A small company might make a big noise in the Android market: the Saygus Vphone will be a high-end smartphone with a large touchscreen, sliding keyboard, and a video-conferencing camera.
In many ways, this upcoming smartphone will resemble both the Motorola Droid and the Nokia N900. It have a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen with a WVGA (800 x 480) resolution. This will slide aside to reveal a 4-row QWERTY keyboard.
The Saygus Vphone is scheduled for release early next year. It will be an option for Verizon users, but not one offered by this carrier. This phone will be part of a program that lets third-party phone makers sell models directly to the public that have been certified for use on Verizon’s network. Customers will then be responsible for getting service separately.

Pricing has not yet been announced.

Read the full review on Bright Hand

Android, Motorola Droid, Nokia N900, QWERTY, Saygus VPhone, Smartphone, Verizon, Videoconferencing

The Saygus VPHONE was named a finalist for the CTIA (Cellular Technology
and Internet Association) Show’s 2010 E-Tech Awards in the MOBILE CE
(Consumer Electronics) Smartphone category!  CTIA is the mobile
device/mobile accessories and cellular technolgy industry’s show where the
latest electronic and mobile devices are displayed and demonstrated for
international retailers and resellers to see and buy. It is not open to
the general public. Buyers and sellers come to CTIA to decide on what they
will be putting on their shelves in the coming months for their customers.

CTIA issued a press release last week announcing the E-Tech Award
finalists here:

http://www.ctiawireless.com/media/news_details.cfm?newsID=243

There are two other ways for the Saygus VPHONE to win not only the MOBILE
CE “Best Phone/Smartphone”, which is decided by a CTIA selected committee,
but also to win Best Online Pick and Best in Show! The deadline to vote
for the Saygus VPHONE as Best Online Pick is Monday, March 22nd at 5PM…
probably Pacific Time, but you might want to vote by 5PM Eastern Time just
in case. To vote the Saygus VPHONE for Best Online Pick go to:

www.ctiashow.com/awards

Source: Droid Ninja

Best Online Pick, Business, Consumer electronics, CTIA, Mobile device, Saygus VPhone, Telecommunications, Wireless

Skype and Verizon are teaming up to create a phone together — a device aimed towards video chat and Skype related communication. This type of heavy integration with Skype is a bold and interesting move from Verizon.

Here is the updated Saygus VPhone spec:

• Processor: Marvell PXA 310 800 MHz
• Operating System: Android
• Memory: 512 MB ROM, 256 MB SDRAM, SDHC memory card to 16 GB
• Dimensions: 116.5 59.5 x 20.3 mm
• Screen: 3.5-inch capacitive with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels
• Network: CDMA2000 EV-DO REV A
• Communication capabilities: WiFi 802.11b / g and Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR with A2DP
• Camera: 5 megapixel main camera with autofocus and flash
• Front camera: VGA-camera with built-in microphone
• Supported audio formats: MP3, MIDI, AAC, AAC +, AMR-NB, AMR-WB
• Supported video formats: MPEG2, MPEG4, H.263, H.264
• Battery: Li-Po 1500 mAh
• Hours Talk Time: Up to 7 hours
• Hours of standby time: up to 250 hours
• Hours videoconference: up to 4 hours
• GPS-module: with A-GPS E911
• Accelerometer
• Digital Compass
• USB: USB 2.0 OTG / USB Mass Storage
• FM-radio
• Other possibilities: Document viewer, file manager, web browser, calculator, Email, Instant Messenger, Recorder / Voice Notes, Alarm clock, Calendar

Source: Android Authority

Bluetooth, MPEG-4, Saygus VPhone, Secure Digital, Skype, Verizon, Videoconferencing, Wi-Fi

Phone Arena played with the third Android phone for Verizon Wireless, the Saygus Vphone, at the MWC. The device is still more on the unofficial side, so whether or not it will launch at some point remains a mystery.

The Saygus Vphone is an Android 1.6-running side-slider with a four-row QWERTY keyboard, 5MP camera and powerful hardware, including an 800MHz Marvell processor and 256MB RAM. The screen is a capacitive one, measuring at 3.5” with WVGA resolution.

It’s also significantly thicker than its Android opponents, but sports a very nice sliding mechanism. It might launch in May, if it launches at all.

Android, Handhelds, Mobile World Congress, QWERTY, Random-access memory, Saygus VPhone, VerizonWireless, Wireless

VPhone uses low bandwidth technology to provide high resolution video calls.

Las Vegas, NV (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 9, 2010 – Saygus, Inc. premiered the Saygus VPhone™—an Android equipped smartphone with America’s first nationwide two-way video calling capability—at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The VPhone can be seen at the Saygus booths: Central 15029M and South 1 20547 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Expected to be available as a CDMA device with a major North American wireless carrier, the Saygus VPhone is an Android-based smartphone for consumers and businesses alike. It has two cameras— a 5 MP main camera with auto focus and flash and a VGA forward-facing camera for video calling – and provides a host of other features including WiFi, USB and Bluetooth tethering allowing up to eight devices, (ie laptops, MIDs) to connect as an access point, USB host and client capability, slide out keyboard with a large keypad and raised keys for fast and easy typing, larger battery to provide up to four hours of video calling and seven hours of talk time and screen resolution twice that of the iPhone.

Using the major cellular networks in the U.S., Saygus has achieved two-way cellular video calls at 24 to 30 frames per second (fps) in excellent resolution with its proprietary low bandwidth video calling technology. The company has tested its technology on other devices and other cellular networks implementing video calling at 2.5G EDGE data rates. Saygus plans on providing quality video calling to other devices and networks making video calling available to cell phone users around the globe.

VPhone features:

• Video Calling. Saygus VPhone includes Saygus’ proprietary video calling technology for the world’s first low bandwidth two-way cellular video calling.
• Tethering. WiFi, Bluetooth and USB tethering for up to eight devices.
• 1500 mAh Battery. Supports up to four hours of video calling and seven hours of talk time.
• QWERTY Slide-Out Keyboard. Large keyboard area with raised keys for ease of use.
• Multi Touch Screen. High resolution 3.5-inch 800 x 480 capacitive multi-touch capable screen.
• 624Mhz Marvell PXA310 processor.
• Dual Cameras. 5 MP main camera with auto focus and flash and VGA forward facing camera for two-way video calling.
• CDMA EVDO Rev A.
• USB Charging. Host and client capability.

“The Saygus VPhone is the first two-way cellular video calling phone in the U.S. and the only full-featured Android phone available with two-way video calling,” said Chad Sayers, CEO of Saygus. “It’s exciting to brush shoulders with all of the great wireless handset manufacturers here at CES and to see that the VPhone measures up to these other incredible mobile handsets.”

The VPhone won the prestigious “Best of Innovations” in the ‘Wireless Handsets’ category against other top smartphone makers Nov. 10, 2009 in New York.

The Saygus VPhone passed its FCC (Federal Communications Commission) certification Nov. 5, generating considerable buzz with its industry leading features, and is expected to be available in the United States soon.
CES reaches across global markets, connects the technology industry and enables consumer electronics innovations to grow and thrive. It is produced by the Consumer Electronics Association® (CEA), the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry.

About Saygus
Founded in 1997, Salt Lake City, Utah-based Saygus, Inc. is a video calling technology developer currently launching America’s first two-way cellular video calling phone as an Android smartphone. Saygus expects to begin licensing its low bandwidth video calling technology to smartphone and feature phone makers soon with requests for their technology already planned in a handful of phones for the U.S. market during 2010. Saygus is operated by a seasoned group of executives including founder Chad Sayers, CEO; Tim Riker, former CTO of Lineo and Project Manager at Texas Instruments, CTO; Greg Merten, former VP and GM at HP’s Inkjet Cartridge Division; Ash Darwish, former VP at LG; and Krishna Rao, former CFO and Board member of Mitsubishi Silicon. Saygus is a privately funded company with the majority of its shareholders in Utah. www.saygus.com.

Add new tag, Consumer Electronic Show, Consumer Electronics Association, iPhone, Las Vegas Nevada, Mobile phone, Salt Lake City, Saygus VPhone, United States