The Cancelled Chea 228: A Forgotten Device
In the world of constantly evolving technology, it's not uncommon for devices to be cancelled or discontinued. Such is the case with the Chea 228, a feature phone that was announced in 2003 but never made it to the market. Despite its short-lived status, it's still worth exploring what could have been with this device.
The Basics
The Chea 228 was a product of the Chea brand, a mobile phone manufacturer based in Hong Kong. The device was set to run on the GSM network, with support for 2G bands of GSM 900 and 1800. It was a small and lightweight device, coming in at just 74g and 20.5mm thickness.
Cancelled Before It Could Launch
The Chea 228 was meant to be released in the third quarter of 2003, but unfortunately, that never happened. The device was cancelled before it could even reach the market, leaving many to wonder what could have been.
Notable Features
While the Chea 228 may seem like a basic feature phone, it did have some interesting features that set it apart from others at the time. One notable feature was its second external FSTN monochrome display, which allowed users to view notifications and other information without having to open the phone. It also had a built-in organizer, voice memo and voice dial capabilities, and support for SMS and MMS messaging. The device also came with four pre-installed games and could be programmed with English as the primary language. Additionally, it had JAVA support, allowing users to download and play more games or personalize their device.
Design and Display
The Chea 228 had a simple and minimalist design, with dimensions of 85 x 45 x 20.5 mm. It had a small TFT display with 65k colors and a screen resolution of 128 x 160 pixels. In addition to the main display, it also had a second external display in FSTN monochrome with a resolution of 96 x 64 pixels. This second display made it easy for users to check the time and notifications without having to flip open the phone.
No Card Slot, No Problem?
One of the biggest drawbacks of the Chea 228 was its lack of a card slot. That meant that there was no expandable storage option, and users were limited to the device's internal storage. However, with no internet connectivity or media storage capabilities, this feature of the device likely wasn't a major concern for most users.
Battery Life
The Chea 228 came with a removable Li-Ion battery that was said to have a standby time of up to 200 hours and a talk time of up to 2 hours. While these may seem like short durations compared to modern smartphones, they were respectable for a feature phone at the time.
Conclusion
The Chea 228 may have been cancelled and forgotten by many, but it still holds a place in the ever-evolving world of technology. Its unique features and simple design make it an interesting piece of mobile phone history. While it never made it to consumers' hands, the Chea 228 will always be remembered as a cancelled yet intriguing feature phone of the past.
