Exeda Andriod Phone: Excessively Ugly
We just got a little tip (Thanks Dean) about CompuLab’s brand new Android Phone they have coming out called the Exeda. After doing a little background research it appears that CompuLab is an Israeli company with products used in datacom, medical equipment, transportation and avionics.
While they have a Handheld Computer, the Exeda would be their first ever mobile device:
First we have to give them their due respect becaues they’re doing EXACTLY what we had hoped many, many more would do which is take their manufacturing capabilities and build a phone you could just plop Android right on and immediately have a competitive device.
Unfortunately, this device looks somewhat… horrendous. Aside from the fact that it, simply put, is ugly… what were they THINKING with their choice of navigational elements?
So you’ve got a little trackpad in the middle with a left click on the left and right click on the right… but then there is an up and down button on one side and a left and right button the other? Is that incredibly inconvenient or am I hallucinating?
When I first looked at the company’s website I immediately thought this was some kind of hoax but nwo I’m pretty sure it isn’t… simply because CompuLab seems to be a legit company although their website makes no mention of the Exeda phone. They are, however, Microsoft Certified partners, their other device runs Windows and the Exeda will (if real) have a Windows Mobile option instead of Android.
Apparently this thing isn’t really meant for your average consumer as being offered in wireless and wired formats is part of its mission to serve enterprises as an Enterprise Digital Assistant:
exeda is designed to serve as an enterprise digital assistant (EDA). Comprised of embedded components, the exeda has guaranteed long-term availability and can be custom configured when ordered in volume.
Software developers will appreciate exeda’s special development platform. exeda offers to developers –
- Open source u-boot bootloader
- Detailed hardware and software documentation
- Full BSP’s
- 10/100Base-T Ethernet port
- JTAG interface
- RS-232
- Unlocked SIM
The Exeda uses a 3.5″ VGA display with touch screen, full QWERTY and capacitive touchpad. Here are some of the other specs:
- A choice of wireless voice/data modem – quad band GSM/GPRS, CDMA or 3G UMTS
- 802.11g WLAN
- Bluetooth V2.0 + EDR
- 2 USB ports
- RS-232 port
- 100Base-T Ethernet through RJ45 connector
- SDIO socket
- JTAG header
- Marvell PXA270 520MB CPU
- 128MB RAM
- 2 banks of internal FLASH, 512MB each
- 2MP camera with flash
- GPS with built-in and external antennas
- MicroSD socket with SDHC support
- Built-in microphone and speaker + 3.5mm stereo jack
- High capacity 3000mAh battery
- Dimensions: 4.9” x 3.7” x 0.6” (126 mm x 96 mm x 16 mm)
Apparently Exeda was SUPPOSED to be in Las Vegas at CES 2009 in booth North 403 but judging from the lack of Android coverage we can assume they did not attend. Can we get some confirmation on this? After cross referencing a few sources it seems they were supposed to attend but did not?
Our guess is that the Exeda will be quickly forgotten.