Actually Released: Neonode N1!

[Andy Sjostrom]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/entry/7831595493861350/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/entry/7831595493861350/</a><br /><br /></div>The revolutionary mobile phone Neonode N1 was announced more than two years ago. Since then we've waited, occasionally seen some random headlines here and there, but we haven't seen anything substantial (such as a real phone). But now... here it is! The phone is now released and it is shipping to the first 18,000 customers that has signed up during the loooong development process. The phone has been reviewed (first looks format) in a couple of Swedish papers already. It is for real. Follow the link to see some screen shots on engaget's web site.<br />This is what I think:<br /><li> It has taken a long time, but that is ok. Remember "Stinger"? It's tough to build a phone. Maybe Neonode should have waited with their initial announcement. But that is history. It's here now.<br /><li> Had it been released two years ago, then it would have ROCKED the world. Now it does not ROCK the world but it does prove a number of very interesting points. First, it is possible for a small company to build a mobile phone that can do things that the big guys phones can't! Second, not only Nokia has interesting ideas on hardware design. Third, Windows CE is indeed very flexible!<br /><li> Specifications are not very impressive but the phone is not like anything else on the market. If they can build brand, reach through channel and continue a product line, then this is a success.<br /><li> Neonode needs more cash, I believe. Microsoft?<br /><br />To put it in Janak-words: "Who'd-a-thunk it?"! :D

[jlp]

To put it in Janak-words: "Who'd-a-thunk it?"! :D

8O Beg you pardon?

[Janak Parekh]

8O Beg you pardon?
The news team has historically received the Neonode with great skepticism. When I found the newsbit on the Neonode, I forwarded it to Andy with that comment. ;)

--janak

[jlp]

OK, but as you can guess from my location English is my 3rd language (1st French, 2nd German (sort of)).

So it's hard for me to decypher those stange looking words 8O

:D

[Janak Parekh]

Ah. It's slang for "Who would have thought of it?"

--janak

[Zack Mahdavi]

The size is very impressive. It's much smaller than the SE T610. Hopefully it will have awesome reception and a good price: if so, it might be my future cell phone. Of course, I'm waiting for the BenQ P50 first. That smartphone looks like it will have it all!

[Chucky]

Any english reviews about? Looks interesting.

[T-Will]

Looks cute...is that a tactile feedback touch screen?

[Johan]

Looks cute...is that a tactile feedback touch screen?

It's not a regular touchscreen, it apparently uses a grid of light to sense where the finger is on the screen. Supposed to be less sensitive to scratches etc then a normal preassuresensitive screen.

Btw the shipping Neonodes seem to lack a lot of things like GPRS, MMS etc. Neoenode says it will provide this later in a software update.

[TheZodiac]

How are they Supposed to provide GPRS through a software update? Unless its already there, just not turned on yet due to some silly programming problems on their part. Get it out sooner and fix it later. I see it now!

Cute phone.

[Johan]

How are they Supposed to provide GPRS through a software update? Unless its already there, just not turned on yet due to some silly programming problems on their part. Get it out sooner and fix it later. I see it now!

Cute phone.

Well even if the hardware is there it needs a software update to work... I think it's nice to see a Swedish phone, but come on, to little way to late... it was cool two years ago...

Also they have a coupple of staff that are assembling the units themselves according to Mobil magazines website.. so it will take a while before the 18.000 preordered ones are built, which at first is when anyone else can start to order one... I whish them luck because it's fun with a small company, hopefully a more uptodate model will follow.

[aliensub]

I think it's nice to see a Swedish phone, but come on, to little way to late...

There have been sweidsh phones for Years. Ericsson is a swedish company.

[dMores]

anyone know what kind of OS it uses?

i hope it's not a proprietary one, because that could cause a lot of problems with acceptancy. they might end up like tel.me, an austrian company that produced the tel.me t919, a pretty interesting smartphone that was supposed to rival the SE P800 but ended up doing pretty bad. oh, and tel.me is now bankrupt.

but the size and design are pretty pretty!

[bsoft]

anyone know what kind of OS it uses?

i hope it's not a proprietary one, because that could cause a lot of problems with acceptancy. they might end up like tel.me, an austrian company that produced the tel.me t919, a pretty interesting smartphone that was supposed to rival the SE P800 but ended up doing pretty bad. oh, and tel.me is now bankrupt.

but the size and design are pretty pretty!

Looks like Windows CE, but it's a custom version so Pocket PC software probably won't run without a lot of modification.

[Fishie]

WinCE 4.2 with a custom interface.