I'm very excited to be able to show you the Kogan Agora and the Kogan Agora Pro.
The Agora will cost AU$299, and the Agora Pro will be AU$399. Both are on sale now and will ship to you on January 29th 2009.
The full specs can be found here.
I know the price has changed a little -- the impact of the global financial crisis on currencies means that $199 is simply impossible. However, we've been working hard to get you two very affordable, but feature-packed handsets. I hope you're as excited as we are!
Can't wait to hear your thoughts.
Cheers,
Ruslan
« Kogan Full HD Video Camera reviewed by GoodGearGuide and PC World | Kogan Blu-ray player reviewed »
HERE IT IS: THE KOGAN AGORA
4 DEC 2008
Comments
Hear what our customer's have to say.
shelton2000 says...
looks great does anyone know if it has an Accelerometer
Posted at 9:53 a.m. on December 4, 2008
hussain says...
Bit of a shame, $199 was v cheap...
How come it has a blackberry logo? and a kogan logo?
Posted at 9:57 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Ben P says...
The devices look nice, although very blackberry like.
The specs seem to be fairly high end, save for the camera.
Where has the iPhone inspiration gone?
Is the GPS mapping on the Agora Pro via Google Maps or is it installed?
Headphone output: 3.5mm, usb or other?
Any chances of a video unboxing and review? I am certainly offer to help out.
Posted at 9:57 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Mik says...
Good choice on the name, I'm glad it wasn't an android-like, G1-like, or iPhone-like name after all of that discussion.
Pity it will be shipped next year, because I would like to see a review of the device before I purchase (I do with all items) If the price point was kept around $200, I may have just lunged at it, but unfortunately now I must fence-sit for a while. Not that I don't find it cheap, it's just $200 was going to be incredible value. I totally understand that it cannot be done for that price.
I hope a review comes out of this device asap, so that I can evaluate it against other phones in the category. Just unfortunate that the Nokia n97 was announced for Q1 2009.. though I would prefer an Android phone over a Symbian...
So much to say.
Good work though, I have been checking for updates daily. I guess I can't do a whole lot more now than sit and wait.
Posted at 10:12 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Max Kent says...
Yah I agree very blackberry like, Would have been nice for under $200,,,,
Its funny bcos I found and interesting forum a few days ago
http://www.morninpaper.com/2008/09/got-a-blackberry-want-android-try-the-android-theme-for-blackberry/
Posted at 10:14 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Mark C says...
I second Ben P, Can you please get some video up running through features etc. Looks like you are onto a winner here
Posted at 10:15 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Nathan J says...
Looks nice, if not targetted to Blackberry users. If it had come with a bigger screen and no keyboard (or even a hidden one under the screen) I would've put an order down. I'm not a fan of Blackberry style devices.
Nirvana is an HTC Touch HD running Android. Looks like I have to sit on my hands and wait.
Nice job though guys, I don't want to detract from the good work you've done getting anything this good out the door!
Posted at 10:16 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Ruslan Kogan says...
Hey everyone,
I will do my best to get some journalists to review this before the shipping date. I can't guarantee they won't sell out before that date, but I'll let you know as soon as I get the units to some media publications.
Cheers,
Ruslan
Posted at 10:18 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Mikal says...
The link to your store 404s.
Posted at 10:25 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Chris says...
Hey Ruslan,
what will the shipping to Europe/Germany be for the pro version?
THX & Cheers!
Chris
Posted at 10:40 a.m. on December 4, 2008
DrRider says...
Hi Ruslan
Can't access to the full spec page. At least, could you please make that page available?
Posted at 10:41 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Blunt says...
The Pro looks good, unfortunately being twice the anticipated price it looks like a non-starter as an impulse purchase for me (as $199 model was mean't to have GPS and wifi).
You could manufacture and sell an absolute ton of these to a telco like 3 that is trying to encourage more people to use web content on their phone. Guess that this against the Kogan philosophy of direct selling though.
At this kind of price it is a bit exxy for me for a mid-contract, tide me over upgrade phone, but a great price for a telco to offer on a competitve plan with data a minimal repayment cost.
Posted at 10:41 a.m. on December 4, 2008
R. says...
Well done!!
It has all the features I hoped for, and the price is quite reasonable since we aren't locked to any provider!
A few questions now:
Posted at 10:47 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Blunt says...
Does anyone know if android/this phone supports MMS, Video on the camera, copy/paste, messages to multiple recipients? These are the features that the iPhone lacks but are on the must have list for me.
Posted at 10:50 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Agr0 says...
I'd have to agree with the above comments.
Whilst I have been eagerly looking forward to this, I would have preferred not to have the full keyboard.
The shop page still isn't working at the moment, hope it's up soon so we can get more info
Posted at 10:56 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Ruslan Kogan says...
Hi everyone,
Sorry about the shop page going down, it was just hit very hard in a short space of time.
Good point about the logo -- it's not the BlackBerry logo but it is somewhat similar. We're going to talk to Google about getting the Android logo for that function button, which should look pretty cool!
Thanks for the comments so far.
Posted at 11 a.m. on December 4, 2008
demon rob says...
and I want a slide out keyboard with larger screen, but the more android options the merrier!
Posted at 11 a.m. on December 4, 2008
SL says...
Sounds great. Will this work no worries by just inserting a Tel$tra NextG sim?
Posted at 11:28 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Micky says...
Love the look of the phone. Would prefer something more like this:
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/SDfVdEtlRjORmpsz6o__rA
Hopefully you look at creating an even more kickass version similar to that, with 5megapixel camera with flash, and on screen keyboard (to come later in android I know) and bigger res screen (800x480 would be nice). I would pay for more for that!
Posted at 11:44 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Pedro S says...
Great stuff. Congratulations on getting it all sorted.
Please get them into the hands of some reviewers ASAP.
Will they be being demonstrated in Melbourne somewhere?
Interesting name BTW, I hope people don't get agoraphobia.
Posted at 11:48 a.m. on December 4, 2008
Blunt says...
Micky, Ruslan can probably confirm but I believe that the current version of Android doesn't support the lack of a physical keyboard.
Posted at 12:06 p.m. on December 4, 2008
willyroo says...
Very interesting. The $$64k question is: Will Telstra allow this to operate on their 3G 850 HSDPA network?
Posted at 12:14 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Jeremy says...
Boring device...
Posted at 12:18 p.m. on December 4, 2008
N says...
From the SMH website: "he will sell the phone from December 15 for $199...Kogan said his Google phone would look similar to the iPhone in that it would be a touch-screen device with no built-in keyboard. He said it would include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and a trackball to aid in navigation."
$199 - no, 50-100% more.
Similar to the iphone - no, it looks like a blackberry.
no built-in keyboard - no.
Wifi, GPS - only if you pay DOUBLE the original price.
I mean, it costs what it costs, and it's probably still a good product, but if you're going to use 'news' outlets as free advertising, why not get your facts right instead of bs about a product that is either half as good or twice as expensive.
Posted at 12:18 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Montalbert says...
No specifics on screen etc? capacitive?
I know you can't please everyone, but i have decided i am not gonna go backward in screen size on my next phone- screen will need to be 3"+.
Think i will wait for an android phone with bigger screen (Touch HD with android- once they release software keyboard)
Posted at 12:30 p.m. on December 4, 2008
kevin says...
3.5mm jack????
i want to use for a media player, but not if i have to use an adapter :(
Posted at 12:43 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Micky says...
@Blunt
Yeah I know, it's just my ideal "concept" phone. I don't need Ruslan to confirm Android's current lack of On Screen Keyboard, I am already aware of this fact, and that it will be coming some time Q1 next year from what I have read. Hopefully at that time Ruslan can revisit this phone :-)
Posted at 12:47 p.m. on December 4, 2008
beefsack says...
Mind boggling how this has gone from a cheap fully featured consumer oriented phone to a fairly standard business oriented phone prices just below the competition.
Not saying they are bad phones, but for me having a full qwerty keyboard on the face of the phone makes the phone difficult to type and makes it feel like you are carrying a clipboard around in your pocket. I definitely would have taken a phone without a qwerty keyboard at all over one that has qwerty on the face.
Even being a business phone, I still would have considered it at $200 with GPS too, but at double the price I'm afraid this has gone from a must buy to a must avoid.
Posted at 12:55 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Ryan says...
I have read a few rumours that when data is disabled in android it still accesses data. does any one know if this is true or if it has been fixed?
The phone looks pretty good, however, I would prefer a full size screen and at least 5mp camera.
Posted at 12:56 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Hussain says...
IS THIS TRUE ANDRIOD OR A PATCH ON TOP OF BLACKBERRY SOFTWARE?????
http://www.morninpaper.com/2008/09/got-a-blackberry-want-android-try-the-android-theme-for-blackberry/
Posted at 1:21 p.m. on December 4, 2008
AJ P says...
Also it looks like you have photoshopped all the original images of the phone and removes the blackberry logo???
SO IS this handset a hckaed blakcberry??? why have you photoshopped the images of the PHONE???
which logo will be on it??
THE world is watching Kogan
Posted at 1:24 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Ruslan Kogan says...
This is certainly not a BlackBerry. I recognised your comment and will be changing the image on the button. It was not the BlackBerry logo, but it did look somewhat similar.
As I mentioned earlier, I'm going to see if we can get the droid on it -- otherwise something appropriate will signify the function key.
Posted at 1:30 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Ruslan Kogan says...
Hussain, just to confirm, this phone is powered by Android, not an Android 'patch'.
Posted at 1:33 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Chris says...
Yeah, whats with the qwerty keyboard???? OK so with all the changes from the original report to $400 and jan-feb release, I still would have bought it, but like a few people have mentioned you just wrecked it with that keyboard I was thinking it would look like this.... http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/SDfVdEtlRjORmpsz6o__rA
Posted at 1:47 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Simon Rumble says...
Looks very cool but I'd be unlikely to buy without being able to at least see it in action, and ideally read some reviews from someone who's used it for a while. Any chance of sending one around the country for some public demonstrations? I'm sure with the interest there is, there could easily be a session in each of the capital cities. Happy to help out there for Sydney if you like.
Posted at 1:48 p.m. on December 4, 2008
baconheist says...
yep. I agree with Simon Rumble. No keyboard and i would have been sold...
Posted at 2:14 p.m. on December 4, 2008
baconheist again says...
not Simon Rumble - I agree with Chris I meant
Posted at 2:17 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Grendel says...
Ruslan - it looks like a great phone, and even at $399 is half the price of similar phones. Do you know what the SAR (electromagnetic radiation) rating of the phone is?
I'd be keen to see some independant reviews, but it looks like something I'd buy.
Posted at 2:18 p.m. on December 4, 2008
baconheist again says...
Bah - not Simon Rumble, I agree with Chris...
Posted at 2:19 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Daniel T says...
This is so similar to my Dopod it`s not funny, dunno if i`m willing to part with that much to get this phone as there has been issues with small onboard memory with the G1, i`ll wait for a review, at $200 it was worth getting to play with, at $399(not worth going for the $299) it`d have to replace my regular phone, so basically I want to see some reviews.
Main questions are : Can you update your specs page with memory, type of headphone adaptor, and what size MicroSD cards it will support?
Posted at 2:29 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Blinky says...
Rulsan,
If I pre-order a unit are funds taken out of my CC immediately or do you wait until the product is actually shipping. I would love to order one now but I really don't want to waiting around for a "promise" of deliver at the end of Jan.
Posted at 2:34 p.m. on December 4, 2008
confused says...
Where would one go to 'try' such a handset and associated functionality before you buy?
Also interested in a few finer details about the GPS... Maps inside, or does it access google earth?
Can it be used (3g/nextG) fully on all networks?
Posted at 2:59 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Blunt says...
Article now on news.com.au:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,24749345-5014239,00.html
Posted at 3:04 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Blunt says...
The Age too:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/digital-life/mobiles--handhelds/articles/australian-google-phone-launch-delayed/2008/12/03/1228257127166.html
Posted at 3:06 p.m. on December 4, 2008
KJN says...
Why in your press images are there two ')' keys?
Posted at 3:36 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Macca says...
@KJN: looks like the images of the phone are photoshoped (maybe because a production model has not yet been completed). I think that explains the very bright looking blue text on the buttons and the analogue clock widget that shows a different time to the digital clock in the top right corner of the screen.
I have mixed feelings about this device at the price point offered. Aside from widgets, I don't know what else it offers that isn't already done but the all-touchscreen Nokia 5800XM. The 5800XM will cost approx $450AUD when released and this puts it in direct competition whilst having significantly better specs on paper.
Posted at 3:47 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Camurphy says...
Ruslan how many have been pre-ordered so far? Got a PRO on the way for me :)
Is the headphone jack 3.5mm? Is the microSD card reader SDHC?
Awesome work mate.
Posted at 4:01 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Ivo says...
I ordered one (Pro) right away this morning. It's a lot of bang for your buck. I'm getting this as a development unit, and, save for the camera, it bests my TyTn II spec-wise (which still goes for $400+ second hand). If it really ships on the 29th of Jan, I'm a happy customer! :)
Posted at 4:03 p.m. on December 4, 2008
j says...
Ruslan,
this phone looks absolutely stunning! At a very nice price point too. I'll be placing my order for a Pro as soon as I read a review/video.
I do have a question though, how much RAM does it have? 256 or 128? http://www.itwire.com/content/view/22082/1168/1/2/ conflicts with the specs, which are not specifically clear.
Also, can you tell us what is included in the box, and does it have a 3.5mm headphone jack?
I can't wait!
Posted at 4:06 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Adam says...
Great to see this phone at such a great price, it looks good but unfortunately its not really the kind of design I'm looking for. I wish it was designed to look more like an iPhone or an LG Viewty but with a slide out keyboard to allow for a larger screen and keyboard. I'm not really into the whole portrait QWERTY keyboard, I'd prefer it to be a landscape one (if that makes sense, hard to describe what I'm thinking lol). But there are a lot of people who would like this design so good job anyway :)
Posted at 4:49 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Peter K says...
Such a shame the freight costs to Country Western Australia are about the same price as a Flight to the UK. Fair dinkum Ruslan, how the hell can you justify $160.00 in freight for a mobile phone?
Posted at 5 p.m. on December 4, 2008
maisics says...
@macca thats before tax for the 5800 (which i think i'll get)
a "2.5-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with 262K QVGA (320 X 240 pixel) resolution" will not do
just making sure is it a 3.5mm headphone jack and is it micro sd expandable?
Posted at 5:02 p.m. on December 4, 2008
James says...
Software question:
Will the phone include the proprietary Android Market application? (one of the few bits of Android that is not freely distributable)
Posted at 5:06 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Chris says...
I'm curious to whether it supports microSDHC. If it does, a 16gb card would go nicely.
Posted at 5:07 p.m. on December 4, 2008
one.m.davis says...
Well I like it, Many people (including myself) strongly dislike onscreen keyboards, and enter information into our phones "on the street" regularly. I would love a bigger screen, but will not sacrifice a physical keyboard for a bigger screen, and don't want a bigger phone. Slide out keyboards can be an option, but tend to make the unit chunkier, and more fragile. I guess it depends if you want your smartphone to be phone with laptop-esque functionality or a laptop with phone-esque size. For me, I want a featured-up PHONE, so the candy bar form will remain the winner. at $200 I would have just bought one, I agree at $400 I will want to see one 1st, so I will cirtainly miss this 1st run. (Yes, this is more expensive than anticipated, but the Oz dollar is not what it was either, plus "from 199" would have always been the lower spec model, so it hasn't doubled in price)
Posted at 5:12 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Nik says...
So how do we upload new android distro's etc? Does it come with a cable and the ability to flash or do we put it on the microSD and just overwrite the old OS files?
Amazing effort BTW. Putting all those specs into one shiny package at a respectable price, I'll be getting one
Posted at 5:14 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Da Ereeser says...
Where do you guys see a "Blackberry" logo? The holes on the back are for the speaker and the "Back" arrow is just that: an arrow. I do wonder why there are 2 "close parenthesis" buttons. just move the 0 down to the left close parenthesis key or change the parenthesis keys to * and # keys for dialing.
Posted at 5:15 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Matt says...
blah blah blah - I have a low tolerance for the smart-arsed whining of some of the posted comments - the world is full anal-ists that talk and do nothing. Ruslan, sen-bloody-sational. Good on you for doing this. You deserve the support of every Australian techie for this one. I ordered mine within 5 mins of seeing the news that you'd launched the product.
Posted at 5:19 p.m. on December 4, 2008
andrew says...
from the specs:
"# Mini-USB Connectivity (charging, headset)"
so im gathering that 3.5mm is out......
Posted at 5:22 p.m. on December 4, 2008
David T says...
Ruslan,
I understand your probably really busy so I'm happy to wait for the answers to the following questions, i hope you can answer them.
I will purchase this phone, in fact i will probably get 2 of them to begin with and a further 5 after but i want to make sure i am not going to get screwed with a dud phone that does not meet the basic needs, i am holding of getting the BB storm, i have been strong supporter of Black Berry since i moved over from Windows Mobile, i just want to make sure i am not back stepping and going back into the dark ages.
On the flip side well done for providing what appears on face value a brilliant entry level pricing for what again appears to be a well advanced phone.
Cheers,
David.
Posted at 5:28 p.m. on December 4, 2008
David T says...
OK we can scratch Question number 2 the answer to that is...
A: Mini-USB Connectivity (charging, headset)
But there are a couple more :)
Hmm that will do for now, i don't want to be too imposing.
Cheers,
David.
Posted at 5:38 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Tangent says...
Judging from the UI, unless it is showing the Pro version, the image cannot possibly be the result of 320 x 240. Well, that only stands if the Pro version sports a 640x480 resolution.
Posted at 5:47 p.m. on December 4, 2008
BM says...
Changed a LITTLE?? 33% is not little.This guys is just a con merchant. dodgy as.. but still a nice guy :)
Posted at 7:51 p.m. on December 4, 2008
Mr. International says...
So anyways, will Kogan ship these things internationally?
Posted at 8:10 p.m. on December 4, 2008
maisics says...
kogan you have to advertise this all over Australia
this is the only android available to us. Connect with some networks, make it big time.
Posted at 8:56 p.m. on December 4, 2008
R. says...
Come on, he did a pretty good job!
Most of the people who took the time to write on comment on the blog said they wouldn't mind paying a bit more if it meant better features and reliability. I guess Ruslan listened to us!
Now let's wait for the reviews to see how the phone does... I hope the keyboard is usable and not too small.
ps: can't wait to see more real pictures.
Posted at 9:40 p.m. on December 4, 2008
DrZhivago says...
Nice phone! People in S.E.Asia are eagerly waiting for such a phone.. I am gonna buy it.. Any plans to sell it in Malaysia? apart from Shipping it.
Posted at 10:02 p.m. on December 4, 2008
TheLostSwede says...
@Mr. International
They do, there's a link that says International Buyers - Click HERE makes it kinda easy huh? and the delivery cost is not that high at all, especially compared to the domestic Australian delivery cost.
Posted at 10:31 p.m. on December 4, 2008
mark says...
299$ is 236Euro's which isn't that bad compared to lets say a blackberry/iphone..
Posted at 11:11 p.m. on December 4, 2008
dom says...
i was wondering if you where on getting THE KOGAN AGORA model only or will you be getting over models as well. eg the HTC android. the model with the flip screen.
Posted at 12:42 a.m. on December 5, 2008
hema says...
@mark
299 AUD = 152,598015 Euro
http://www.google.de/search?q=299+AUD+in+EUR
Posted at 12:55 a.m. on December 5, 2008
James says...
So you will ship to the US as well?
It says so here (http://www.pcworld.com/article/154926/second_google_phone_agora_out_in_january_available_now_for_presale.html) as far as I can understand.
Posted at 1:27 a.m. on December 5, 2008
UDVOX says...
I took the plunge, ordered the pro - let the (waiting) games begin.
Posted at 1:33 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Harris says...
will be better to have 480X320 for Android... like blackberry bold
Posted at 1:36 a.m. on December 5, 2008
David T says...
Hi All,
ITwire have a good write up http://www.itwire.com/content/view/22082/1168/ might be worth while reading into it.
Cheers,
David.
Posted at 2:08 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Yuxiang T says...
Hey this is from Singapore and is wondering what is the package content like. Is it possible to give us a hang of what will be included out-of-the-box? =)
Posted at 3:21 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Jeff K says...
NOT ONE OF YOU HAS ASKED ABOUT BATTERY LIFE!
this guy doesnt say anything about it in the specs at all and with the nature of android working constantly over a 3G connection you would doubt the battery would be any good at all...
c'mon wake up guys..if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isnt.
Posted at 3:28 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Erwin says...
Will also foreign keyboads (like german QWERTZ with äöüß) be available?
Posted at 4:45 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Matthias says...
Hello,
if you could offer the phone with a german keypad as an option in the near future, i would be also very much interested get to one.
Posted at 5:31 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Jae says...
I'm curious if the device drivers for the hardware are all open source software? Is this device easily hackable, or is it using similar locks to the G1 from T-Mobile in the U.S.
Posted at 6:05 a.m. on December 5, 2008
GOMAB2k4 says...
I am on the fence. More information on these devices may sway me...
Posted at 6:10 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Devin says...
Great Blog. I am curious too about the ability to use this in the US. And I am curious about battery life. I wanted to blog about that on my simplyg1 site as well.
Posted at 6:19 a.m. on December 5, 2008
j says...
Ruslan,
according to http://phandroid.com/2008/12/04/kogan-agora-pro-android-phone-2/#comment-4950 the Agora will not have access to T-Mobile's 3G network in the US. Is this correct? Please someone with more information prove me wrong!
Posted at 6:30 a.m. on December 5, 2008
martini says...
Sold! It took me 5 min to decide to but this phone after learning about it on Slashdot. Would have never known it existed otherwise. Has all the features I'm looking for in a phone and just may kick ass on my Nokia E61 which was a lot more expensive than this phone. Can't wait till the new year. Good job Ruslan.
Posted at 9:07 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Briton says...
Will it sync my contacts and calender to a PC (outlook) or Mac (iCal/address book) or do I have to use the Missing Sync?
Posted at 9:30 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Matthaus at VentureBeat.com says...
Hey Ruslan, congrats, mate. We would be very interested to preview the phone. Let me know if you can send us a unit. Matthaus
Posted at 9:31 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Fakephoto says...
The screen has the same fraud as the original google pics with different times for digital & analog clock.
Posted at 9:43 a.m. on December 5, 2008
aj P says...
I wonder if this phone has really been tested lol
Posted at 10:14 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Agr0 says...
I'm buying a Pro pending Ruslan's response on the following;
Posted at 10:23 a.m. on December 5, 2008
henry says...
you say you could not get the price $199 because of the aussie dollar. you do realise that the aussie dollar was less by 3 cents when you wrote the article. Therefore you just lied to everyone. not only that you lied about the price. you mislead everyone, i hope your competitors take you out. also the whoe thing was a lie because its coming end of jan. you said 15th dec, massive difference bogan.
you also said 3" touch screen, track ball, etc.. the whole thing was a lie. read the article man..
im definately not buying from you every again. theres plenty of businesses like you out there. and with a better brand name..
conclusion: you talk crap.
Posted at 10:55 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Tim says...
The phone looks great but a bit disapointing that it won't be able to access the Optus or Vodafone 900Mhz HSDPA networks? Any chance of a varient that will?
Posted at 11:36 a.m. on December 5, 2008
chris says...
wow henry, settle down.
Posted at 11:37 a.m. on December 5, 2008
Getreal says...
For people whining over the price - get over it. If you are so price sensitive that $200 makes a big difference this isn't the phone for you. Android is currently designed on the assumption you will have an unlimited data plan. The cost of your data plan will far exceed the cost of the phone.
If you are whining about $200 dollars now what will you do when the first 48Mb system update is downloaded over the air ? The point is - its an Android phone. If you don't get why that is good then move on.
Posted at 12:01 p.m. on December 5, 2008
William says...
Hey, can someone tell me if Kogan will ship this little wonder to canada?
Posted at 12:03 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Adam says...
I agree with the dude who said it should look more like this: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/masadav/KonganConcept#5275727520268086274
I would like that look better because at the moment I'm not liking the qwerty keyboard, this design with either an onscreen touch keyboard or a slide out keyboard would be perfect.
Posted at 12:15 p.m. on December 5, 2008
david says...
I can recall when Kogan first announced this, I was wondering just how much hardware you can pack into a phone given the price. I am impressed!
Yes Henry, the price is different from the original $199 but as someone who has also had dealings with chinese manufacturers, I know only too well that things can "happen" and it is a VERY different marketplace to Australia. Just overcoming the language barrier is hard enough... so my congratulations on even getting this project off the ground!
As for battery life: READ THE SPECS
400 minutes talk time 300 hours standby
Naturally, these things are just a guide and probably overstated as ALL manufacturers tend to do. I've yet to have a look at Android in much depth but I imagine that the ability to turn off 3G and wireless through software as you can do with the iPhone will significantly increase battery life.
I will definitely be considering the Pro model but I will probably miss the first run. Years of experience in IT tells me "Wait a while for the 'early-adopters' to find the problems and for more reviews to trickle through."
Posted at 12:17 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Ruslan Kogan says...
Hi everyone,
I hope to be able to reply to all your questions and comments over the coming days. Thanks for your suggestions, comments, and support.
Henry, I know the economic situation has not changed since my initial interview -- however as I mentioned to The Age and The Sydney Morning herald yesterday, there were significantly higher than expected R&D costs. Admittedly I did underestimate the impact of the currency fluctuation. This was my mistake -- all I can tell you is that when I initially spoke about this product I had every intention of releasing it at the mentioned date and price.
At the same time I think it is important to remember that release dates often shift. This is very unfortunate, but the delay in shipping date for us has meant you will be getting a better, more reliable product. As an example, the Samsung Omnia was delayed by nearly twelve months! It's not excusable, but delays are an inherent part of the consumer electronics industry.
Henry, I'm sorry this has altered your perception of the Kogan brand. Nevertheless, I value everyone's opinion and I will do my best to answer all the questions set out here.
Talk to you soon,
Ruslan
Posted at 12:21 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Dana Y says...
Ruslan,
I have to say you have done well in putting this phone together. I have owned the iPhone, the Omnia, and the Nokia N95 and NONE of them have given me the punch for the price that your unit promises. You have my promise that I will be ordering more than a few.
The only thing I need is a review on the unit. Pictures, video of the unit, etc.
I will be waiting for this.
Thank you so much! Dana Y.
Posted at 1:16 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Luke says...
Congradulations Ruslan such a great device. Its fantastic to see you on here answering questions and talking to people - you would never get that with a manufacturer like Samsung or Ericsson.
I was just wondering if this phone proves popular enough, if you would have any plans to relase a touch screen only Android phone?
Posted at 2:10 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Matty W says...
Hey, can you get some phones out to online reviewers ASAP. I'm more likely to read something online han in a magazine.
'm quite keen on getting one of these and love the overall look.
I quite like that it doesn't look like an iPhone as to be perfectly honest thats one of the main reasons I'm so interested in Android based mobiles. Every man+dog is going to have an iPhone, hence the reason I want somethign different.
I guess it's the same reason I prefer AMD to Intel..... Stupid reason I know, but I like to have something a little different to the rest of the herd.
Posted at 2:28 p.m. on December 5, 2008
j says...
@Luke: there's a new interview here: http://apcmag.com/exclusive_interview_with_aussie_android_phone_maker.htm last paragraph.
An addon to my previous comment: I was thinking about not having the 3G in the certain circumstances, US and T-Mobile for me, and for 22 out of the 24 hours a day, I'm on a WiFi network. And for those other 2 hours, I am on the road anyway. EDGE speeds are ~236kbit max, so that should be workable. I just don't know if I can bring myself to pay $25 a month for data at that speed.
Anyway, to sum it up, for what Kogan is asking, I'll gladly get the Pro and not worry about 3G. I'd still pay more for more 3G frequencies though, i.e. the UMTS 1700mhz band.
Posted at 3:10 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Matty W says...
I couldn't care less about having a camera on the phone unless its as good as what is in the Sony CyberShot phones and has a Xenon flash, unlikely. I'd love to the Wi-Fi integrated into the base model though.
Great for keeping stuff synced at work or accessing the net from my Wireless AP at home.
Posted at 3:35 p.m. on December 5, 2008
JK says...
Will future models consider WiMAX capability?
Posted at 3:41 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Mike Wallace says...
i need more info bout the screen resolution..its kinda low for a 2.5 inch screen rite? can other android application be compatible with the resolution?
Posted at 3:44 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Denis Beattie says...
Henry is a Wanker
Posted at 4:49 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Jose says...
Does the phone have an accelerometer? What's the size of the audio jack? Does it have the ShopSavvy program?
Posted at 4:57 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Steve J says...
Will it wash my dishes? What about feed the cat?
Great phone.
Good questions though mostly, the battery life, SD / SDHC issue and the earphone connection are really important.
Posted at 5:03 p.m. on December 5, 2008
thiru says...
I want this product-Kogan Agora Pro., can u ship it to chennai, india.? can u please give me the net prices in us$ along with shipping costs and ur preferred payment mode and the delivery schedule? thanks +
Posted at 5:04 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Bazza says...
@Mike Wallace - no the screen resolution is not low for the screen size. The screen resolution is actually one of the standard sizes that is supported in the Android software development kit and was the screen resolution used in the initial Android hardware prototypes that were displayed at the beginning of the year.
The screen resolution is also the same as that on a Nokia N95 and N96.
Posted at 5:33 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Anton says...
.... and ordered.
I'm happy it's got a keyboard, as AFAIK Android doesn't support virtual keyboards yet (I hear it's expected February)
The screen is a little lower resolution than I would have hoped.
It's a shame there's no 900hz 3G. No biggie for me personally apparently.
At best, this will be a great new toy, at worst, it'll be my Android Dev-Box until something more appropriate comes along. (A G1 style keyboard without the stupid nub would be a start).
I have no problems if you wish to ship me mine early - I want something to put the iphone users in their place with.
Posted at 5:52 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Anousak says...
Hi, I like this product and was wondering this can be localized to different language. I want this product but I live in Laos, an ASEAN region.
Thanks, Anousak
Posted at 6:12 p.m. on December 5, 2008
vivek says...
i want to buy agora . i stay in india
Posted at 6:32 p.m. on December 5, 2008
yuxiang says...
i'm waiting for the review too.
Posted at 9:33 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Uni says...
Yeah, you do that.
Posted at 9:36 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Peter says...
Yep, jsut ordered a pro one letting everyone know that they take the money from the credit card straight away. but i was prepared for that so all good :)
Posted at 10:41 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Zetsurin says...
BRILLIANT DEVICE. I think the including of the keyboard is perfect. I am sick to death of the cookie cutter PocketPC phones with the slide out keyboard etc, so I full intend on buying one. Also, the price is perfect! People complaining about cost need to consider the possibilities also taking into account the fact that this baby comes unlocked. I am an Aussie working in the UK and myself and my coworker here are seriously considering ordering one. The only catch is we want to see some kind of review from a 3rd party before committing to a purchase.
Well done, it looks very promising so far.
Posted at 11:04 p.m. on December 5, 2008
Roland says...
Rulsan,
Congratulations! I'm new to the party, only having learned of your company with yesterday's posting on /. How wonderful that you are so engaged with your customers. I hope the old flattery adage works, because I'd like to ask you to consider a formal loaner program for developers. My company builds one of the top-50 ADC applications. I believe we have very compelling content for Australian customers (and the rest of the world for that matter). And I believe that our software will run on your phone "out of the box". However, it would be nice to have a chance to test and to optimize the experience for your hardware.
I know handsets are a scarce resource and I don't know how you would select which developers which can participate (first come, first served or Australian developers first or most popular Market apps or ...), but please consider the idea.
Best wishes, Roland
Posted at 2:43 a.m. on December 6, 2008
Roland says...
Ruslan, Sorry about butchering your name. Rolnad :-)
Posted at 2:47 a.m. on December 6, 2008
kadmus baum says...
alguem sabe me dizer quanto isso vai custar aqui no brasil? ou caso eu compre pelo site quanto seria a taxação da real para o dolar?
Posted at 3:42 a.m. on December 6, 2008
Cesar Cardoso says...
<portuguese> kadmus baum: acabei de comprar. Deu, com frete, 459 dólares australianos, ou 740 reais a câmbio de hoje. Mesmo se eu der azar e cair nos 60% de imposto, ainda fica bem competitivo. </portuguese>
Anxiously waiting for my Agora Pro! A Brazilian Kogan Android is on the way! Go Ruslan Go!
Posted at 4:09 a.m. on December 6, 2008
bassbox says...
Will it have an TV-OUT Option ? If yes im gonna save my money for it and not gonna waste it for Iphoneg3^^
please email me to kogan@leaver.de
Posted at 4:39 a.m. on December 6, 2008
Narg says...
Very nice! Love the Andriod idea, but I must have a hardware keyboard that's not too flat like the fold away ones. Once carrier subsidies kick in, I'm sure the price will go down, if not to zero cost initially for new users.
Posted at 6:15 a.m. on December 6, 2008
Rainer says...
I just ordered it, can't wait for the delivery. :)
Greets from Austria! Australia rocks. =]
Posted at 6:35 a.m. on December 6, 2008
Jae says...
Here is an interview with Kogan himself:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=s5QS4rW_lbo
Posted at 1:36 p.m. on December 6, 2008
Jack says...
Ruslan, Will the GPS system have voice navigation and will map packs be included?
Posted at 1:43 p.m. on December 6, 2008
Jason says...
With the release date looming, anyone concerned that Tech sites havn't reviewed it yet ? Hopefully they get a review in before 29th Jan.
I would be concerned Kogan just rushes the product for the 29th of Jan, and us consumers are used as the testers.
Posted at 2:58 p.m. on December 6, 2008
Jose says...
No accelerometer
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2005328761.html
Posted at 6:27 p.m. on December 6, 2008
Buff says...
Awesome.
Posted at 8:58 p.m. on December 6, 2008
Skyborg says...
Hi folks,
Agora, like you named it, like published in german press, sounds good and could also stand for a new branch against the "no (i)nterest(Phone)." If the handy is simlock and netlock free, we will order for sure a minimum of 10 right before christmas.
Best greetz from Germany, wishing all here a merry x-mas and a happy new year,
Posted at 9:12 p.m. on December 6, 2008
Roger says...
Will this phone support Microsoft Exchange and Active Sync? It will need to to get to the business users.
Posted at 11:07 p.m. on December 6, 2008
Hannes says...
Just ordered one. But does it work in the european UMTS Networks?
Posted at 12:28 a.m. on December 7, 2008
Eduardo says...
Do you know that Agora means "now" in portuguese? I want one agora, pls....
Posted at 1:14 a.m. on December 7, 2008
Nagok Nalsur says...
Hello Mr. "Kogan",
where is the impressum located on your web site? How much venture capital can one collect anonymously :-)
cheers, Nalsur
Posted at 7:04 a.m. on December 7, 2008
j says...
I hope that the bootloader is unlocked and will accept non-signed images, like Google's newly announced Dev Phone http://code.google.com/android/dev-devices.html
I'd like to put any Android build I want on there.
Posted at 8:06 a.m. on December 7, 2008
Guest says...
Dear,
Please tell me what languages it supports? Does it support Unicode?
Thanks
Posted at 8:40 a.m. on December 7, 2008
Nadienka says...
I work for a major Australian telco, and I'd like to say - I like this phone very much! (I'm sure the telco I work for would love to be able to stock this phone!)
I especially like the touchscreen included with a keyboard - I really do need a phone with a QWERTY keyboard but I hate trying to navigate around the internet without a touchscreen!
I would love to place an order on this phone however I can't until some of the questions above that have been missed are answered:
Also I understand the price difference because of the camera...but for wi-fi? I can do without a camera, but I'd really like my wi-fi.....but I'm not going to pay $100 extra for it because it comes with a camera...
Posted at 9:45 a.m. on December 7, 2008
Jeff says...
Had me very interested until I checked the shipping cost,
$159 to Cairns !!!!
Is this a glitch in your shopping cart software?
Who do you use?
Toll AUSWIDE for a 3kg satchel overnight is only $23
Hope it lives it to all the Hype.
Posted at 1:10 p.m. on December 7, 2008
Matt says...
I agree with Jeff... $159 to ship to Cairns is ridiculous. Especially when it is only $60 to ship internationally..
I'm getting mine shipped to my uncle in Melbourne for $30.
Posted at 2:36 p.m. on December 7, 2008
letsburn00 says...
I only need to know that it has an accelerometer in it(or at least the pro version does). And confimation that the optus and telstra neworks will work on it. The frequencies match, but just confirmation.(I have optus in perth, but need telstra for my work at a minesite)
If these things are confirmed, then I'll buy ASAP.
Posted at 4:34 p.m. on December 7, 2008
Jose says...
letsburn00, No accelerometer
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2005328761.html
Posted at 5:30 p.m. on December 7, 2008
aningbo niumai says...
disappoiting.
i will stick to my phone asus p320 with wifi and gps at about US $220 with 8GB card!!!! match that.
Ruslan, this is simply disappointing,
Posted at 8:21 p.m. on December 7, 2008
Jose says...
For those of you in the US, check out the comparison between the G1 and the Agora Pro:
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacomparer&id1=1617&id2=1495
Posted at 6:37 a.m. on December 8, 2008
Macca says...
For those interested in seeing how Android runs on a 320x240 screen, here is a video of the QiGi i6 in action: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/07/video-of-chinas-android-running-qigi-i6-in-action-unearthed/
Posted at 9:55 a.m. on December 8, 2008
Ruslan Kogan says...
It seems like the most common question is about the headphone jack -- just to confirm, the Agora has a USB plug.
I'll keep you updated as I go through the other requests.
Cheers,
Ruslan
Posted at 10:20 a.m. on December 8, 2008
Ruslan Kogan says...
The microSD slot will handle cards up to 16GB.
Posted at 12:29 p.m. on December 8, 2008
Slava says...
I can confirm that you will be charged on your credit card before it is shipped.
Posted at 12:33 p.m. on December 8, 2008
George W. says...
Hi Is the GPS voice navigated, and what maps are included?
Posted at 1:03 p.m. on December 8, 2008
Jose says...
Ruslan,
Will the Agora Pro work with ShopSavvy?
Posted at 2:14 p.m. on December 8, 2008
R. says...
Hi Ruslan,
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions here on the blog. Another one that seems to come up often is about the GPS.
How does it work?
Thanks,
Romain
Posted at 5:40 p.m. on December 8, 2008
Michel says...
Hello,
I've ordered the pro version.
Will there be a Car charger? Would be very usefull !
Thanks
Michel
Posted at 6:12 p.m. on December 8, 2008
Bob says...
Dear Ruslan,
I like this phone. I have one question, Is it able to display Chinese correctly when it receives a Chinese SMS message?
Thanks, Bob
Posted at 7:37 p.m. on December 8, 2008
nn says...
A Kogan used to play violin. This "Aussie" variety seems to play a lot of buzzuki to sell his chinese made stuff.
Posted at 7:43 p.m. on December 8, 2008
GOMAB2k4 says...
In addition to the car charger Michel asked about, are there other goodies (pouch, case) that will be available?
Posted at 8:13 p.m. on December 8, 2008
oh4real says...
Ruslan,
Please comment on:
Regards, oh4real in Texas
Posted at 1:52 a.m. on December 9, 2008
j says...
I seem to recall a site that mentioned something about Agora and adapters for international customers, but I can't find it right now. (I've read so many articles on the Agora in the past few days!)
But since the charging is done by mini-USB, I plan on getting a wall charger and car charger on ebay for ~$7USD, shipping included. That said, I'll be waiting for reviews and/or higher quality/quantity of images of the phone itself.
Ruslan, apparently the extended warranty is not available for international customers. Are you planning on offering one?
Posted at 2:43 a.m. on December 9, 2008
Phonepersonality says...
I'm in the U.S and I've pre-ordered the Pro. I currently own a T-mobile G1 right now and as a former iPhone 3g user and a self professed technology addict, I can attest the fact that Android is the future...and I've used them all: Symbian, WinMo, Apple...etc.
Still, I have a few niggles with my current phone, hence my ordering this device.
I haven't seen the Kogan phone yet, but I'm optimistic. I hope you've taken all necessary steps to live up to the hype, Ruslan. Because people are fickle, especially us technophiles. Give us something we want and you're a hero...but disappoint us and you'll never live it down.
Still, I'm definitely wishing you the best :^)
PS: You shoulda gone with the 3.5mm headset jack. USB audio is an inconvenience and no one likes them!
Posted at 3:02 a.m. on December 9, 2008
Jimbo says...
Do you plan selling it in Europe/Italy? I think it would sell like hot cakes.
Posted at 7:12 a.m. on December 9, 2008
fabian says...
jimbo i have to agree...i think though its gonna sell like sliced bread :P
do you plan to sell the phone in germany (you might have noticed that most comments here which werent written by aussies are from germany, followed by the us i think)?
the transportation costs do not include any customs duty,right?
@the other german guys what customs duty / zollkosten do we have to pay?
its a great phone, thank you!
Posted at 9:13 a.m. on December 9, 2008
Greg says...
I don't understand the mindset of the engineers who design these phones. A manufacturer could easily capture the entire market if they considered the wants and needs of consumers. How about a 3.5mm audio jack, or a real Sirf GPS receiver!
No one wants to rebuild their contact list, so give us the ability to sync to MS contacts.
I'm excited about the possibilities with Android platform, but having owned and returned the G1, I will stick with WM until Android is not, so limited.
Posted at 10:52 a.m. on December 9, 2008
stuart says...
will this phone work with the 3 network as i have had issues before with a blackberry cause it was not bought from a 3 store
Posted at 11:20 a.m. on December 9, 2008
Bazza says...
@oh4real - there is no need to be a carrier to push out updates. People with T-Mobile G1 phones still can get access to updates even if they are not using T-Mobile for their carrier.
However, probably the simplest thing to set up though would be for Kogan to provide a method to install a new Android image from a connected computer, then updates could just be put on a web site for download. IMHO OTA updates suck and require around 60Mb of user storage to be free - not nice when you only have 128Mb to start with.
Posted at 11:24 a.m. on December 9, 2008
Bazza says...
@Stuar