Meizu
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Holy reverse KIRF Batman! Meizu M9 ROM ported to HTC EVO 4G
Some industrious hackers have created a port of the Meizu M9 ROM for the HTC EVO 4G, bringing a little KIRF flavor to Sprint's favorite jumbo phone. The port is still in the developmental stages, but most of the M9 functionality appears to already be working, with only the port from GSM to CDMA and tweaks to screen resolution left to do. After a little spit-shine to make sure the build is stable, EVO owners can finally see what the Meizu M9 fuss is all about without having to actually buy one. Of course, why you'd actually want to do this to your perfectly functional Android phone is a question that may never truly find a legitimate answer.
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.
Engadget Chinese gets hands-on with the Meizu M9
We harbored our doubts as to whether the Meizu M9 would ever be more than unicorn, prancing around the grey matter of CEO Jack Wong, but lo and behold, a honest-to-goodness handset just arrived at our Chinese counterparts' door. Our brothers-from-other-mothers at Engadget Chinese have yet to put that Retina Display-alike through the wringer, but their cameras have been popping nonstop, and if you're curious about the literal shape of things to come -- or just about any facet of Meizu's customized Android 2.2 UI -- you'll find it in pictures below. %Gallery-111634%%Gallery-111632%
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.
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!
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.
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.
The Engadget Show: Inside the gadget markets of China, part two - Shenzhen
You may have already seen the large range of gadgets -- both old and new -- in Hong Kong, but the small presence of KIRFs there does make things a tad less exciting. Want more? Turns out all you need to do is grab a Chinese visa (or a border pass if you're a Hong Kong or Macau resident), take a train ride up north and you'll reach Shenzhen for all the KIRFs you've ever wanted. In this second part of our China tour series, we'll be showing you around the Luohu Commercial City and the Huaqiangbei gadget heaven -- don't worry, there are still many genuine products there for you little angels. Oh, and we also popped into a Meizu store for some hands-on time with the notorious M8. Enjoy.Host: Richard LaiProduced and Directed by: Chad Mumm, Richard LaiExecutive Producer: Joshua FruhlingerFilmed by: Alfred Yu, Richard LaiEdited by: Richard LaiMusic by: Pieces of Eight, SabrepulseOpening titles by: Julien NantiecDownload the Show: The Engadget Show - Segment 008 (HD) / The Engadget Show - Segment 008 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted)Subscribe to the Show:[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.Click through for the stream...
Meizu Mbook tablet gets pictured, initial specs detailed
Well lookie here, folks, everyone's favorite clone phone maker is getting in on the tablet game, announcing the 8.4-inch Mbook. It's said to have a 1024 x 768 capacitive touchscreen, 3G and WiFi, a 12 hour battery, and even HDMI output over which it will pump enough data to tickle every pixel on your 1080p display. Promising (if a bit optimistic) specs for sure, and while we don't know what OS the thing will be running, those icons are looking mighty familiar. In other words, don't be surprised if this thing winds up being just a big M8. Update: Commenter Mr. Crosini pointed out that the photo above is actually a fan-made conceptual render added here by ardent Meizu fanboy bingo_zheng. However, the specs are said to have come straight from the mouth of Meizu's CEO, and if you can't trust Jack Wong who can you trust?
Meizu partners with Karry Auto to sing KIRFer's Delight
Karry Auto (a phonetic mistranslation of the English word "carry") is a division of the Chinese car maker Chery, infamous for getting sued by Chevy for knocking off its designs. Meizu... well, we're guessing you're a little more familiar with the history there. The two companies have joined forces in China, with Karry Auto giving away a Meizu M8 SE with every tiny truck or little van sold until April 30. Should you have any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of the designs of either cars or phones involved in this deal, just take a long look at that guy up there on the right. Everything is A-OK. [Thanks, Etzer]
Meizu MStore open for business, Mr. Jelly on sale now for 29 cents
We have some news on the app store that Meizu announced for the M8 a while back. The official name is apparently MStore, and it is indeed open for business with its first paid app, Mr. Jelly, going for about 29 cents (we believe it's a productivity tool for managing your, um, jelly). If that sounds familiar, it is -- the game is a port of an iPhone App Store gem. Regardless of its somewhat KIRFish nature, we do wish Meizu (its app developers) all the best. Now, when are we going to get Super Monkey Ball for this thing?
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.
Meizu's M8 UI promo video is surprisingly professional, catchy
Oh, Meizu, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways. The KIRF-rooted company has released a promo touting the UI for its M8 phone. If any of it seems familiar, just remember that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Honestly, we're a bit surprised just how professional the video feels, and the tune's pretty memorable to boot. Get it caught in your head all day, footage is after the break.
Meizu CEO: M8 3G launch pushed, original M8 getting Windows Phone apps (maybe)
In his latest routine forum visit, Meizu CEO Jack Wong dropped a couple of teasers about what's coming up in his fancy Zhuhai-based factory. First is that the M8 3G will need at least another six months to brew, which is slightly off the March release date we last heard. Initial versions will pack W-CDMA (aka, UMTS) and China's own TD-SCDMA radios, then maybe a CDMA version whenever Jack's ready to pay "premium license fees" to enter the "narrow international market [of EV-DO]." Next up is word that apparently the infamous Windows CE-based M8 may get a dose of Windows Phone apps in a future firmware update, courtesy of "a project that Microsoft is working on." Sure, it all sounds great, but given Meizu's record of underestimating the complexities of manufacturing mobile phones, we'll believe it when we see it.
Meizu M8 app store to become reality this month?
Now that Meizu is setting the M8 up with some new firmware and further turning its back on the handset's KIRFish origins, how about an app store? Apparently that's exactly what's happening, as the following video will attest. Not too many details here -- it's called MyStore, and the company is planning to split revenue with developers 30 / 70. The store is currently being tested internally, and with any luck it should see the light of day as a part of the new firmware release later this month. If you've been dying for a chance to play a Chinese knockoff of BubbleWrap, that day is finally drawing near! See for yourself after the break.
