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Ok, it has only been a couple of months but I sense that this is a real contender for the next vaporware contest.
Never heard of Neonode? Well maybe that is because they’re new, Swedish and have yet to show an actual product. If (and I say IF) they ever get the N1 to the production line god knows what it’s gonna cost (around $500?). The features are amazing of course, but I do feel there is a certain overkill as far as the digital camera is concerned. At least given todays technology level.
While it seems nice to the casual user, I am not so easily impressed. And I suppose that since they marketed the phone as a funky toy for wealthy kids (read: young people) they didn’t have cranky technology freaks in mind. I just don’t fit the profile.
For example, I think one step ahead when it comes to usage. Once you have shelled out $500 for this thing, can you actually afford to use it.
The hardware specifications (posted Dec 15) still stand I suppose and are as follows (slightly edited to conserve space):
CPU: 96 MHz ARM 7
Display: 2.2″ TFT LCD with 262140 colors (18 bit mode), 65535 colors (16 bit mode), 70 Hz frame rate, 176 (H)x 220 (V) pixels, 96 kb video ram. Touch screen with 4 navigation keys + YES and NO (Power on/off) buttons.
Memory: 16 Mb SDRAM, 73 MHz, 64 MB SD-Card included in price. Avaliable today: 512 MB.
Camera: Built in camera with 640 x 480 pixels and 16M colors. QQVGA(160×120)/QVGA(320×240) and VGA mode(640×480). Continous recording 160×120 pixels at 15 frames per second to SDCard.
Audio: Built in 1W speaker (for ring tones, conference calls etc) and receiver and microphone (for GSM talk). Built in connector for a stereo headset and microphone.
Communication: 12 Mbit USB Host function capable of 100mA/5V output to low power devices such as mouses, keyboards, joysticks..
12 Mbit USB Function communicating with PC or other Host simulating a serial port up to 12 MBit/sec (appears as a COM10 on PC). This port can also be used for Microsoft Acivesync 3.6.
115k, 1,1M and 4 Mbit multi mode IRDA port (This port can be used for Microsoft Activesync 3.6)
Remote Control Ir function for 36-44 KHz modulation mode simulating a TV Remote control up to 10 m.
Battery: 1100 mAh, 3.7V. Charge-time 2.5 hrs
Operating parameters: Operating up to 10 hours for games/mp3 (Radio in standby), Talk time 4 hours and standby time up to 250 hours.
Size: 88×52x21 Weight: 93 g
Software: Camera, Mediaplayer, File Manager, Address book, notepad, SMS, MMS, WAP-Browser, E-mail, Internet Explorer
The Touch screen is of course on of the most prominent features. Even if it is a VERY small screen. Note also that there is NO handwritning recognition for some reason. The real matter for people like me is how the secondary abilities of device work. Using the phone as a IR remote control for example might be worth $100 out of the total $500 
If it works of course. In any case, it probably wont dethrone the Pronto remote in a jiffy.
I consider the camera to be useless until proven otherwise. Obviously it is meant to be for sending photos between wireless units and not for desktop publishing for example (duh!). The question is if very many people will take advantage of this feature.
Personally I’m satisfied with a small Windows CE.NET unit that can carry custom programs. And as the device has a SD slot (which I assume can be used to run programs as well) I imagine it would be useful as a portable map. Even more so if it could be interfaced with a GPS unit somehow.
About the SD, I am not a big fan of digital memory cards. There a mainly two problems with them - price and speed. And even if the speed of the SD-chip itself is 10MB/s you seldom achieve that kind of throughput. The reason for this is that the CPU speed of the device is closely linked to the final transfer speed.
See A guide to MultiMedia Card (MMC) vs. Secure Digital (SD) for more info on MMC and SD cards.
This comes into play when storing or retrieving waste amounts of information fast. If you have ever used a digital camera for example you know you can’t just click away like you would on a system camera. Each picture takes a couple of seconds to store (depending on the quality and speed of the device of course). At no point can you expect to shoot a normal 24/36 series without delays. And even if you weren’t planning on using the N1 as a camera, the transfer speed might have an impact on other applications. This is of course something we won’t know of until someone test drives the final product.
At any case I am sure you can use it to call people. It’s a startling idea, I know. But I hope they remember to include that function as well 
The question is if anyone will buy the N1. Rumour has it that the limited edition that Neonode will be releasing shortly is a direct prerequisite for a full line of production (i.e. they haven’t got the funds yet). That is a pretty shaky start if you ask me, but also a (at least for me) quite new business model. And one that I think we will see a lot more of in the future. Very much like the pilot episodes that television produces at times.
