| Android phone launches in China |
Dec. 01, 2008
 TechFaith Wireless and Qigi Future Technology announced a smartphone that runs the Google Android mobile Linux stack. The i6-Goal is only the second Android phone to launch, and reportedly includes a 2.8-inch touchscreen, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a two-megapixel camera.
(Click here for a larger view of the Qigi i6)
The two Chinese firms will target the i6-Goal, as well as a separate Windows Mobile 6.1 version, called the i6-Win, at the China market. The companies have signed sales agreements "with a few well-known mobile phone distributors in China," says Qigi. TechFaith, an established manufacturer of Windows Mobile devices, announced an agreement with Qigi in October, under the terms of which it will become the "exclusive supplier" of phones to the latter company. Qigi, in turn, describes itself as "focused on Windows smartphones," making today's announcement of an Android variant something of a surprise.
Instead of offering a dual-boot approach, the i6 comes in separate models. According to information posted on the website of Taiwan retailer ePrice, the two models differ only with respect to their operating system ROMs.
The i6-Goal is only the second Android device to be formally announced, after the HTC G1, which shipped last month for T-Mobile customers. In addition, Motorola has stated that it plans to ship an Android phone next year, while Koolu has promised an OpenMoko Android port.
Qigi's i6-Goal
The i6 is reportedly based on Marvell's 624MHz PXA310 processor, with GPS capabilities being added via the SiRF starIII chipset. Connectivity includes quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.0, according to ePrice.
The i6 includes a two megapixel camera, 2.8-inch touchscreen display with 320 x 240 resolution, a five-way controller, and four dedicated calling keys. It has 128MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, and a microSD slot that accepts up to 4GB of RAM, says ePrice.
The phone is said to offer 220 hours of standby, or from 150 to 240 minutes of talk time, on a battery charge. The device reportedly measures 4.3 x 2.3 x 0.58 inches (109 x 58 x 14.9mm).
Features and specifications listed for the i6 by TechFaith or ePrice include:- Processor -- Marvell PXA310 clocked at 624MHz
- Memory -- 128MB of RAM and 256MB of flash storage
- Display -- 2.8-inch touchscreen display with 320 x 240 resolution
- Camera -- 2 megapixel
- Wireless interfaces:
- WAN -- Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (frequencies not specified)
- LAN -- WiFi
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
- GPS
Other I/O: USB
- Expansion -- microSD slot
- Battery life:
- Standby -- 220 hours
- Talk time -- 150 to 240 minutes
- Dimensions -- 4.3 x 2.3 x 0.58 inches (109 x 58 x 14.9mm)
- Weight -- n/a
Stated Defu Dong, chairman and CEO of TechFaith, "We are proud to launch the first Android-powered mobile phone in China. The i6-Goal is a great example of the success of our strategic alliance with Qigi and its ability to quickly launch products onto the market."
Availability
Pricing and availability for the i6-Goal and i6-Win were not released. However, the i6-Goal will be "shipping soon," according to Qigi. For further information on the phones, see the ePrice product page, here.
Related Stories:
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.
Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.
Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.
Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.
High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.
Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.
Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.
Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.
7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.
|
|
|
|
|
news feed