Aava Mobile's Intel Moorestown prototype hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/16/aava-mobiles-intel-moorestown-prototype-hands-on/

The LG GW990 got the lion's share of the attention, but Intel showed off a second Moorestown-based MID (or giant smartphone, if you like) back at CES from Finnish startup Aava Mobile -- more a prototype reference design created to show off Moblin 2.1's capabilities than a retail-ready product -- and it's back in force here at MWC this week. What's really striking about this thing is just how much smaller it is than the GW990, probably a good 70 percent smaller by surface area while still managing a shell just 11.7mm thick. Besides Moblin, the proto fully supports Android (though we only saw it on Moblin at Intel's booth) and will naturally support MeeGo going forward. It's got a front-facing cam, noise cancellation, compass, GPS, WiFi, and 3G plus that next-gen Atom core, but don't plan on buying it any time soon -- Aava's stressing that this is just a starting point to get carriers and VARs off the ground. That's probably just as well, though, because the Moblin implementation on here was totally useless; the UI looked like little more than a proof of concept with awful, stuttery performance, bugs left and right, and... well, a distinct lack of features. Maybe we can get a sweet skin over MeeGo down the road, but shorter term, this could make a killer high-end Android device without totally encroaching on the Mini 5's large-and-in-charge attitude. Follow the break for some video!

Gallery: Aava Mobile's Intel Moorestown prototype hands-on

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Aava Mobile's Intel Moorestown prototype hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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