Meizu M8 getting facelifted, three buttons instead of one

Meizu's Windows CE-based M8 continues to get tweaked ahead of an alleged CES debut, but the company is breaking from tradition and forgoing the typical renderings or dummies. Why? Turns out they're adding a couple of extra buttons up front -- three in total now -- and Meizu's CEO wants to keep the design under wraps while it navigates the patent process. We're not too sure what exactly there is to patent about a triplet of buttons, but hey, if these guys can get a little IP under their belts, it might give some much-needed street cred in the "we're not an iPhone clone" argument. Pictured here is a fan rendering of... well, you know, what three buttons might look like (in case you needed some help visualizing it) along with what is said to be the back of Meizu's latest prototype.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 29th 2007 10:15PM]

Can't wait for its release. 16GB for around $400? You can count me in. There's a reason why I nominated this for Most Anticipated Gadget of 2008.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 29th 2007 10:31PM]

Not to mention based on Windows Mobile. Hate it all you want, but it's 10x more powerful than that "other" phone. MMS Support from the get go, removable batteries, upgradable memory, sdk support from the get go, thousands upon thousands of already compatible third party applications.. Sure it might be a "knock off" but good artists copy, great artists steal.. even apple lives by that mantra.

[Erik Posted Dec 30th 2007 12:46AM]

If the iPhone is the jesusPhone, this is the godPhone.

Want.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 30th 2007 12:44PM]

Hopefully apple doesn't release a iPhone classic with 3 buttons on the front.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 30th 2007 10:54AM]

What network is going to pick this up?

[iofthestorm Posted Dec 30th 2007 2:10PM]

It should be an unlocked GSM phone so any GSM carrier, in theory. AT&T might be slightly miffed when you go to put it on their network, though ;).