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Exclusive: A day trip to Meizu's factory (video)
Jack Wong is a very lucky guy. Or you can say he's very unfortunate. On one hand, his eight-year-old Meizu label -- literally meaning "the captivating tribe" -- has rapidly become one of the most popular brands amongst Chinese gadget lovers, yet all he's producing right now is just the one phone: the M9. On the other hand, the now-discontinued M8 had notoriously caught unwanted attention from Apple, and even the recent M9 launch saw accusations of Meizu hiring people to stand in line. But the latter points are irrelevant for now -- what we're really interested in is how a teensy MP3 player factory managed to outpace its numerous competitors to become a reputable smartphone maker with a huge fan base. To help us understand what drives the company, we decided to pay Meizu a visit. Go on, you know where to click. %Gallery-115342%
Meizu M9 escapes the Great Wall of China, unofficially available for global Android addicts
If you've been closely following Meizu, chances are you would've heard about the wild M9 launch across China from just a few days ago. Sadly, said smartphone maker told us that it has absolutely no interest in reaching out to other countries in the near future, but potential foreign buyers now have an option: Hong Kong-based DealExtreme is offering the 8GB Android Froyo device for $449 -- a $70 markup -- with free shipping. Not a bad alternative to the M9's Hummingbird buddy Galaxy S that goes for about $570 sans contract, and bear in mind that the former is still the first Android phone to sport a 3.5-inch 960 x 640 display. Maybe this is a good time to spend your holiday cash. [Thanks, Dave; original image credit: Getty Images]
Meizu's M9 launch amasses thousands of Jack Wong fans across China (video)
Pretty impressive, isn't it? Meizu sure has made a wise decision to launch its M9 Android Froyo phone on the first day of 2011 which, like most other countries, happens to be a public holiday in China. According to some Meizu fans (aka "Mei-yo" or literally "friends of Meizu") outside one of the two Shenzhen stores, there were already about 60 people lined up outside at around 6am. A few of them even braved the cold weather since 8pm last night, despite CEO Jack Wong actively discouraging such hustle on the forum for the sake of people's health, promising "all the flagship stores will have sufficient stock" for all pre-orderers. Meizu wasn't keen on giving us an official number, but the two Shenzhen stores alone could've easily served several thousand customers this morning. With no limit on how many units each person could pre-order (¥2,499 / $379 for 8GB, and ¥2,699 / $409 for 16GB), you can imagine Meizu's assembly lines working long hours to supply its stores from 28 other provinces in China. Meanwhile, somewhere out there, Mr. Wong is happily checking his bank account. Video after the break. %Gallery-112279%
Meizu M9 ripped apart, out flies a Hummingbird processor
You've seen Jack Wong's baby from every angle and taken a deep dive through the UI -- now, feast your eyes on the juicy silicon insides. Forumgoers at gadget portal 163.com and Soomal cracked open the Retina Display-wielding device this week, and there's a good bit to see. Sure enough, there's the 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird we were promised, some TriQuint communication chips, and a lot of tiny covers on a fairly stacked little board. Check out our source links for the full teardown; you'll find plenty more pics where this one came from.
Meizu M9 christens site launch with full specs list
Meizu CEO Jack Wong has been teasing the M9 handset for some time now, and if we're not mistaken, the official site just went live with a full list of specs to boot. As promised, there's a 3.5-inch 960 x 640 resolution screen (reportedly the Sharp ASV display), and we're also apparently looking at a 1GHz S5PC110 processor (just like the Samsung Galaxy S), Android 2.2, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, A-GPS, 802.11b/g/n, microSDHC, a removable 1370mAH lithium-polymer battery, and support for (drumroll, please) GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA,and HSUPA. Too good to be true? Word on the street is this very phone will be available December 25th in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, and will expand to the rest of China days later. We'll believe it when we see it.
Russian president not fond of Galaxy Tab camera, <3s emoticons
Seems that Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, picked up a Galaxy Tab on his recent trip to Samsung's home country of South Korea while seeking investment and trade opportunities. Unfortuntely, he doesn't seem to be much of a fan of the GT-P1000's camera according to a recent tweet made from his certified Twitter account. Apparently, he prefers the quality of his trusty Leica M9 camera spotted in the EXIF of the images he posted from Japan just a few days prior -- the $17,500 Neiman Marcus edition, we presume. Proof once again that it's good to be king Президент. [Thanks, Oleg]
Meizu M8 ceases production amid pressure from Apple and intellectual property office
Well, can't say we didn't see this coming; we're just surprised that it's taken this long for Meizu to take a hit over its notorious handset. In case you have no idea what we're talking about, earlier this month said Chinese company's been in heated talks with Apple due to the M8 smartphone bearing an "appearance roughly similar" to the iPhone. Seriously, that's the only reason Apple provided for the accusation, if CEO Jack Wong is to be trusted (and hey, he did kinda ask for it). Anyhow, the latest development is that Meizu's bowing to pressure from both the provincial intellectual property office and Cupertino, and announced that it's shutting down production lines for its flagship M8 this month. This is no doubt a big blow to the company, but it might get even nastier -- here's what Jack said in one of his many frustrated forum postings: Apple requested that we cease manufacturing the M8 this month, we agreed but then [Apple] came back and asked for a sales ban instead. I can cope with a production freeze, but not with having our shops closed and thus not being able to use up our inventory. If Apple and the provincial IPO take another insatiable step, I can only go head to head against them. So, it looks like the M8's all set for an early retirement, either way -- it doesn't look like Apple's going to let this one go easily, and Jack's also expressed concern over the fact that the IPO has the power to shut his factory down without going to court. That said, things are still looking positive for the elusive M9 -- from the sounds of it, Meizu's upcoming Android phone isn't affected by this takedown (yet); but the question is whether Jack and co. can keep the shops running until a December launch for their next flagship device. Oh well, hang in there, Meizu!
Leica announces Nieman Marcus Edition M9: $17,500, limited to 50
Is that Leica M9 Titanium announced at Photokina last month not limited enough for you at just 500 units available? Then take a gander at the Leica M9 Neiman Marcus Edition pictured above, which is available exclusively through Neiman Marcus's Christmas Book, and is limited to a mere fifty units. The camera itself is, of course, the same M9 you already know and covet, although it's wrapped in a brown ostrich leather trim this time around, and it comes paired with a chrome-finished Summicron-M 35mm f2.0 ASPH lens for this occasion. Sure it costs $17,500, but that includes Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 and a personal delivery from a Leica photography expert, who will also provide a private training and orientation session. It's really quite a bargain when you think about it.
Apple's lawyers finally going after Meizu, or so it seems
C'mon, let's all color ourselves shocked at once. It'll be fun. We promise. If you've been calling the underside of a rock home for the past decade or so, you may have missed out on a Chinese outfit by the name of Meizu. For all intents and purposes, the company has done its darnedest to copy Apple in every respect, particularly with the software on its M8 and M9 smartphones. Strangely, we've never actually heard confirmation that Cupertino's best lawyers were breathing down Meizu's neck... until now. As the story goes, Meizu CEO Jack Wong's forum postings have been rather tense of late, and one in particular seems to explain why: Apple's all up in his grille. The details are hidden beneath a good bit of pent-up rage, but what is clear is a mention of Apple's lawyers and their "unreasonable negotiation tactics." In essence, Jack finds it absurd that Apple could claim rights to the touchscreen smartphone form factor, and while Apple could only serve a relative few in China, he (obviously) expects Meizu to serve far more. We won't pretend to be sad on Jack's behalf -- we mean, the guy had it coming -- but we can't shake the looming depression when thinking of a world with no future Meizu devices to chuckle at.
Leica introduces M9 'Titanium,' limited to just 500 luscious pieces
Can't afford anything that's been introduced at Photokina so far? Unfortunately for you, there's hardly a chance that Leica's newest limited edition product will be the one that slips under the budget. At the outfit's exclusive press preview this evening in Cologne, a gallery of executives from Leica and Volkswagen (who chipped in on the design) formally unveiled the M9 'Titanium.' For all intents and purposes, this is just a souped-up M9, but there's plenty to love for those who fancy high-fashion. You know, like a trim that uses leather "typically reserved for the interiors of Audi's premium automobiles." According to Leica, "anything that looks like titanium, is titanium." It's also coated with a fingerprint-resistant overlay, and the bundle is slated to include the camera itself, a 35mm Summilux F/1.4 prime lens, lens hood, a new carrying concept (just a single hook for a carry strap), a newfangled electronic illumination system and a fanciful cardboard box made somewhere in the Black Forest. Just 500 of these kits are being produced and sold for an undisclosed amount starting in November, and chances are all but one or two have already been claimed. Good luck getting in line, and you might as well forget scoring the four millionth Leica camera to be produced since 1923 -- a specially-stamped M9 'Titanium' -- as that one's being given away to someone far more important than us tonight. %Gallery-102807% %Gallery-102808%
Meizu CEO Jack Wong: Oh hey, the new iPod touch 'looks a bit like the M9II'
Should there be an international award for Cheekiest Man of the Year, it'd have to go to Meizu's shameless Jack Wong. Shortly after Apple's keynote last week, the CEO of KIRFdom seized the opportunity to cry foul on the new iPod touch, claiming it "looks a bit like" his forthcoming M9II Android phone, as pictured above. Wait, M9II? Turns out even though the M9 has yet to materialize in early October, Mr. Wong already has an enhanced model to be brought forth by his faithful unicorns. Assuming both M9 series devices will carry the same Meizu-fied Android 2.2 software, the only known differences on the M9II include a larger 4-inch display (as opposed to 3.5 inches at 960 x 640), the additional front-facing camera plus flash for the rear camera, and a Cortex-A9 CPU. To play devil's advocate, we'd actually suggest Wong skip the M9 for this lovely dream phone, but we're probably too late -- check out his snazzy prototype M9 after the break.
Meizu CEO Jack Wong spills more M9 details: Android 2.2 and retina-busting 960 x 640 screen
It's hard to call Meizu a straight-up KIRFmeister at this point, but the company certainly does like to flirt with copyright disaster. The M8 started off as an iPhone clone, but we've been hoping its successor, the M9, will be a bit more original. Meizu's Jack Wong has been dropping hints about the thing since January, and now he's tossing out a few more nuggets, like a Retina-matching 960 x 640 display -- making us wonder if this isn't just going to be an iPhone 4 wanna-be after all. Jack indicates the phone will run a heavily customized version of Android 2.2 (shown above) and is now pledging a proper release by the end of this year, with demo units making the rounds in October. Please forgive our cynicism, but we'll be using something non-permanent to mark that onto our calendar. Update: It's 960 x 640, not 480.
Meizu CEO Jack Wong leaks, pulls M9 pics
Jack Wong, why does he tease us so? If you haven't been following the M8 forums as religiously as you used to, you might have missed the news that our man in Guangdong leaked the definitive blurrycam photos of what appears to be the Meizu M9 Android handset. Not long after leaking the pics he deleted the post and closed all threads, explaining: "sorry, my fault. i am just too excited and wanna share with your guys." Although his cavalier attitude might end up breaking a few hearts 'round here, we can definitely appreciate his enthusiasm. One more pic after the break.
Meizu M9 getting Android 2.1, possible August release?
Well, what do you know -- perhaps there is an M9 in your future (or someone's future) after all! After hearing the one and only Jack Wong detail the thing earlier this year, Beareyes.com is reporting that the device -- with the same 3.6-inch display, 1 GHz (Samsung S5PC110) CPU, HDMI 1.3 out and more -- may be out as early as this August. We think this is certainly do-able, although anything can happen -- as the drawn-out gestation of a certain Meizu M8 made painfully clear. The new news? Rather than KIRFin' up an Apple-esque interface, it looks like Android 2.1 might just be on tap. Sweet, eh? Look for it August 18, for around $350 depending on options... but don't be surprised if you're still looking long past the target date.
Leica M9 hands-on; or, The Tao of Leica
For most amateur photographers, Leica's legendary M System represents a virtually unobtainable holy grail, a line of cameras so unspeakably expensive, rare, and coveted that even having the opportunity to hold one -- much less own one -- is a somewhat unrealistic goal. Why is that, exactly? It's a combination of things, really; sure, Leica's brand cachet undoubtedly factors into it, but in reality, it's much, much more than that. For our money, nothing demonstrates that better than a day or two with the M9, the company's latest flagship rangefinder with an 18 megapixel CCD sensor sourced from Kodak. And what, exactly, does it feel like to carry $11,695 worth of rangefinder body and lens around? Follow the break. %Gallery-89151%
Leica M9 taking pre-orders for its body only
Got nearly $7,000 in spare change and a lust for magnesium-bodied digital rangefinder cameras? Then we've got the solution to your itch, dear friend, as Leica has just let the M9 out to dance with credit cards in the courting ritual colloquially known as a pre-order. Claimed as the world's smallest full frame digital shooter, the latest Leica sports an 18 megapixel sensor, a new cover glass that eliminates the need for IR filters, dual image processors, and a 2.5-inch LCD. You'll have to be really sure this shooter is for you, though, because the quoted price is for the body only, and the lenses won't come cheap either. Still, this is the Leica stuff we care to see -- not some silly 24 carat-skinned Limited Edition homage to the unholy.
Meizu CEO teases M9 specs, vaporware threat level: orange
Meizu's irrepressible CEO J. Wong is up to his teasing ways again with more details on the M8's successor, the aptly-named M9 -- and actually, there's nothing about the list that doesn't sound doable for a 2010 release (famous last words, we know). Specifically, the dude's saying that we can expect a 1GHz Cortex A8-based Samsung S5PC110 core, half a gig of RAM and ROM, a 5 megapixel cam, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, TV-out, microSD expansion, and a 3.6-inch screen clocking in at 720 x 480 resolution. Interestingly, he's holding the line on committing to deliver WCDMA, CDMA, and TD-SCDMA versions simultaneously -- theoretically good enough to deliver 3G on China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Mobile, respectively -- with a price in the range of 2,500 yuan (about $366). Possible? Yes -- but with as checkered a past as the good ol' M8 has, we'll believe this one when it's in our hands and not a moment sooner.
Leica gets official with M9 and X1 cameras, hands-on ensue
No surprises here (at all), but Leica's 09/09/09 event has just led to the formal unveiling of the full-frame, 18 megapixel M9 rangefinder and the compact X1. The former (which is shipping now) supports all Leica M lenses and ships with a "newly developed glass sensor cover designed to guarantee the suppression of the infrared portion of the light spectrum." There's also a quick-access ISO adjustment button alongside a few other hotkeys, a full metal housing, Kodak-sourced CCD, a fresh microprocessor-controlled shutter (which is supposedly "near silent") and a staggering £4,850 ($8,004) price tag. As for the X1, you'll find a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C), a fixed-mount Leica Elmarit 1:2.8/24mm lens, numerous "auto" modes for the newbies in attendance, a maximum ISO of 3200, 2.7-inch rear LCD and a Live View function that replaces the optical viewfinder. Expect to hear more regarding price when the January 2010 ship date nears, but for now, feel free to peruse the hands-on galleries linked below.Read - Leica M9 announcement and hands-onRead - Leica X1 announcement and hands-on
Leica M9 microsite and brochure leaked, new X1 details in tow
At cursory glance there's nothing new here on the Leica M9 that we haven't already seen in the numerous other leaks, but if you're jonesing for more on the upcoming M9 -- and a dash of the CMOS-equipped X1 while you're at it -- Leica Rumors has managed to dig up the screencaptures of the M9 microsite and the M9 brochure. Getting excited for new professional-grade cameras this Wednesday? It's not like you had anything else to look forward to, right? Read - Leica brochure Read - Screenshots of M9 microsite
Leica M9 and X1 leak out ahead of schedule
Wondering what Leica has up its sleeve for that destined-to-be-overshadowed event on the 9th? Well, wonder no more: these pics of the long-rumored M9 and something called the X1 just leaked out, along with some specs. We're told the M9 will sport a full-frame 18.2 megapixel sensor and improved low-light performance, but the real surprise is the X1, pictured above, which'll supposedly have a 12 megapixel APS-C sensor, a fixed 24mm lens and that funky grip handle, by which we're oddly fascinated. Maybe Leica's got some surprises left for the 9th after all -- pic of the M9 after the break.