Home
›
News
›
New low cost 3G smartphone uses e-ink to keep the price down

New low cost 3G smartphone uses e-ink to keep the price down

Posted: 27 Feb 2013, 15:43, by Alan F.

Categories: Android Android MWC2013 MWC2013

Discuss 12

New low cost 3G smartphone uses e-ink to keep the price down

A Chinese company called Fndroid is working with Eink to develop a 3G smartphone that would priced as cheaply as a featurephone. Some of the advantages of such a device would be longer battery life, Sunlight viewability and the display would be easy on the eyes. Fndroid has produced two prototypes that have been displayed at MWC 2013. One model (in white) is equipped with a 1GHz processor and a 3G chip, while the other model (in black) offers EDGE connectivity. And while the phone does run on Android, it has a rather limited UI that concentrates on features that work well with Eink's display such as email, a reader app and a dialer. Obviously, video is not supported, but text from web sites can be read.

One of the prototypes has a backlight to help view the screen in the dark, but the screen's refresh rate is a lot slower than what you are accustomed to. If ghosting is a problem, a quick shake of the phone removes it from the screen. According to Eink's Giovanni Mancini, director of the screen producer's product management, Fndroid is currently in the process of talking with carriers about releasing the phone sometime later this year.

source: Fndroid, Eink via TechCrunch

Fndroid's Eink smartphone Fullscreen

12 Comments
Follow Following

Options

Want to comment? Please login or register.

1. _PHug_ posted on 27 Feb 2013, 16:52 2

In the title are you saying this project is a 'Lost Cause' or that it will be 'Low Cost'?

2. inertiatic posted on 27 Feb 2013, 16:58 0

Is this pronounced "effindroid"?

3. blackice214 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 17:29 0

*Low Cost

4. ocilfa posted on 27 Feb 2013, 17:33 0

I'd like to see someone use a photo editing app on this. You could do some pro color balance.

5. vincent95 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 19:40 0

Seriously? Do we really need this? You can get 4G smartphones on contract for FREE nowadays. If this comes to the U.S. which I hope it doesn't, it would have to NOT require a data plan.

10. SavageLucy42 posted on 28 Feb 2013, 09:37 0

Would probably good for older people or people with poor eyesight. As well as people who do only want to use the phone for keeping track of appointments, emails, and looking up information.

6. lilg29 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 19:52 0

Im unsure what to think of this, this is more of a non camera/video/game phone that would only be ok to text, call,and listen to music on.

7. pixelado posted on 27 Feb 2013, 20:24 0

Can anyone tell me what's the point of running Android on this?

8. B3BLW29 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 22:57 2

Because its a great OS for mobile phone. now shhhh

11. pixelado posted on 28 Feb 2013, 09:50 0

Using an outdated version of the OS with more limitations than benefits? Yeah, seems worth it, doesn't it?

Thumb me down if that makes you feel better, I'm not bashing the platform, I'm just questioning the purpose of it.

9. jsdechavez posted on 28 Feb 2013, 01:08 0

Wow! YES PLEASE!!! This is the end for Android's poor batt life.!

12. GeekMovement posted on 01 Mar 2013, 00:52 0

Looks like the Galaxy S III those rounded phones.

Want to comment? Please login or register.

Samsung Galaxy S4
- Announced: 14 Mar 2013
- OS: Android 4.2.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1900 MHz, Krait 300, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
Apple iPhone 5
- Announced: 12 Sep 2012
- OS: iOS
- Hardware: Dual core, 1300 MHz, Apple Swift, 1016 MB RAM
- Display: 4.0 inches, 640 x 1136 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900), CDMA (800 1700/2100 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS EV-DO Rev.A EV-DO Rev.B
Samsung GALAXY Note II
- Announced: 29 Aug 2012
- OS: Android 4.1.2 4.1.1
- Hardware: Quad core, 1600 MHz, ARM Cortex-A9, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.5 inches, 720 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 35 hours of Talk Time, 980 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 21.1 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
HTC One
- Announced: 19 Feb 2013
- OS: Android 4.1.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1700 MHz, Krait 300, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 4 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900), CDMA (800 1900)
- Data: LTE HSPA (unspecified) UMTS EDGE GPRS
Sony Xperia Z
- Announced: 07 Jan 2013
- OS: Android 4.1.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13.1 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 11 hours of Talk Time, 550 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
Google Nexus 4
- Announced: 29 Oct 2012
- OS: Android 4.2.2 4.2.1 4.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 15.3 hours of Talk Time, 390 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
LG Optimus G
- Announced: 28 Aug 2012
- OS: Android 4.1.2 4.0.4
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 15 hours of Talk Time, 335 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE HSPA (unspecified) UMTS EDGE GPRS
Nokia Lumia 920
- Announced: 05 Sep 2012
- OS: Windows Phone 8
- Hardware: Dual core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 1024 MB RAM
- Display: 4.5 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8.7 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 17 hours of Talk Time, 400 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS

Carriers

Manufacturers

Phone tools

Carriers

Manufacturers

Tablet tools

Phone Links

New low cost 3G smartphone uses e-ink to keep the price down

Share:

Fndroid's Eink smartphone Fullscreen

More popular slideshows

Best affordable 1080p quad-core phones yesterday, 09:33

Revamped Google Nexus 7 seen with Android 4.3 at the FCC? yesterday, 22:31

Apple iOS 7: all the new features 4 days ago, 16:00

Apple officially announces iOS 7 4 days ago, 13:29

Some Android tips and tricks you should know 06 Jun 2013, 06:49

Best Android, iPhone and iPad games of the week 4 hours ago

New iOS 7 design leaks ahead of WWDC, depicting big changes in iconography 10 Jun 2013, 04:15

Microsoft finally launches its Office Mobile for iPhone on Apple App Store 3 hours ago

Images of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 leak 09 Jun 2013, 17:00

‘Jony Ive Redesigns Things’ mocks Apple’s design chief efforts in iOS 7 3 days ago, 07:01

Share:

12 Comments Follow Following

1. _PHug_ posted on 27 Feb 2013, 16:52 2

2. inertiatic posted on 27 Feb 2013, 16:58 0

3. blackice214 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 17:29 0

4. ocilfa posted on 27 Feb 2013, 17:33 0

5. vincent95 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 19:40 0

10. SavageLucy42 posted on 28 Feb 2013, 09:37 0

6. lilg29 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 19:52 0

7. pixelado posted on 27 Feb 2013, 20:24 0

8. B3BLW29 posted on 27 Feb 2013, 22:57 2

11. pixelado posted on 28 Feb 2013, 09:50 0

9. jsdechavez posted on 28 Feb 2013, 01:08 0

12. GeekMovement posted on 01 Mar 2013, 00:52 0

Popular stories

Hot Phones

Interesting stories

10 iPhone and Android apps for making music

A look at the iOS7 camera filters and features

10 puzzle adventure games for Android and iPhone

Siri on iOS 7: testing the new commands

Controlling the GoPro Hero 3 action camera from a smartphone

Best Android, iPhone and iPad games of the week

It's not stealing when Apple does it, because it wasn't stealing when Google did it either

iOS 7 vs Android 4.2: first look

Best affordable 1080p quad-core phones
yesterday, 09:33

Revamped Google Nexus 7 seen with Android 4.3 at the FCC?
yesterday, 22:31

Apple iOS 7: all the new features
4 days ago, 16:00

Apple officially announces iOS 7
4 days ago, 13:29

Some Android tips and tricks you should know
06 Jun 2013, 06:49

Best Android, iPhone and iPad games of the week
4 hours ago

New iOS 7 design leaks ahead of WWDC, depicting big changes in iconography
10 Jun 2013, 04:15

Microsoft finally launches its Office Mobile for iPhone on Apple App Store
3 hours ago

Images of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 leak
09 Jun 2013, 17:00

‘Jony Ive Redesigns Things’ mocks Apple’s design chief efforts in iOS 7
3 days ago, 07:01

12 Comments
Follow Following