Second Android Handset Unveiled

Author	Gordon Kelly
Published	19th Nov 2008

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While the T-Mobile G1 has provoked huge discussion (not least in my Android verses Mobile OS X feature) isn't it about time we had another handset to try Google's funky new software on? Well, now we do but sadly it's not really what the doctor (nurse / patients / friends of patients / pets) ordered.

The 'Sciphone Dream G2' - a deliberate Google keywords killer if ever there was one - was unveiled today and... well, it's no more exciting than the HTC built anytime-in-the-last-18-months G1. In fact breaking it down there are a few rather unusual specs in there and also some downright bizarre ones.

The good stuff: a touchscreen 2.8in QVGA display with 262k colours, WiFi, FM tuner, a reduced form factor compared to the G1 (56 x 107.2 x 11.8mm, 110g) and a chunky 1500mhA battery giving up to a claimed 450 mins talk time and 300 hours standby. The bad: no 3G (EDGE only territory I'm afraid), no GPS and just 50MB of internal memory (though microSD support up to 16GB). The bizarre: a 4MP camera (a new rating on us) and no physical keypad of any sort.

Now some of you not totally savvy on your Android knowledge will be thinking: that's fine we'll use the virtual keyboard. Well, erm... you can't cos there isn't one. Yep, while there is a numeric keypad for dialling numbers it has no text support and - while confirmed - an Android touchscreen keyboard is not expected to appear until Q1. So if you're going to buy a Dream G2 then you better hope a) Android Market comes up with something sharpish, b) you see no need for text based communication or use of the Internet or c) you have no friends.

So the Sciphone Dream G2 is a complete mystery to me, which is fine since it probably won't ever see the light of day in the European market. Still, that's your second official Android handset. Oh dear.

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Gordon said on 19th November 2008

@HK - true, but variety is also the spice of life :)
@Peter - brilliant! Now I gotta get me one!

Ash said on 19th November 2008

Its got a cool looking charger ;)

http://www.mysciphone.com/G2Accessories.asp

Gordon said on 19th November 2008

@Ash - err, you did read up before posting that? ;)

Gnormie said on 19th November 2008

So not the flagship phone Android needs to really get off to a great start then :)

I like Android, and although I love that it isn't tied to one phone in partic... more

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