By Back in July we introduced you folks to a company called Zii Labs (owned by Creative) who had built an Android device called Zii EGG initially targeted towards developers. It certainly LOOKED like an Android Phone and had powerful enough specs to match – but as the commenters on that article pointed out… it wasn’t a phone but an MID/Media Player.
I’m guessing that was little more than an alpha test run because Zii Labs is hosting an event in China on December 1st and 2nd called Zii Summit 2009 and they’re headlining product is, guess what? An Android Phone:
A range of OEM-ready Zii Powered devices will be showcased – powered by ZiiLABS ZMS-05 and ZMS-08 media-rich application processors. The line-up of devices on display include: a Touch Tablet PC, a Netbook, a Web-Box, a 360o Multi-View Camera System, ultra high-performance Speakers, a Piano Keyboard for the PC, and a Portable e-Book Reader. But the highlight of our devices line-up is our Mobile Phone platform. ZiiLABS ushers in a new era of explosive high definition 3D with the Zii Optimized Android Phone platform. The Zii Optimized Android Phone platform gives developers the chance to use the familiar Android OS, but with a difference. Harnessing StemCell Computing Technology found on the ZMS-05 Media Rich Processor, Android is now super-charged with seamless 3D graphics and High Definition video playback performance.
- Phone with Fully featured Android Platform
- OpenGL ES 3D graphics
- 1080p HD video output
- Accelerated video, graphic and imaging
- Full integration with SurfaceFlinger
- High Quality Audio
- Enhanced User Interfaces
- Image Processing
- Accelerated Web Browsing
I’m hoping for big things, meaning I hope the Zii Phone not only works well, but that a big name manufacturer/carrier takes notice and signs a contract to push the product through distribution channels.
I knew it. If this comes to Verizon I’m going to throw a fit. =(
santamoose, me too. it’s bullshit that verizon keeps getting these great phones.
reading up about this, i’m guessing that the phone will not be a modified zii egg, since that has been confirmed as a media player. there is a chance that it could be something similar though, isn’t there?
Whether or not it’s been modified, it will still have the StemCell proc set. Which is a ridiculous technology.. I was always under the impression that the Zii was only a dev project. :\ this is really disappointing.
I JUST got the Droid, and now they’re thinking of releasing a StemCell phone already?
@Santamoose, phoenix:
No, it’s not BS. Us VZW folks have been putting up with craptacular phones for years. It’s about time we got some love.
Who says it’s coming to Verizon??? GEEEEZZ!! STOP SPECULATING!!
@phoenix:
Seriously? How long is it that you’ve been following the cellphone industry? 1 month? Verizon has had the _worst_ phone selection for the past 8 years. The Motorola Droid marks the only time I ever remember Verizon having a decent phone within a reasonable amount of time.
Even if they got the Zii Phone first, it would still not be enough to make up the lost ground.
@ku.nundrum:
I say it’s going to Verizon, because I’m on the internet and therefore an expert. XD Seriously, though, you do make a salient point: we have no idea where this is going. For all we know, US Cellular, Cricket or MetroPCS will get this thing.
This looks very interesting, I wonder if the GPU is a homebuilt design or licenced technology.
The Creative DSP is probably based on the EMU20k (X-Fi) architecture, which is just perfect for decoding/encoding audio and video.
Hopefully these devices will have HDMI-out.
-rofl @ the thought of metropcs getting this
-ok, ok, maybe verizon did have crappy phone selection. i’m just bitter that tmobile keeps getting screwed over.
-can someone explain to me what a stemcell processor is?
the phone specs seem hot. i will make a bet that it wont even show up in the US anytime soon. lol as far as phones US customers are the furthest behind.
Guys don’t get too excited about this yet. I fell into Zii hype and bought their Zii Egg developer edition, and let me tell you, as great as the ZMS processor is, their Software is a one nasty bug-fest. I have used other dev versions of devices, but this thing hardly works. And the worse is Zii insists on using their proprietary linux: PlasZma OS, but doesn’t provide any source code so that devs can fix things.
Every single device driver on their system has so many bugs that its almost unusable. So don’t get your hopes too high on this. Now if they only sell ZMS and its microcode for third party to build their own Systems, then it may be Big.