AfterDawn: Tech news

Pics of Microsoft Turtle, Pure handsets surface

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 24 Sep 2009 1:50 User comments (12)

Pics of Microsoft Turtle, Pure handsets surface This week we reported that rumors of Microsoft-branded phones had surfaced again, and a prototype sketch of the Turtle handset made its way around the Web.
Today, Gizmodo is reporting that the two phones, dubbed Turtle and Pure, will be made by Sharp, but will be branded by Microsoft.

The site says the phones are in the "later stages" of the development cycle and will be aimed at the younger demographic, likely teens.

The pics, via Gizmodo:


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12 user comments

124.9.2009 14:04
deejizzle
Inactive

the widescreen one looks neat, dont know about the square-ish one. but the iphone is still way ahead of the game.

224.9.2009 14:11

looks like a palm pre

324.9.2009 14:15

turtle seems like a bad marketing name.

424.9.2009 15:33

I would not like any phone where the keyboard is curved so much like that one is.

524.9.2009 17:15

Hmmm. I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm an owner of a Zune, both XBoxes, and I've owned every iteration of Windows... I really don't have any beef with M$.

These phones are going to tank.

Regardless of how you feel about M$, the fact is that these phones are entirely unnatractive, and don't offer anything to make them stand out from the crowd. A company as large as M$ needs to make a statement if they want to break into mobile phones. Do a touchscreen, offer gorgeously detailed games, make the phone stand out.

Successful phones have usually had a look that was unique at the time they launched. The razr looked very unique when it was launched, and so did the iPhone -many consumers purchase them almost as a status symbol, the kind of thing that people will see and say "OMG, you have one of those! Those are so cool!"

If the phone doesn't stand out, if it looks like twenty other phones on the market, you don't have that recognition, even if the phone has a ton of features that may be spectacular. Obviously imitators will come along, and that's inevitable, but having a unique looking device really helps with marketing.

I can't help but feel that someone is phoning it in on these designs... Okay, the pun was terrible, but honestly, this isn't how a prestigious Fortune 100 company should enter such a competitive market.

625.9.2009 02:39
chris4160
Inactive

Originally posted by handsom :
the fact is that these phones are entirely unnatractive
What are you talking about? This phone (the bottom one on the photo, I think the pure) looks awesome. I absolutely hate pull down keyboards, but this phone pulled it off well. I think my iphone is going to have to take a back seat to his badboy.

The top phone reminds me of a '90s japanese handheld gaming... yeah I have to agree the top one looks shocking.

725.9.2009 03:10

Yea, I don't have a cellphone, and don't intend on getting one anytime soon. Though if I were considering a phone, these ugly looking snackables would never even cross my mind as an option. And besides, Microsoft is continuing to monopolize every market as usual ;D

Also, I don't understand how someone could hate pull down keyboards, but just from a picture, assume that this is something completely different. My head can't wrap around this insanity.

825.9.2009 07:16
chris4160
Inactive

Originally posted by rvinkebob:
Yea, I don't have a cellphone, and don't intend on getting one anytime soon. Though if I were considering a phone, these ugly looking snackables would never even cross my mind as an option. And besides, Microsoft is continuing to monopolize every market as usual ;D

Also, I don't understand how someone could hate pull down keyboards, but just from a picture, assume that this is something completely different. My head can't wrap around this insanity.
I hate pull down keyboards because every one that I have used have small, tacky, bunched up buttons, which get really annoying for me as I have quite big hands. On the bottom phone (I'm assuming the Pure) the buttons are widely spaced hence no accidenfally pressing two buttons, instead of one.

Also, I don't understand how somebody can live in the 21st century without a cell phone. My head can't wrap around this insanity.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 25 Sep 2009 @ 7:17

925.9.2009 11:22

Originally posted by rvinkebob:
Yea, I don't have a cellphone, and don't intend on getting one anytime soon. Though if I were considering a phone, these ugly looking snackables would never even cross my mind as an option. And besides, Microsoft is continuing to monopolize every market as usual ;D

Also, I don't understand how someone could hate pull down keyboards, but just from a picture, assume that this is something completely different. My head can't wrap around this insanity.
Complete insanity is not owning a cell phone that's just weird man it's like living in a house with out walls.
I have a 6yr old cousin that has a cell phone

1025.9.2009 11:36

actual kb>virtual (iphone) kb anyday.

i say the pure, ESP with win7, can be a huge winner!

whats its CPU spec and RAM etc?

1125.9.2009 12:31

Originally posted by xyqo:
Complete insanity is not owning a cell phone that's just weird man it's like living in a house with out walls.
I have a 6yr old cousin that has a cell phone
Typical comment I expected. What would be my justification for getting a cellphone? That I would talk to friends about crap, that just ends up wasting my time? Oh right... so you're assuming everyone in the world has a cellphone then, because it is a 100% guaranteed necessity...

1225.9.2009 17:06

The wide one looks pretty choice it's more of a portable mini comp if those multiple windows on screen are anything to go by,the only issue now is can it sync with the comp & will it eventually be able to go on live

EDIT: Wonders if a touch screen model is in the works

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 25 Sep 2009 @ 5:07

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