dual hinge
Latest
TCL’s tri-fold prototype phone folds in thirds like an accordion
Now that we have phones that fold in half, companies are starting to imagine phones that fold in thirds. In January, Xiaomi teased a concept phone that folds on both sides. This week, CNET got its hands on another concept by TCL. This one starts as a ten-inch tablet and has dual hinges that fold in opposite directions like an accordion.
Motorola confirms its foldable phone is coming
By now, it's not much of a secret that Motorola is working on a folding phone of its own: A patent for such a device surfaced late last year, and a subsequent report in The Wall Street Journal basically confirmed the company's plans. Despite the ensuing hype, Motorola has mostly kept quiet about its progress, but in an interview with Engadget this week, Motorola VP of Global Product Dan Dery shed some additional light on the company's ambitions.
Samsung Zeal and its dual-hinge design now official on Verizon: $79.99 (updated)
If the paper trail for this handset wasn't enough for you, here's the first official imagery of the Samsung Zeal. It is, as speculated, a dual-hinge, dual-display affair, equipped with an E Ink keyboard that transitions from a four-row QWERTY arrangement to a dialpad depending on orientation. If you're thinking you've seen this before, that might be because you were one of the few to notice Samsung's Alias 2, which also called Verizon its home. The Zeal is expected to arrive in stores on November 11th, so you can expect this premature little cameo to be augmented with full specs and a price very soon indeed. Update: The leak has turned into a full-on press release. The Zeal will cost $79.99 on a two-year contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate) and will be available in stores and online starting on November 11th, as expected. Skip past the break for the full announcement. Having checked it out for ourselves, we've found that this isn't like the Alias 2, this is the Alias 2 ... but in black. Shame on Verizon and Samsung for building up our interest for what's essentially a soft relaunch with a freshened up nomenclature.
Samsung's Alias2 in live shots, still not looking awesome
Don't get us wrong, the concept of a truly dynamic keypad on a phone is awesome, and we're sure that the concept is going to be going places in the next few years -- we just don't think that a handset that looks like this is going to be the one to light the fire. Pictures of the Alias2 from Samsung have filtered in after yesterday's user manual leak, giving us a better idea of what the phone looks like; we still can't put our finger on what technology the keypad is using, but given that we've heard that it'll retain its layout with the battery out, we're starting to think that it might be segmented E Ink. Active matrix E Ink would've been ten times cooler, but we imagine it's not quite at the price point yet where it makes sense for a product in this range. Keep on keepin' on with the innovative stuff, though, guys -- just make sure it spends a little more time in the design department next time.
The Samsung SCH-B6550: like the U740, but not
Yeah, so this is how Sammy does up a dual-hinge flip in its domestic market. It looks a good deal like the U740 that we get over here -- in fact, if it weren't orange, it'd be a dead ringer from the outside -- but flip 'er open and you'll notice that the QWERTY keypad we get here has been replaced by a more traditional numeric type. The reason? Well, it seems the SCH-B6550 here does T-DMB mobile TV, so it'd make sense that users would want a convenient way of setting it on a surface and getting their couch potato on. Like the U740, the B6550 does 1.3 megapixels from its camera, but ups the display from 220 x 176 to full QVGA resolution. We're not sure how we feel about the orange, but then again, we're not sure how we feel about the original U740's champagne, either.
Verizon's Samsung U740 launch details!
Ladies and gentlemen, get those typing thumbs fired up -- it's so close now, we can almost feel that dual hinge flipping to and fro in our hands. Sources tell us we can expect at least an online launch of the Samsung U740 on February 14, with units filtering into stores about a week later. Full retail should run $320, one year contract pricing at $250, and two year at $200 with a $50 mail-in rebate. Continue on for more visual stimulation![Thanks, anonymous tipsters]
Sony Ericsson's beastly W44S for KDDI au
A lot of phones, pictures of phones, and mockups of phones grace our desks in an average week; some leave more of an impression on us than others. Looking at pictures of this W44S from Sony Ericsson left us forever marked with deep feelings of fear, awe, respect, and a genuine hope that we might one day see such immaculate pieces of equipment in our own lands. We're not sure we can put our finger on what did it for us. Was it the glossy exterior, available in your choice of black, silver, or green? The gorgeous, Bravia-branded display? The beefy dual hinge? The digital radio and TV tuners? Seeing how we'll likely never have an opportunity to run our hands across this beauty's softly-sculpted lines, we may never know for sure -- but customer's of Japan's KDDI au can find out when the W44S drops next month.[Via Akihabara News]
Details emerge on Samsung's U740 for Verizon
Mixed in with the hoopla surrounding the MediaFLO-capable U620 yesterday came another gem: more details on the dual-hinge U710, which has apparently turned out to be the U740 (you say "po-tay-to," I say "po-tah-to"). Like the U620, the U740 is destined for Verizon and -- in theory, anyway -- offers the benefits of a full QWERTY layout while maintaining the usability and portability of a clamshell. Specs should include a 1.3 megapixel cam, microSD expansion, Bluetooth, and that all-important EV-DO radio, though we still don't have word on a drop date.
Samsung U710 goes both ways on Verizon
Major Korean manufacturer launches dual-hinge clamshell on largest GSM network in the US. Said clamshell disappoints; disappears without a successor. Manufacturer goes for another launch, this time on largest CDMA network in the US. What might contribute to the U710's success on Verizon where Cingular's D307 failed? For starters, if these pictures are any indication, the U710 doesn't look so much like the solid block of child-safe plastic its ancestor resembled. Add in some LBS, an honest-to-goodness camera, A2DP, and external music controls, and it looks like Samsung might just have a winner on their hands this time around for the non-smartphone types out there that dig the QWERTY.[Thanks, Martin A.]
Samsung rolls out SCH-B450 gaming phone
DS and PSP be damned -- if you happen to be in Korea, that is. Looking a bit like a D307 on performance-enhancing substances, Samsung's new SCH-B450 is designed with entertainment in mind, and it's packing enough tech to make the 2-megapixel camera possibly the least interesting feature of the device. Frankly, the spec sheet is a bit overwhelming: you get TV-out, A2DP, a motion sensor for Wii-like interaction, a game-friendly keypad, 3D acceleration, S-DMB reception, Immersion's VibeTonz, and that clever (yet frighteningly fragile-looking) dual hinge design. The B450 is sadly destined for Samsung's home market only, but we can always pick up a D307 and play make-believe, right?[Via Akihabara News]
