Technology news and Jobs 
Fuzzy Logic “Hop-on” to the disposable anti-iPhone bandwagon
Fuzzy Logic “Hop-on” to the disposable anti-iPhone bandwagon | “Hop-on” to the disposable anti-iPhone bandwagon |
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| by Alex Zaharov-Reutt | |
| Saturday, 24 May 2008 | |
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Page 1 of 2 Its speciality? The ultimate in simple, ultra-cheap, effectively disposable phones, with zero features beyond the ability to make phone calls. Oh, and actual keypad buttons to dial numbers – there’s no touchscreen, LCD screen or any kind of screen. That means there’s no ability to send SMS messages either, play on-screen games or try to use the screen as a kind of pseudo-mirror, because a screen would add way too much cost to a phone that costs US $10 to buy – and, oddly, even has a US $5 buy-back price should you wish to ever dispose of it for whatever reason. Hop-on are humourously calling this phone the “Anti-iPhone”, although its real name is much less intriguing: the Hop1800. Hop-On CEO Peter Michaels says: “Though the iPhone is an amazing device, I challenge anyone to make a call faster than with the HOP1800. With the cost of living and roaming fees going though the roof, the HOP1800 is also the perfect iPhone traveling companion. Just buy a local SIM card and you can use the HOP1800 with over 40 domestic wireless carriers.” There are two models: one with an 850/1900MHz GSM chip for US use, while the other is identical save for a 900/1800MHz chip for use in Europe and Asia. Weighing a mere 77 grams, the phone still manages to deliver four hours of actual talk time and 150 hours of standby time, and has one feature after all: polyphonic ring tones... if you can call that a feature. Hop-on says that, despite the low cost nature of the phone, it has ensure that “reliable Infineon chip sets” are used “for excellent audio quality, reception and call stability.” Hey, if it’s cheap, why not make it good at the one thing it does? Thank goodness for that. For sale worldwide through the website (linked above) or through US retail and convenience stores, Hop-on says that while the phone is effectively disposable, if you return the phone to Hop-on for recycling purposes at the end of its useful life, you’ll get a US $5 rebate to help “Keep it Green”. Please read onto page 2. |
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