10/24, 11:30am
Hop-on Android Phone
Small-scale phone maker Hop-on on Friday said it would develop a phone based on Google's Android platform. The open-source mobile operating system is pitched as giving the company a boost in competing in the high-end phone business, where it has little presence and would otherwise need to license software from another firm. Technical details of the phone are unavailable, though Hop-on claims the phone will cost below $200 and should be launched at January's Consumer Electronics Show.
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06/06, 11:25am
Hop-on Budget Smartphone
Hop-on today unveiled six phones in its very low-cost lineup that branch into new territory for the company. While declining to provide most details, the company promises that its HOP1801 will be the lowest-cost smartphone on the market at $125; the company also plans to have one of the least expensive 3G phones with the HOP1809, a handset that will also supply a camera, Bluetooth, and support for MPEG-4 media playback. A third phone, the HOP1808, will be aimed at frequent travelers with dual SIM card slots for multiple phone accounts; it lacks 3G but shares the other features of the HOP1809 and adds an FM radio tuner.
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05/26, 12:30pm
Hop-On intros $10 handset
On Friday, Hop-On released a disposable cell phone called the HOP1800. At $10, the HOP1800 is five times less expensive than the admittedly higher-spec Motorola MOTOFONE F3, and comes with no form of display whatsoever. In exchange, it offers 16 polyphonic MIDI ringtones, a vibration feature and locks for both the keypad and SIM card. The dual-band 850/1900MHz GSM handset is aimed at travelers and can be recycled, with the company offering a $5 mail-in rebate when the handset is returned.
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