In Technology has announced a smartphone that will run Windows 7 or Windows 8 on a 1.6GHz x86 processor. The "xpPhone 2" has a 4.3-inch screen, 2GB of RAM, up to 112G of SSD (solid state disk storage), and 18.5 hours' talk time, the company says.
In Technology should be familiar to loyal readers, because the Chinese company previously offered an xpPhone device that ran Windows Embedded Standard 2009 on an AMD processor. This handset was said to have begun shipping last November, but we've never seen one in the wild or read a review.
Now, in a rambling press release that touts itself as "China Apple," In Technology has provided images and brief specifications of a successor. The xpPhone 2 will feature an unspecified 1.6GHz processor -- an Engadget report claims it's an Intel Atom Z530 -- and be capable of running either Windows 7 or Windows 8, the company claims.
As well as being a phone, the xpPhone 2 will essentially be the "smallest notebook PC in the world," measuring 5.5 x 2.9 x 0.68 inches, In Technology claims. Indeed, that's smaller than the Loox F-07C, a similarly Atom-powered phone Fujitsu shipped in July.
Like the Fujitsu phone, the xpPhone 2 has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. As pictured below, it can be used -- with a suitable forest of cable adapters -- as a desktop PC.
The xpPhone 2 being used as a desktop PC
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According to In Technology, the xpPhone 2 will feature 2GB of RAM and up to 112GB of SSD storage. Resolution of the 4.3-inch screen wasn't specified, but we're guessing it won't reach as high as 1024 x 768 pixels (which is the minimum required to run Windows 8 Metro-style apps, according to Microsoft).
In Technology pictured the xpPhone 2 being used as an in-car navigation device, suggesting that it will include a GPS receiver in addition to its cellular radio. We could not find a claim regarding the phone's weight or battery size, but the company says the device will provide 18.5 hours of talk time and 46 days of standby.
Background
In Technology's original xpPhone (pictured) had an extended gestation period. The device was first revealed in July 2009, and the company started accepting unpriced pre-orders in September of the same year.
In an apparent attempt to allay suspicions that the phone was merely vaporware, In Technology emailed WindowsForDevices.com in December 2009 with a video showing the device booting Windows XP. The company contacted us again in May 2010 with new photos (plus the videos embedded at the end of this story), noting that the device had been switched from the originally mooted Windows XP to Windows Embedded Standard 2009.
In Technology's website claimed last November that the xpPhone was on sale at last. With Windows Embedded Standard 2009 but "without 3G," it went for a not-inconsiderable $732, while a 3G version was $798. (Oddly, a version with only DOS was also cited, priced at $666.)
The xpPhone shown with a Motorola Droid smartphone
(Click either to enlarge)
The device wasn't exactly pocket-size, as the photo above discloses. The phone measured 6.88 x 3.3 x 1 inches (175 x 84 x 25.5mm) and weighs 12.1 ounces (345g), In Technology says.
According to In Technology, the xpPhone offered an AMD processor described only as a "Super Mobile" CPU, with 512MB of RAM, plus 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of SSD (solid state disk) storage. The company claimed that its patented technology allows incoming phone calls or SMS messages to bring the operating system out of standby, though no word was provided on whether the xpPhone is compatible with push e-mail.
According to In Technology, the xpPhone included 802.11b/g wireless networking and Bluetooth, while its cellular radio was capable of supporting both GSM and CDMA networks. Users could download data using either HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access), HSUPA (high speed uplink packet access), or EVDO, the company added, listing AT&T, Orange, and Vodafone as networks the device is compatible with.
The xpPhone has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard
(Click to enlarge)
A removable, 2150mAh lithium-ion battery was claimed to power the xpPhone for about five hours of talk time, about seven hours of typical application usage, and a maximum of 12 hours. Meanwhile, the device has a 4.8-inch, 800 x 480 touchscreen display and a slideout QWERTY keyboard.
Ports on the xpPhone
(Click to enlarge)
Features and specifications listed by In Technology for the xpPhone included the following:
Processor -- AMD "Super Mobile"
Memory -- 512MB of RAM
Storage -- 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB SSD
Display -- 4.8-inch touchscreen display with 800 x 480 resolution
Cameras -- VGA-resolution for videoconferencing, and 1.3 megapixel main camera
Keyboard -- Slide-out QWERTY keyboard with separate numeric keypad
Wireless:
WAN -- GSM/GRPS/EDGE/WCDMA, CDMA/EV-DO, TD-SCDMA
LAN -- 802.11b/g
PAN -- Bluetooth
GPS
Other I/O:
1 x USB 2.0 host
1 x USB device
Microphone and earphone jacks
Docking connector with VGA output
Expansion -- SIM slot
Battery life:
Talk time -- 5 hours
Standby time -- about 5 days
Windows XP application usage -- from 7 to 12 hours
Dimensions -- 6.88 x 3.3 x 1 inches (175 x 84 x 25.5mm)
Weight -- 12.1 ounces (345g).
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