Huawei Ideos hands-on

Chinese telecom giant Huawei -- which has been playing the Android game with major carriers around the world for some time now -- has selected IFA to debut the Ideos, a new entry-level model running Froyo in a variety of colors. Huawei's press release calls the Ideos "the world's first affordable smartphone" -- which seems like a bit of an overstatement (okay, a huge overstatement) to us -- but really underscores the fact that this thing is going to be launching for somewhere between $100 and $200 unsubsidized in Europe, Asia, and both North and Latin America. It's got 3G, WiFi, mobile hotspot capability for up to eight devices, and was apparently developed in direct partnership with Google, a sign that Mountain View is serious about taking Android 2.2 across the entire price spectrum.

We checked out the Ideos today and were pretty impressed; clearly, you're not going to mistake it for an EVO, a Droid X, or a Defy, but Huawei has definitely put some effort into engineering this thing so that they were able to make it cheaply without making it feel like it would come apart in your hands. The company is quick to note that 2.8-inch capacitive displays aren't very common -- and though we could've definitely used HVGA instead of the Ideos' QVGA, we were pleased with the responsiveness, both from a processor performance perspective and a touch sensitivity one. Add in the support for 7.2Mbps HSDPA and the stylish colors (black, yellow, blue, and purple) and Huawei might just have a winner here. More on this one when launch carriers start to come out of the woodwork. Follow the break for the full press release.
%Gallery-101247%

Show full PR text

Huawei Launches World's First Affordable Smartphone with Google Called IDEOS

September 2, 2010

News Facts
• Huawei announced the launch of IDEOS, the world's first affordable smartphone, developed in partnership with Google.
• IDEOS is priced between US$100 and US$200, depending on the market, and comes with Android 2.2 pre-installed.
• Redefines the "entry-level" concept by combining high-quality hardware and software with a low price point.
• Will be released in a number of countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, and Latin America.
• Provides a variety of ways to access the internet, as it boasts downlink speeds of more than 7.2Mb/s, offers WCDMA + WiFi dual network support, and offers ubiquitous mobile broadband services.
• Doubles as a WiFi router for up to eight devices at a time, making IDEOS an all-in-one solution for a range of wireless connectivity options.
• Available in black, yellow, blue, and purple.
• Supports functions such as voice dialing, voice navigation, and the ability to run applications off the SD card. With more than 70,000 applications available in the Android Market, IDEOS provides a wide range of communication, entertainment, and office and financial management applications.
• The name "IDEOS" embodies creativity and inspiration: the "ID" represents the industrial design-centric hardware platform, the "OS" represents the operating system as the core software platform, and the "E" symbolizes the evolution toward the mobile internet.

Quote
Attributed to Kevin Tao, CEO of Huawei Device
"The popularity of the smartphone is one of the key tools to bringing people into the 'Golden Age of Mobile Broadband,' which is linked to Google's mobile Internet strategy.

"We are proud to have already achieved our goal from early 2010 of developing a US$150 smartphone with an excellent user experience. The IDEOS is an affordable option, designed to lower barriers to entry to allow easy mobile Internet access."

About Huawei
Huawei is a leader in providing next generation telecommunications networks, and now serves over one billion users worldwide. The company is committed to providing innovative and customized products, services and solutions to create long-term value and growth potential for its customers.

Huawei Device provides a wide range of products, including mobile broadband devices, handsets, convergence devices, and video solutions. Huawei Device is dedicated to being a trusted partner for operators, helping them meet their subscribers' diversified needs by providing a rich variety of network terminals. Through the end of 2009, Huawei Device products have been chosen by more than 470 operators around the world. Huawei Device is a strategic partner of a number of the world's top operators including Vodafone, T-Mobile, BT, and Telefónica.