Bphone Flipscreen Smartphone Runs Linux, Java

March 23rd, 2010 by: Technabob

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If you’re in the market for a smartphone, but want to run something besides Windows Mobile, Android or the iPhone OS, you might want to check out this little rarity from China that runs on a flavor of the Linux operating system.

With a ginormous 5-inch screen, the BPhone actually looks more like a UMPC than a smartphone. The 800×480 touchscreen display should look great playing back your video files, and is definitely big enough to display web pages with greater readability than smaller devices. It’s also got a unique 180-degree flip capability, so you can view content on the screen whether you’re using the keyboard or not.

Speaking of keyboards, the BPhone has a full QWERTY ‘board when you flip it open. It runs on a speedy Marvell PXA310 CPU, running at 624MHz, and has built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, and a GPS (although the included CARELAND GPS app only works in China). And since it’s a quad-band unlocked phone, you can use it pretty much anywhere on the globe, with any carrier you want.

While it’s definitely not as stylish or svelte as, say, an iPhone 3GS or Nexus One, the BPhone definitely looks powerful in terms of its hardware. If you’re thinking about getting your hands on one, head on over to Chinagrabber, where it retails for $569 (USD).

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