Lenovo's LePhone: Android Offering In China

Yet again, Lenovo is busting down the gates of boring consumer electronics and pushing the envelope here with the LePhone. It’s not officially launched yet (just in China), but it has the potential to shake up the way we look at phones, especially Android offerings. Not convinced it’s something different? Read on.

Even though hasn’t been designed by anyone in Cupertino, the LePhone still can turn some heads. Thanks to Geeky-Gadgets.com, we can start drooling early. The pictured device shows a detachable keyboard module which technically, is nothing new (see: LG Versa.) But the phone itself is actually usable once detached (the Versa’s touch screen was horrible). The LePhone features all the goodies you’d want from an Android phone, including a 1GHz processor and 480×800 touch screen, GPS, yadda yadda. But it actually has two 3MP cameras. One front facing, one back facing. The implication, of course, is that video chatting will be available. The sad part of this story? ZDNet had the scoop that it’s built specifically for China’s network, so don’t expect a US version anytime soon, or at all, even.

It’s worth noting (as seen in the second picture) that Lenovo is going for a new brand of consumer style, here. The cloverleaf theme that’s present is a similar theme being used in their new Skyline and Hybrid Tablet PC. In another picture, custom circular icons are being shown, which are also similar to the dock on the Lenvo Skylight.  Even as an Apple fanatic, I admit that I’d love to have this phone. It’s sleek, stylish, something new, and certainly a fresh breath of design air. I’m always in favor of anything that keeps Apple honest.

I think the real story here though is Lenovo as a company. They’re striving to innovate and differentiate themselves ever since their departure from IMB and they seem to be doing a good job. I’d love to see a blend of this style leak over into the business end of Lenovo, too. Who says business can’t be sexy?

VARs: do you have any clients who like a little pizazz with their processors?