11/03, 11:30am
Meizu M8 beta leak shows new UI
Meizu's M8 phone is about to undergo a major overhaul that draws on interface elements from at least three major operating systems, a copy of leaked firmware shows. Version 1.0.0.1 will shift its attention more towards Android with an app launcher much like Google's. However, that launcher will also be available directly from the drag-to-unlock screen and like Windows Mobile 6.5 will let users unlock directly to the phone or e-mail apps instead of visiting a home screen. Android's influence is equally evident in a contextual menu showing in the M8's web browser.
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09/22, 3:35pm
Meizu launches updated iPhone clone
The successor to Meizu's iPhone clone, the M8, has gone on sale on Tuesday in the maker's home market of China. Called just the M8 Second Edition, the device is said to have a stronger radio and support both for the China-specific WAPI wireless standard and more traditional Wi-Fi, either of which was absent on the original. Other specs remain thin, but the dedicated music button on the right side of the device is now gone.
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06/19, 11:45am
Meizu M8 to get Android?
Chinese handset manufacturer Meizu recently announced its M8 cellphone will soon get a firmware upgrade to its true 1.0 status and there are rumblings on various forums that the handset may eventually rely on a Google Android operating system. Meizu's CEO Jack Wong has himself apparently confirmed there is a dedicated team investigating the Android platform.
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05/15, 4:55pm
Meizu M8 Upgrade Coming
Meizu's planned sequel to the M8, its at times controversial shadow to the iPhone, is now said by company chief J. Wong to be a significant but more evolutionary upgrade. In place of a complete overhaul, the Chinese executive says the phone will support both China-native 3G through the TD-SCDMA standard as well as GPS. A camera upgrade is also due with a 5-megapixel sensor and an LED flash.
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03/03, 5:40pm
Meizu M9 handset developed
After recently unveiling the M8 handset, Meizu CEO J. Wong has announced a new handset, the Meizu M9, is already in the works. It will be available in two versions, the M9c and M9t, with the former supporting conventional CDMA2000 networks and the latter built to work on China's government-supported TD-SCDMA 3G network.
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02/18, 1:25pm
Meizu M8 ships to stores
Chinese maker Meizu has at last officially launched the M8, a phone widely seen as an attempt to clone Apple's iPhone. Though technically already available for a short space of time, the M8 has only now left testing status, losing Wi-Fi support, likely in accordance with Chinese law. An 8GB model is selling for 2,380 yuan ($348), while a 16GB version costs 2,880 yuan ($421).
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11/28, 7:55am
Meizu M8 Unboxing
Meizu's M8 touchscreen phone will bear similarities to the iPhone in more than just the hardware design, a first look from a Chinese publication shows. Confirming the shipping-ready status of the device, the report shows both the extremely derivative design of the M8 itself but also the packaging and accessories, which mimic Apple's black box and white accessories. This includes earbuds and a USB sync cable patterned as closely as possible to the iPhone pack-ins.
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11/05, 1:05am
Meizu M8 Due Nov 30
Meizu's shadow to the iPhone, the M8, should be available in at least a limited form before the end of the month, according to a post by company head J. Wong. While already tentatively slated for November, the touchscreen phone should be launched in Meizu's native China no later than November 30th. The company is waiting for a government license for the phone but will release a test version to users even if the license isn't granted by the end of the month, Wong explains.
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10/02, 4:30pm
Meizu M8 Launch Info
Meizu's long-in-production M8 phone could be available in a month's time, company head J. Wong has told visitors to its company forum (link may be broken as of press time). Although suspected of releasing in December, the M8 is now said by the executive to be nearing a launch in late October or early November. Pricing is less definitive but is now heading towards the equivalent of an unsubsidized $350 in the phone's home country of China following Wong's canvassing of the community for a price it would accept.
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09/29, 11:00am
Meizu M8 Due in December
Meizu's frequently delayed M8 touchscreen phone should finally have a release date, Taiwans' Geek IT Stores claims today. The device is now purportedly set to ship at the start of December and will initially be available only to China-area buyers with an Indian release later. It should also carry a single 8GB trim level and is described as selling between $384 and $469, though whether this involves contract changes or the distributor's planned pricing isn't known.
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09/01, 10:35am
Meizu M8 Video
Meizu has demonstrated a working example of its long-delayed M8 cellphone in action, courtesy of a new video posted by company founder J. Wong. The nearly four-minute clip confirms that the device closely mimics the iPhone's interface down to its home screen, media player, and photo management app; a relatively new addition seen in the software is a file browser for navigating content outside of what's immediately recognized by the touchscreen device.
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08/05, 4:05pm
Meizu M8 Web Browser
The web browser at the heart of Meizu's still-unreleased M8 smartphone will borrow more than a few elements from its closest cousin at Apple, according to a post made by company chief J. Wong shows the Windows Mobile phone running a custom browser that shares a similar design to Safari on the iPhone, including its minimal address bar and buttons that mimic the navigation and new page features of Apple's interface.
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07/16, 2:40pm
Meizu M8
Meizu's long-delayed M8 (MiniOne) touchscreen phone may be ready next month, according to posts by company chief J. Wong. The Chinese firm plans to release more images and details of the phone in August and hints that it may launch a basic version with 128MB of memory and an unspecified amount of permanent memory the same month. A second version, with 256MB of memory and 8GB of flash storage, would ship in October for a price equal to $320.
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03/21, 3:30pm
Meizu M8 interface evolves
The interface for Meizu's iPhone clone, the M8 -- also known as the MiniOne -- is undergoing subtle changes, according to various reports. Meizu itself is now claiming to have added more touch software to the phone, though it is not disclosing specifics. The company should eventually release a framework describing the entire interface of the phone, a potentially risky move given the device's association with the iPhone and Apple's plans for a Chinese release.
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03/05, 2:20pm
Meizu Booth Forced Closed
(Update from Meizu on the raid) Meizu has been removed from the show floor at the CeBIT technology expo over copyright issues for its MiniOne smartphone, according to a new report by Germany's Heise. Local police on Wednesday morning declared the booth closed and insisted on the removal of virtually every item on display, including marketing pamphlets as well as demonstration models. Meizu has not commented on the action, which brings a premature end to its presence at the Hanover show.
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03/04, 3:30pm
Meizu miniOne in public
Contrary to speculation, Meizu's miniOne iPhone clone -- also known as the M8 -- has made an appearance at the ongoing CeBIT expo in Hannover, Germany. The device on public display can only display four different images, but is said to closely mimic the interface of the iPhone, including its finger-flick touchscreen motions. The miniOne operates on Windows CE 6.0 instead of Mac OS X, and is further differentiated by dedicated buttons for answering calls or playing and pausing music.
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02/29, 3:45pm
Meizu M8 delayed?
The M8 by Meizu -- designed as a Chinese answer to the iPhone -- may be experiencing unexpected delays, accounts suggest. Although unconfirmed, posting in the official Meizu forums indicates that the M8 will not be at next week's CeBIT expo in Germany, despite Meizu itself being scheduled to appear. The phone may even be delayed until the second or third or quarter of this year, despite recent hints that shipment might be imminent.
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02/09, 11:30am
Meizu M8 on Sale
Meizu's long-delayed M8 (or MiniOne) smartphone may be reaching store shelves in its native China, according to international trading firm AliBaba. The close shadow of the iPhone is already listed as on sale from suppliers including Fuzhou ZhongTianLi, Longxiang Shoes, and Samsin Trade, suggesting that the touchscreen device has advanced well past the prototype stage seen in December and has retained many of the features promised by Meizu in early 2007.
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12/14, 1:00pm
Meizu M8 Prototype
Meizu's well-known M8 MiniOne touchscreen phone has reached the physical prototype stage, according to a post of photos slipped out in a leak from the company. Previously seen only in 3D computer models, the phone is now known to be in the prototype stage. It appears with plastic outer trim instead of the aluminum expected for the final version but otherwise confirms Meizu's intent to replicate the iPhone, including similarities between icons and the lone home button.
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11/26, 2:45pm
Meizu M8 at CES
Meizu's M8 (also known as the MiniOne) could be at least temporarily on display in the same country as the iPhone it copies, allege sources speaking to the Chinese mobile site CNMO. The reported insiders say the touchscreen phone will miss its late 2007 target but that it should see a formal introduction at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas for mid-January, potentially representing the first public demonstration of a working model. The actual launch may occur just a month later, according to the report. The touchscreen is said to be refined and very close in functionality to that of the Apple device the company is attempting to duplicate. Just the software is believed to require the final polish before the release.
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