SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
RED cancels Hydrogen phone project as founder Jim Jannard retires
RED's ambitious Hydrogen phone project is ending after the release of just a single device, the Hydrogen One, according to an announcement from Jim Jannard. The company's founder says that he is "shutting down the HYDROGEN project" as he retires due to "a few health issues."
The $1,295 RED Hydrogen One was the first smartphone from the high-end camera company; first announced in 2017, it promised bold new technologies like a "holographic display," a top-notch camera system, and modular attachments to expand the phone over time. After a series of delays, the phone was eventually released to a lackluster reception in October 2018.
[...] Jannard has been the face of RED and its high-end cameras since he founded the company back in 1999. According to Jannard, RED Digital Cinema will live on under the leadership of Jarred Land (RED's current president), Tommy Rios (RED's executive vice president) and Jamin Jannard (RED's president of marketing and creative).
That's enough of that.
Also at Wccftech.
Previously: RED Pitches a $1,200 Holographic Android Smartphone
$1,300 RED Hydrogen One Smartphone Fails to Impress Reviewers
RED Blames Chinese Manufacturer for "Hydrogen One" Issues, Confirms Second Smartphone
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Saturday October 26 2019, @12:02AM (2 children)
A $1300 smartphone? 3 weeks ago my cat knocked my LG Power X off a stack of library books into a 1/4 inch of tea in a coffee cup. Took the phone 2 weeks to finally die. I had no issues with that phone, was quite happy with it. The cat is another story I won't get into here.
Replaced it with a $200 Samsung A20. 2 biggest issues? There is no LED indicating a message/voice mail/missed phone call is waiting. My option? The phone can bloople beep every 5 minutes, with the screen turning on, every 5 minutes. Yeah, I want to wake up at 3 AM when my phone company sends a message that my (auto pay) bill is due.
And the USB 3 charging cord is like, 18" to 2'. It won't reach to my end table, where I've put my charging phones for the last 10 years. Nope, this one sits in the trash can. If the trash needs to be emptied I guess I'm OK, I can see the phone in my peripheral vision. Emptied the trash this morning, the phone is dangling in an empty trash can while charging, and I can't see it.
Oh yeah, today. I use Evernote to make shopping lists on my laptop, and transfer them to my phone. Did that last night. This morning, no shopping list. Worse, I was going to meet a friend somewhere and google maps didn't work.
From where I sit it looks like data on my phone isn't working.
For the last 10 years getting a new phone every 2-3 years was an improvement. Looks like this one was a huge step backwards.
tl;dr: Don't buy a Samsung A20. No message waiting LED, and supplied charging cord is too short. For $200 I expect better.
My ducks are not in a row. I don't know where some of them are, and I'm pretty sure one of them is a turkey.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 26 2019, @12:12AM
Your cat is right. You shouldn't stack library books near a beverage, and you shouldn't put tea in a coffee cup.
(Score: 4, Funny) by inertnet on Saturday October 26 2019, @12:13AM
You should let your cat review that Samsung next.