Report points to Chinese iPhone clone
updated 12:45 pm EST, Mon January 29, 2007
iPhone clone surfaces?
A chinese company has apparently announced a new cellular phone that looks remarkably similar to Apple's iPhone, according to one report. The new phone called M8 -- which is said to be designed by Chinese firm Meizu -- features touch-screen functionality and boasts a smaller footprint than Apple's iPhone with an accompanying smaller screen, but offers a higher 720x480 resolution than Apple's 320x480 iPhone. The M8 is driven by an ARM11 processor with video codec support, according to VR-Zone.com, and offers a built-in 3.0-megapixel digital camera on the back side with a 0.3-megapixel camera facing forward. The M8 runs Windows CE 6.0 and offers both Bluetooth as well as TV-out connectivity, catering to GSM+TD-SCMA for mobile communication. Pricing and storage capacity for the new phone are unknown, according to the source, though Apple's iPhone will initially sell for $499 and $599 in 4GB and 8GB capacities, respectively. [updated]
And they sang...
01/29, 12:57pm reply
Send in the clones... don't bother, they're here.
JacquesDav
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2002
specs
01/29, 12:59pm reply
"The M8 runs Windows CE 6.0..."
NOT INTERESTED THEN!
stainboy
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Joined: Sep 2005
Great!
01/29, 01:00pm reply
Now there'll be these things out to work out all the kinks before Apple's offerings appear.
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
Right...
01/29, 01:01pm reply
On the off chance it's real, I give Apple a no more than a week to bring out the lawsuit.
Timetheus
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
juicy
01/29, 01:08pm reply
This is a great phone. All it needs is the multi-touch UI and 802.11 wireless connectivity. It's smaller size and higher-res screen are very compelling.
scottrussell
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Joined: Mar 2001
Yep...
01/29, 01:11pm reply
and a higher res camera, and a second camera for video calls. In many ways the iPhone is very 2005.
willed
Professional Poster
Joined: Oct 2000
Reality check
01/29, 01:42pm reply
Just a question. If I did my math right a 720x480 screen with a 3.3" diagonal is about 262 dpi. Do they make screens like that?
dscottbuch
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Joined: Sep 2000
not surprising...
01/29, 01:51pm reply
It was just a matter of how many weeks it would take for the highly innovative Chinese cloners to start ripping off the iPhone.
Now, counting down the minutes until pple legal snaps to action.
ZinkDifferent
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Joined: Jan 2005
I want one!
01/29, 02:14pm reply
I was initially excited about the iPhone, until the actual announcements. The closed nature of the iPhone vs. the more open Windows Mobile makes this knock-off a clear winner in my mind.
The iPhone is pretty neat, but without 3rd party software, it will only be able to fulfill the my basic communication needs, and won't be able to fully replace the Windows Mobile device I have now.
I won't carry 2 devices, so no iPhone for me until they allow software installs. I'm glad the Chinese are looking out for my needs where Apple falls short!
brianosaurus
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2001
re: reality check
01/29, 09:08pm reply
My Nokia N80 appears to beabout 2.5" Diagonal and is 416 X 352 -- the extra inch diagonal is worth a lot of extra square inches.
chadpengar
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Joined: Oct 2001