Before the advent of smartphones, mobile devices were getting smaller. When we started discovering we can do a lot on our phones especially when connected to the Internet, screens started getting bigger again. But who says big things can’t come from small, minimalist, but powerful packages? Unihertz, the same team that brought you the Jelly is now bringing another tiny smartphone to the market, but this time they are appealing to the active and outdoorsy market with this rugged and waterproof device called Atom. It’s not literally as small as an atom but it is tiny enough compared to the giant and fragile screens we see from flagship devices.
When you first see the smartphone, you might think it can’t do much given its size of 3.7 x 1.7 x 0.7 inches. But they tried to pack as many features as they can into this frame and it is pretty appealing to have that much power without having to worry about making a big space for it in your pocket or on your body. The display is just 2.45 inches and you only get 240 x 432 pixels but you probably won’t watch movies or read books here anyway so that’s just okay. It is powered by a 2GHz octa-core processor but you do get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It will run on Android 8.1 Oreo so that’s a plus as well. You even get a more than decent 16MP main camera and an 8MP front-facing shooter.
It has dual SIM support but instead of just a GSM for the second SIM, it can actually run on 4G and 3G if you haven’t upgraded yet. It works on most of the major carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, etc. They were also able to fit in a fingerprint sensor so you can use it to unlock your device or take calls or capture images on your camera. And since it has NFC, you can also use your device to pay for purchases so no need to bring your wallet when you’re taking a run or something. If the 64GB internal storage isn’t enough for you, you can transfer files and photos to an OTG USB.
The Atom also has a programmable key to create shortcuts to your most-used functions, whether it’s taking photos, setting alarms , opening your favorite app, or just any function that you want to open with just one tap. And of course since it’s built for the active, outdoor lifestyle, it is IP68 certified so it’s water proof, dust proof, and shock proof. Based on the specs indicated, it’s actually more than capable of being a fully functional smartphone, only it’s tiny enough to put on your armband, bike mount or clip to your bag. Coincidentally, it also has accessories for those three functions.
Even though it’s on Kickstarter, it’s probably more for marketing or promotion than anything else, since they have more than reached their pledge goal of $50,000. Currently they’re at $681,490. The SRP will be at $300 but you can get discounted rates when you pledge to their campaign of course and you still have 33 days to go. Their estimated delivery is October 2018. If the device becomes more than successful, does this mean we’ll see smaller devices flood the market?
SOURCE: Unihertz
