Mysterious RED Hydrogen Smartphone Coming This Summer

rgMekanic

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Since it's announce back in July of 2017, not much has been revealed about the RED Hydrogen smartphone. Aside from a preview video here, and a little tidbit of the technology that drives its holographic display there, RED has been rather quiet about its first flagship smartphone. Today Android Authority is reporting that the Hydrogen will be launching in August, and will be available on AT&T, as well as Verizon. Between Android Authority and cNet, we get a little more info. The Hydrogen will have a 5.7" holographic 2,560 x 1,440 screen, a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4,500mAh battery, USB-C, a MicroSD slot, as well as a headphone jack, and the most interesting feature is the modular attachments that can be snapped onto the back. For pricing, you're looking at $1,595 for the titanium version, and $1,195 for the aluminum.

The phone will launch on the network "later this summer," AT&T revealed. The holographic (4V) display means users can "look around, below and into the screen's image" without the aid of special glasses. The display resolution tops out at 2,560 x 1,440 otherwise, which should be more than sufficient for your 2D video needs.
 
Not at that price, I'd be paranoid of dropping it. But I wouldn't mind playing with one to see what the display is like. If it works...a wrist watch version next? But geeze 2560x1440 at <6" does it come with a magnifying glass ;)?
 
Sweet.

Also pricey, but this is the first phone I've seen that even tries to justify such a high price.

I also wanna know more about that LCD. I know FALD is too much to ask for in a phone, but repectable gamut/contrast would be nice.

Not at that price, I'd be paranoid of dropping it. But I wouldn't mind playing with one to see what the display is like. If it works...a wrist watch version next? But geeze 2560x1440 at <6" does it come with a magnifying glass ;)?

My smallish HTC 10 is 1440p. It's actually nice for text rendering and makes high-res/vector images sharp and artifact free, but for videos or camera shots it is a little excessive.
 
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I would really like to see an actual video of the damn thing running but I guess that's too much to ask. I hate this "we can't show you this" BS.

$1200+...

Last-year's silicon...


Yeah, that's a hard "nope".

Honestly, the SOC on the phone is the thing that matters least to me. I care if it's fast enough, but I don't need the latest and fastest most powerful blah blah, I have PCs for that. I just care if the screen is awesome, and I REALLY care if the camera is great.

For me, the things that matter most in a mobile (in order)

1. Camera
2. Screen size (bigger is better)
3. DPI (greater than 300 is all you need)
4. Storage
5. Battery life
6. Quickness of operating.

The SoC will have an impact on the last bit, but honestly, the speed of the SSD and OS optimisation matter more. A crazy new 16-core Bitchnfast SoC can be completely nullified by a bloated, wasteful OS.
 
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The original mockup:
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The next time I buy a mobile phone for £1000.

Fucking thing better have the capabilities of a tricorder

ifun version 6s fatboy, does everything I need and more.
 
I will be on the Essential phone until April of 2020, at least. By that point, maybe the Essential PH-4 will be out.
 
Like most, I'd be interested in seeing it but at that price no way going to try it. I'm even one of those fools who is often an early adopter but not at that price.
 
What is the point of such screen tech on a phone? Would it be used with special photo apps but look like a regular screen for normal operation?
I usually understand tech, but I can't figure out the objective here.
 
Well let's see, if it is anything like their cameras for $1600 you'll get a phone with no power adapter, storage, SIM, battery, or OS. Each will cost you another $200-300 :D.
 
I'll be surprised if the holographic bit is little more than a gimmick that finds any use outside of showing it off.
 
At this point in time I really only need a phone with those large buttons and a couple apps like snack time countdown, fall notification, and med reminder. Soon I will need it to have a game that i follow the puppy on screen and it takes me back home.
Honestly though that is more screen quality than my gaming system. The only thing I see for these phones it to be number one stolen handheld device ever.
 
I've gone 100% the opposite direction with phones...

Every few years I decide to buy a nicer, light, "fancy phone" and I end up dropping it, nothing breaks but I become paranoid, and then I slap some stupid freaking case on it so I'm not afraid to use it. Then I have a huge, bulky phone with no increased battery life and none of the benefits of just being bigger/burlier by default.

Right now I'm rocking the AGM x2. Legit 3 days of light-medium use, waterproof, drop proof, etc. I actually bring the thing out of my pocket and use it, because I won't break it.

The days of spending more than $500 on a phone are long gone for me. They either get beat up and die before a few years, or I strap a giant case on them and end up hating them 1 year in.

Battery life and bombproof, with a decent camera. That is it.
 
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I would really like to see an actual video of the damn thing running but I guess that's too much to ask. I hate this "we can't show you this" BS.



Honestly, the SOC on the phone is the thing that matters least to me. I care if it's fast enough, but I don't need the latest and fastest most powerful blah blah, I have PCs for that. I just care if the screen is awesome, and I REALLY care if the camera is great.

For me, the things that matter most in a mobile (in order)

1. Camera
2. Screen size (bigger is better)
3. DPI (greater than 300 is all you need)
4. Storage
5. Battery life
6. Quickness of operating.

The SoC will have an impact on the last bit, but honestly, the speed of the SSD and OS optimisation matter more. A crazy new 16-core Bitchnfast SoC can be completely nullified by a bloated, wasteful OS.
Soooooo you don't need a phone. Got it!
 
I'd be terrified of dropping that. First, try finding that screen to replace then at whatever price RED would charge. For that price it better have DSLR camera quality built in.
 
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i want to see the holographic display in action.

and being that the company is RED, the price does not shock me
 
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