New Android Phone on the Market

Australian Entrepreneur Rulan Kogan has designed and produced the world's second Android phone, the Agora, and has done so in less than two months. In November, he announced his goal of an unlocked Android phone for only $199 by December 15th. While the goal wasn't completely fulfilled, the new phone, available in two versions, the Agora Pro (US $256) and the Agora (US $192) are available for pre-order with delivery on January 29, 2009.

The regular Agora boasts a backlit QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth 2.0, 2.5" touchscreen, microSD slot, and 3G connectivity. The Pro version adds a 2MP camera, Wi-Fi, and GPS to the already impressive specifications. Both versions offer, among others things, one-touch Google search, a customizable home screen with instant email, text, and IM notifications, as well as instant access to mobile internet services such as Youtube and Google Maps.

In developing the phone, the company illicited input from its consumers via its blog to make “the design and features of the Kogan Agora appeal to both consumers and business users." said Kogan, adding, “The Android operating system means the handset can capture and play music, photos and video, surf the web, play games, navigate, and organize your life with extremely powerful applications.” As a long time supporter of open source as well as Google, this project seemed a natural fit for the Kogan and his company.

To keep the cost down on the products Kogan designs, his company is completely online based, and builds its products in China. When designing the Agora, Kogan said his team "worked closely with manufacturers and vendors to develop drivers, software, and tweaks to make the Agora an intuitive and exciting experience for everyone."






P/S: http://www.itwire.com/content/view/22082/1168/1/0/