Here’s an interesting one for fans of niche Android hardware – the Bluechip Neon. It was spotted sitting in a Tesco for £79.99, offering a 3.2″ 320×480 screen, 2megapixel camera, and running an unskinned version of Android 2.2.
The Tesco web site has a listing for the phone, but it’s currently out of stock – although reader Tom sent us a photo of it in his local store, and said: “In the flesh, almost exactly like the Samsung Galaxy Mini with a bit of Vodafone Smart chucked in…”
There’s a little bit more info on the Bluechip web site, which says it actually only contains a 2MP camera rather than the 3.2MP one the Tesco display says…
…not that it’s a deal breaker for us. The deal has long since been broken before we got to reading about the camera. Bluechip also has another couple of Android phones on its site, the solar powered BC Carbon…
…which looks like a model previously mentioned on the internet as the Chinese made Umeox Apollo. Which got us searching through the Umeox web site (no, not got much on today), which reveals the Bluechip Neon to be the Umeox A502.
Thanks for the photo, Tom, you’ve triggered quite the journey of personal discovery.
Motorola’s latest flagship dual-core Android monster is a massive, original powerhouse, that’s a big improvement on previous MOTOBLUR mobiles – but still isn’t a total winner.
A slim and glamorous phone from Sony Ericsson, with the sharpest display around. It’s no powerhouse and the screen’s not the biggest out there, but we don’t mind. Because it’s cute.
LG’s first glasses-free 3D phone is a heavy, fat monster, with a clever 3D effect that works rather well. As a smartphone, though, it’s heavy and underwhelming.
A very shiny thing from Sony Ericsson, with a 3.7″ screen and Android 2.3.3 inside. But is it exciting enough to win fans in today’s spec-obsessed market? Can man live on one core alone?
INQ’s Android phone is an interesting “boutique” piece of hardware, packed with unique interface customisations that go far beyond the headline Facebook integration. We like it a lot.
MarkG
/ November 16, 2011Hmm, isn’t that showing a copyrighted HTC wallpaper?
SarcasticCommenter
/ November 22, 2011No, amazingly, despite the injustice of it, HTC were unable to copyright the concept of coloured circles on a gradient background.
Simon
/ November 16, 2011I cannot see this being any good. No information about the CPU anywhere which is a bad sign.
hecatae
/ December 18, 2011http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/293336_179239508816046_118827628190568_429631_2694520_n.jpg
found a picture listing 420mhz cpu
Holiam
/ January 4, 2012Not good. Slow ARMv5 chip makes using most apps frustrating. No good at all for gaming. Games crawl or graphics washed out to the point of text completely unreadable. Luckily Tesco took phone back after a week with a no quibble refund.
peter
/ February 11, 2012Bluechip Andriod Phone Software is incomplete or has an ERROR
in its Programming as i try to go 02 wifi and I can not get the confirmation code I have to 10 different shops to find out what the Problem is and they said it is the Software in the Phone
I can recive and send normal Text to people but the broad cast
that allows the phone company to send you an confirmation code
is not working I am not happy as it cost me 79 pounds and thats alot of money for me. I buy a Phone I like the phone to be completely working not just part of it