converted, that's £399, which would be about average for any similar device, but then we get the European mark-up, so if it ever makes its way over here, we're looking at probably £550 minimum... which is WAY too much to justify.
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posted June 1st 2010 10:08AM
Errr, no thanks
@Threlly: eh, do they think someone is buying this crap?
@Threlly
an eight footer abomination will feel right at home with this.
@Threlly
Amen, I would have like to have been a fly on the wall at the design briefs & subsequent meetings !
Maybe, just like Apple, they were trying to create a market that did not exist before ?
Aah, sorry, it did exist, the market for butt-ugly tech.
@Threlly
Did Darren say "beautiful"? Ehhhhhh....
@SeeKo Hey, it's the New Brick Phone :D
@annoynimous
Come on, man, Bigfoot needs a phone, too!
@Lowest Ranks It looks like it could also microwave a bag of popcorn too!
@Threlly : its like an OQO
@Threlly
Sony Vaio P phone!
@Threlly I want one, especially if it costs less than an iphone 4g
@Threlly
I used the XPphone a couple of months ago, it was actually pretty neat and if it was released 4 years ago I would have definately bought one. The ability to move around the XP desktop on a phone actually gave me a big smile for some reason!
The problem is that there was nothing on it that you cant do just as well as any current smartphone OS.
@dartox
Stick Android on it and it'll instantly sell to those that hate Apple.
not really pocket friendly
@nk
HELLO?!!!!! WHAT?!! NO, I'M IN AN ART GALLERY!! YEA, IT'S RUBBISH! RIGHT, CIAO!!!!!
@nk
It's the iPhone XL.
Finally, there's a phone Shaquille O'Neal or Andre the Giant (if he was still alive) would feel comfortable using!
that phone just to big. its half the size of the guys head. why oh why would some one want that
@rfs830 why would someone want that in 2010 :)
Suddenly the Dell Streak seems a whole lot more viable as a phone...
News flash: Man glues brick to cell phone, xpPhone already outdated....
Reminds me of Brick phones from earlier days
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~nohe/Indicium/Ref/RUDI_KROLLOP.JPG
WTF is this?! o_O
i dont need a brick.
Crap!! Its BIG!!! and it got Windows XP!!! Hard time clicking those tiny buttons... and what's up with that painted triangle on the earpiece?
I'm probably the only one but I found that phone to be sort of cool. There's no way in hell that I'd buy it but still a cool phone nonetheless.
@Niazac
I think it would be cool if they didn't try to sell this as phone. Just come clean and call it a MID with Phone capability.
@Niazac
yeah, but it's cool in a StarTac kind of way, not in a "I'm going to buy this" kind of way - which tends to make problems in the accounting department.
@Finalcutnerd Exactly. This thing is the size of a house; there's no reason to call it a phone unless they plan to ship it back in time to the 1990s.
If it's got Bluetooth, it would do well as a cheap OQO alternative - I don't see the problem with the size (as long as it's priced well).
This looks almost exactly like when people think their iPad can be used for calling.
thats the sort of brick my house in forks is made of
Phone in your pants
Phone in your pants
Lookin like a fool with that phone in your pants
Reminds me of a guy I saw at the airport last year with a laptop over his head. He was obviously using SKYPE, but he was "wearing" it like the roof of a house. Funny stuff.
To think i though about getting this ! dame i had no idea it was that BIG and can't imagine people hating on Dell Streak would say about this one ...Guess i will stick with my Toshiba TG01 untill i get a dell streak next year
Back to the future part IV
i do want one :-) if it has good specs,
And I was saying Dell streak was a huge for a phone..Taking my words back.
That picture shows off the ridiculousness of the upcoming screen-size war that I see brewing between gadget-makers.
Having a nice, big screen is important, but there is a limit to how big of a screen you can use in a mobile device before it simply becomes absurd.
Now, stop teasing us Engadget, nobody expects you to hold this slab to your head, you are expected to use an external bluetooth headphone for this. Soon, you'll be able to phone too on your Tablets, you will also not be holding the tablet to your head. Solution enough in the market I say.
At least its not as bad a the Nokia ngage lol, yes I had one. But did mod one so it could be used in a normal mobile position.
it has a built in sub-woofer so fart apps really shine on this thing
How can you even develop that kind of things? Just look at the market people.... ^_^
Yao Ming's next phone.
IE6? Really?
i'd rather get an android-based cellphone along with a netbook,to inform you guys of the price of the xpphone,it costs rmb3999 in china for the evdo version,which is an enough sum of money to buy a smartphone and a netbook.
@daceaki Yeah, well converted, that's £399, which would be about average for any similar device, but then we get the European mark-up, so if it ever makes its way over here, we're looking at probably £550 minimum... which is WAY too much to justify.
rofl... funny stuff
can it run crisis?
@ReubenO
at least learn your line, man...
@ReubenO
The thing IS a crisis.