Since I filmed such a great video of it at IFA, OPTIMA TECHNOLOGY(SHENZHEN)CO.,LTD sent me a review sample of their new Optima OP5-E for me to publish an exclusive hands-on video-review. The new Optima OP5-E Maemo Linux based MID is now being released by http://www.chinaoptima.com/ and China Telecom on the Chinese market and they are now looking for global distributors (if many people demand it, there may be a distributor bringing this device to your local 3G telecoms market or sell it unlocked). (contact shkwan@wtpacific.com if you might be interested in ordering 300 units or more).
Maemo is the biggest potential alternative to Android Linux OS for embedded devices, mobile internet devices, pocket computers or phones, however you want to call them. This Optima OP5-E is the worlds first Maemo device that is not manufactured by Nokia. This makes the Optima OP5-E a product to check out for people who want to see how Maemo could make a commercial impact outside of Nokia in the open-source embedded device market.
It has a 4.3″ 800×480 resistive touch screen (capacitative at that size and price does not yet exist), 806mhz Marvell PXA310+ ARM processor, 128MB RAM, built-in 3G CDMA sim card reader (HSDPA version coming next month), built-in GPS, built-in Bluetooth, a high capacity exchangeable 2600mAh battery. All that comes for around $500 unlocked and could be sold at $300 or lower subsidized with a subscription plan from the carrier. It can support either VOIP and IM or regular voice and sms, that is up to the carrier how they want to integrate that feature.
The really cool things about this product are following:
– It has a built-in 3G CDMA modem with sim card reader.
– It has a pretty long battery life with a high capacity removable battery (I got a second battery to swap just in case I need more than 8 hours or more battery life for video playback)
– This type of device could function as a VOIP phone on 3G and WiFi networks (if the carriers agree to it and don’t apply packet shaping mechanisms to block VOIP usage on the 3G networks)
– Maemo may have quite a lot of dedicated open-source programmers already hanging out in the http://maemo.org/community/maemo-developers/ and who may have developed some pretty interesting Maemo based applications already (which I am going to check out and publish another video when I have found out which would be the best applications that work on this device and how much porting may be required to eventually adapt software that is already developed for the Nokia Maemo Linux tablets).
– It comes with a larger touch screen than on the existing range of Smartphones, significantly larger than the Nokia N900 screen, yet this product can be sold cheaper than all those smaller smartphones. I think that a larger 800×480 medium density screen is very valuable and I think that all those 3.5″ smartphones on the market have too small of a screen for Internet browsing and video playback use.
Things that I think Optima and eventually the open-source developers may improve on this device (based on my initial tests):
– The whole Maemo Linux user interfaces I think could use some optimizations and fine tuning, this device does support firmware updates, I don’t know how often Optima may release firmware updates for it to improve on all these things.
– The Firefox Fennec browser that is included, might not be as smooth and fast as the Webkit based browser that one can find on Android, the Palm Pre and the iPhone. Though, my guess is that it should be possible to port a version of a Webkit based browser to Maemo (if it hasn’t been done already), and I am sure this browser could be optimized and improved in firmware updates.
– Obviously, I would like to have HSDPA instead of CDMA 3G modem in this, to have i work here in Europe, Optima has told me that the HSDPA version will be released in about a month from now (maybe a bit later, I guess it may depend how soon interested importers from Europe and other HSDPA markets demand for it to be made available)
– I can’t seem to be able to connect my Bluetooth foldable Stowaway keyboard, I don’t know if Bluetooth headsets may be supported. I am sure, this could be fixed or improved in firmware updates. I don’t know if it supports Bluetooth tethering to access the Internet through a mobile phone that has that functionality. My guess is Bluetooth tethering is not supported yet since the 3G modem is integrated.
– It does not seem to have a TV output (unless somehow that functionality exists within the mini-jack output, but I guess it’s not there). Too bad, cause I enjoy watching DivX videos outputted from such a device onto a TV. Though, most existing smartphones on the market such as blackberry, palm pre and the iphone don’t have that feature either.
My pictures of it on Picasa:
You can discuss this product in the dedicated forum section for it at http://forum.armdevices.net/viewforum.php?f=5
Here are the full official specs and press pictures:
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Product Value Proposition |
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True 3G Mobile Internet capability：China Telecom EV-DO 3G network, 3G and WiFi Internet complement each other, truly high-speed mobile broadband |
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Real Internet Visualization：800×480 resolution, 4.3 inches touch screen, high-definition flat screen that maximizes visual liberation. Visit the website full-screen, high-definition movie player |
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Input Experience，Multi Input Mode：Soft keyboard mode, hands typing. Support Pinyin input, full-screen handwriting |
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Full-Featured Web Browser: The latest full-function built-in Firefox browser, Gmail type of Webmail, Web forums, Flash animation, youtube, etc. |
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Complete Phone Functions：Support complete mobile phone functions, phone calls, send text messages, etc. |
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Internet Access：WiFi, EVDO, and other multiple access methods to enable your mobile internet anytime, anywhere |
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Rich Internet Applications：QQ, MSN, VOIP, online music, video, OFFICE, network TV and so on |
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Lasting Usage Time：Built-in 2600mAh battery that allows long lasting usage time |
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Large-screen GPS Navigation: Built-in up-to-date electronic maps for easy navigation |
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System Specification |
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Type |
Details |
Description |
Remarks |
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Product Dimension |
Form |
Straight |
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Size |
Length 143mm Width 74mm Height 17.6mm |
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LCD |
Screen Size |
4.3inch |
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Screen Resolution |
800×480 WVGA |
16:9 widescreen |
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Screen color |
1600 million colors |
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Touch Module |
Flat Touch Screen |
Static Free |
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Camera |
Network Camera |
300,000 pixels |
Only for video comm. |
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Main Camera |
3,200,000 pixels |
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Battery |
Type |
Polymer Lithium-Ion Battery |
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Capacity |
2600mAh |
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Button |
Top |
Full-screen button，Vol+,Vol-,Power Button、Camera Key |
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Front |
None |
Simple flat-screen design |
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Stylus |
Type |
Built-in/Included |
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Body Support |
Type |
Back support |
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Reset Hole |
Type |
Hidden |
Restart Function |
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System Hardware Configuration |
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Hardware Platform |
Type |
Marvell PXA320+CDMA2000 1X EV-DO |
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CPU |
Type |
Marvell PXA310 |
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Speed |
806MHz |
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RAM |
Capacity |
128MB DDR |
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ROM Flash |
Capacity |
256MB Nand Flash |
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WiFi |
Standard |
802.11b/g |
WIFI，Bluetooth Combination |
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Bluetooth |
Type |
Bluetooth 2.0 |
Bluetooth Stereo Music Bluetooth Headset Call |
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Communication System |
Type |
CDMA2000 1X EV-DO |
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Band |
800MHz |
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GPS Module |
Type |
Built-in GPS Chip |
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Antenna |
GPS Active Antenna |
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Speaker |
Size |
Single 14mmx20mm |
Elliptic |
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Handset |
Size |
18mmx13mm |
Speaker Receiver 2-in-1 type，Elliptic |
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Microphone |
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Yes |
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Vibration Mode |
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Yes |
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Indicator Light |
Amount |
Red x1 Blue x1 |
Red for Charging Blue for Network Signal |
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Direction Sensor |
Amount |
None |
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External Interface Configuration |
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Memory Card |
External Storage |
External push T Card |
Maxemum Support 16GB |
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SIM Slot |
Built-in Card Connector |
One |
Cap-style Buckle |
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Interface Configuration |
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MiniUSB |
Data Transmission |
Supported |
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USB Charge |
Supported |
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Headset Interface |
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3.5mm Standard Headset Interface |
Music Output |
Supported |
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Phone |
Supported |
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Internet Connection |
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Type |
Details |
Description |
Remarks |
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WIFI Connection |
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Wireless WIFI Connection to Internet |
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EV-DO Connection |
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Via EV-DO Connection to Internet |
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Bluetooth Phone |
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None |
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Necessary Accessories |
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Type |
Details |
Description |
Remarks |
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3.5-inch Headphone Jack |
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Wired (to hang up calls) headset |
Can be used to answer & hangup call |
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Charger |
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USB 2-in-1 type of Data line charger |
Rechargeable Battery Charger |
Supported |
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USB Data In-line Charge |
Supported |
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USB Data Line |
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1 (integrated in charger) |
Charging Computer, Recognize storage devices MID |
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Software Configuration |
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Type |
Details |
Description |
Remarks |
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System Configuration |
OS |
Linux Maemo |
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Language |
Simplified Mandarin，English |
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Inputting Method |
English Letters，Pinyin，Full-screen Handwriting、Handwritten (double box) input method |
Handwritten (double box) pending on selection |
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Theme |
2 Built-in Theme |
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Desktop Widget |
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Google Search |
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Network Clock |
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Local IP Query |
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Desktop shortcut |
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Web shortcut |
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Profile |
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Internet Browser |
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Firefox Browser |
Full-featured Browser |
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IM Communication Software |
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MSN |
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QQ(Beta） |
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Flying Mail(Beta） |
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Internet Telephony |
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VOIP(TBD) |
Support Voice, Video Calls |
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Multimedia Software |
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Media player |
Supported Audio Formats: wma,mp3,wav,aac Video Supported Formats： avi,mp4,3gp |
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Communication |
Call |
Voice Calls |
Note: The first version of the software only supports the data access functionality, upgrade to support the integrity of the follow-up calls and messaging |
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Phone Book |
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Call Record |
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Personal favorites |
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Information |
Text Messaging |
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SMS Collection Record |
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Personalized |
来电大头贴 (Cut and Paste?) |
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Contact Image/Profiling |
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Custom Ringtones |
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Application Software |
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OFFICE |
Word Excel PPT (Read-only) |
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PDF Reader |
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Electronic Dictionary |
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GPS Navigation Map |
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Camera |
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Photography |
Follow-on Upgrade |
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Network TV (Beta) |
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Photo Browser |
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E-book（FBreader） |
Support fb2、HTML、CHM、RTF、Plain text |
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Stock trading |
Currently does not support online trading |
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Useful Programs |
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Notepad |
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Calculator |
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Weather Query |
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Flight Inquiry |
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Map Query |
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Drawing Board |
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Application Management (local program management and software Download Center) |
Real-time Software Download |
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Resource Manager |
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Control Panel |
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Built-in Games |
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Crazy Parking |
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Connecting Ball |
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Tetris |
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Solitaire |
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External Device Support |
Support USB OTG |
USB HOST |
External hard disk support, CMMB’s network adapter plug-in devices |
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USB Mouse |
via USB Connector |
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USB Keyboard |
via USB Connector |
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U Disk |
via USB Connector |
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Bluetooth Dialer |
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Bluetooth Stereo Headset |
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