By The United States might be the land of the free, but we’ve yet to earn freedom for many of the smartphones and Android phones in Asia and Europe that we would otherwise Desire (see what I did there?). It only takes a few specs to quickly put the Toshiba Regza near the top of that list:
The Regza only runs Android 2.1 but with a 12MP camera, NFC chip, and waterproof conditioning it immediately seems like a pretty sweet phone. In my limited time toying with the Regza I was pleasantly surprised. I’m still dying for the day that we get an Android phone with optical zoom, but the pictures on the Regza – at least in the viewfinder – looked quite gorgeous. I tried to share/E-mail them to myself but they have yet to come through… if they do, we’ll be sure to post them here.
A quick look at some of the specs:
- Android 2.1
- 12MP camera (plus a front facing camera)
- Waterproof
- 4-inch screen
- 854 x 480 pixel resolution
- 14.7mm thick
- 149 grams
- Near Field Communications equipped
Now Toshiba needs to bring their Android Phones to the American market (please). I’ve owned two Toshiba laptops and have loved them both. Actually, this very post is being written lovingly from a Toshiba laptop.
If the Toshiba Regza was available in your area, would it make your short list of Android Phones to consider buying?
Looks like a fun device :) love the keyboard
If it moved up to 2.3 then yeah why not.
Not Android 2.1
and the specs, CPU/Memory ?
For NFC to work, it needs 2.3
It’s the perfect phone for me, Being that I love being on the water! The only draw back I see if that it’s on Eclair, but I would think it would get Gingerbread since it’s equipped with NFC and Gingerbread is the 1st version of Android that supports it. It would be stupid to equip this phone something it can’t use.
Would love to have a waterproof Android phone. Was just skiing the other day and it was pita to constantly be worried about getting my Droid wet.
Damnit. I’m about to cycle round the world and got the Defy. This, provided it’s as waterproof, looks far better.
@Khalid: Android is open source, all Toshiba has to do is edit it themselves.
Splish splash
Android 2.1? HAHAHA. They’re funny.
When is the HTC stuff going to show up ?
Neat hardware… and then we are told it’s on 2.1 ROFL. And I bet it is there to stay…
I love Toshiba as well! The NFC predicament is funny though. Why not just say upgradable to 2.3?
NFC is really big in Japan; I wouldn’t be surprised (given it was on the NTT booth) if Toshiba have their own NFC stack and that’s why it’s a bit stuck on 2.1. That would indeed be problematic for upgrades.
When you’re stuck with a phone for 18-24 months, the manufacturers upgrade policy is important. That’s why many people are sticking with/changing to HTC and avoiding Samsung and..well, most of the others. Toshiba have yet to prove they’re ok in this respect, otherwise people aren’t going to waste their money on them.
I would buy it if it ever comes in the US… But running on Android 2.1?!… That’s pretty disappointing… I would prefer it run on the upcoming newer Android version, the 2.3.
No Adobe flash at the bottom of the sea then it’s not for me! LOL
*puts Nexus S in a ZipLoc* There! its water proof too! jk. I like the idea of waterproof but its never 100% safe.
3.5mm jack?
Didnt bother to ask CPU/Battery/Memory !!
Android 2.1? who is this Samsung ?
nice hardware, the software portion raises concerns about legitimacy. Why waste time manufacturing a line of phones with expensive 12MP cameras while skimping out on the O.S.
They would have to up the game a little more than android 2.1 for me to get it.
I’m a fairly simple person with specific needs, so this would be a possibility for me. I work outdoors all year round as a landscaper/groundskeeper so protection from rain and snow are awesome to me. I mostly use phones for texting, twitter, browsing the web and taking lots of pictures.
I think it would also be good for geocachers if its got a decent GPS in it.