Ah yes, there's always a tingle of excitement when someone shows off a whole new form factor, especially one which combines full width qwerty keyboard, wide screen and, in this case, touch PDA mode and dedicated gaming keypad as well. Presenting the iCEphone - maybe a form factor that would suit the future of Nokia's Communicator line? Comments welcome! (via Unwired view)
Read on in the full article.
nope.certainly not a communicator.i use a tytn2 and i think thats got far too many moving parts with its slide and tilt mechanism.also dropped mine a few times and they certainly dont stand up to a knock like a nokia would do so can you imagine what would happen to this thing with all its moving parts.open the screen , use the qwerty and close the screen thats all you need from a communicator.
I don't think it would be too fragile - if designed for military use (and ruggedised to IP54) it should be more robust than usual HTC/plastic phones.
I think it's interseting and definately worth closer look when released even if it is WM😮
Something tells me it's a bit too good to be true though? A few of the vague specs 'practically unlimited' with no reference to processors speed or memory and the first benefit being:
'The latest �must have� smartphone for earlier adopters' :laugh:
Makes me suspicous this could be vapour ware or a concept phone yet to be taken up and fully finalised? :con?
Cheers
Jago
Well, there were the detailed specs for Icephone (some of them in UV article):
CPU - Freescale iMX31 532 Mhz CPU
Memory - 128 RAM and 128 ROM, , which may be adequate for WinMo 6
While they did not have a working model at MAC show, they said they the phone is in production and they should be shipping soon. They also promised to have a working model for CES.
As of this sounding to good to be true - that it does. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...
Runs Windows Mobile - automatic FAIL. (really - WM simply does not work, is not reliable, and is a mess from the ground up). That said, Symbian might well not have been up to the job either due to it's inflexibility. Nokia really are idiots for not putting mouse support into S60, there's just no excuse.
As for the form factor, well I don't see the point in the lower third, I'm sure that could be designed away. The whole thing looks like a horribly chunky, heavy beast, so not something I'd want on a regular phone. I'd say forget the geek factor and look at this from an ordinary user's point of view - most people wouldn't want it.
The whole thing makes me think of those Jacob's Ladder toys for kids, you know the little panels wrapped in ribbon that you can flip down, oh, I can't explain it, but I think you know what I mean.
There's something not quite right about that website.
The words "military version" are very suspicious for a start, armies in combat situations tend to use purpose-built equipment that has gone through years of development to ensure its reliability (as even a single failure in the field could cause many deaths). It seems very unlikely any military would be signed up to use this kind of device.
It also seems a bit silly as a medical phone, would trained paramedics really want or need a preloaded book from Dorling Kindersley telling them how to do things like chest compressions?
Handset makers do sometimes supply military and emergency services, but that usually means purpose-built equipment built around non-civilian networks like TETRA. The "icephone" seems to be an entirely civilian device.
And also... "dedicated gaming keypad"... on a military/medical phone?
How can anyone take this seriously?
Think you really need to see this thing, the website can't really explain. Once you see the models it all makes sense. Also, the DK software is for level 1 (no medical training) and it does seem to work. They have other higher levels for professional medics.
Thought it was great
Did anyone find out how much this thing would cost ?
I wouldn't be surprised if it were four digits (were it euros, pounds or dollars), and the most significant one might even be stg else but 1 ..
iCEphone - The Smartphone just got a lot Smarter
Las Vegas Jan 6th 2009 Official Launch
UK Smartphone Design and Manufacturer
launches at
The CES Show in Las Vegas
8-11th Jan 2009
Booth Sands 72859
Scottish Entrepreneurs Graham Gilmour and Dr Andrew Mulford
launch a new innovative Smartphone at the
Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas this week.
Visit us at our Booth Sands 72859
Find iCEphone on YouTube
The iCEphone is part of a suite of highly innovative mobile phone products designed to save and protect life. iCE (in case of emergency) products feature both hardware and software, which can work independently or in combination. Although originally designed to meet the exacting requirements of the US and British military and the emergency services, the utility of the core technology has also generated significant interest from the consumer marketplace and two versions are now planned � a consumer version and a military/emergency services version.
The unique, GROUND-BREAKING multiple form-factored iCEphone is the �Swiss Army Knife� of handsets. Beautifully engineered to military standards, it combines QWERTY keyboard Windows Micro notebook with proper mouse, Dual SIM 3G touchphone, Games player with multiple triggers, GPS device with SatNav, and medical emergency software which could save your life.
The iCEphone is a stunning new micro-notebook phone. It is the Swiss army knife of handsets: it changes shape quickly and easily to be a touch screen phone, micro note-book, a games player, camera and video call handset. It is very much a productivity device, with large keys, designed as the ultimate in convergence devices. As one senior mobile executive remarked � �someone has finally figured out how to put a laptop into a mobile phone�. iCEaid is a mobile application that provides emergency first aid advice, based on internationally recognised protocols. This can be at several levels, from someone with no medical training, through first responders to ambulance crews. If this software is used once in a lifetime, it will be worthwhile having it on your phone. There are also accessories designed for specific markets such as the iCEpic (personal information carrier), a USB device designed to carry medical information in a safe secure manner and iCE e-notes, an e-notebook software application for doctors and other healthcare workers.
The iCE solutions are designed to assist anyone, anywhere in the world affected by a medical emergency, by reducing the time to receive appropriate treatment � the critical factor in emergency medicine. The iCEphone is due for release early in Q2 09 and the Company is seeking distributors and network partners. iCEphone is the brand of The Medical Phone Limited, a new ambitious company set up by a few individuals with significant business, medical, military and mobile phone expertise. They have offices in Edinburgh, London and Bangkok.
For further information contact
Graham Gilmour on 07764 575372 o
iCEphone �The Doctor in Your Pocket�