ViewSonic Making Smartphone That Runs Win XP

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Forget Windows Mobile, this is XP.

Smartphones have changed the way that we browse the web (and perhaps what you read in the bathroom). So far we've always had a different experience using our phones than our PCs due to both hardware and software differences.

Soon, there will be a solution for those of you who want the mobility of a smartphone coupled with a full desktop OS will want to keep an eye on the ViewSonic PC Phone VCP08.

A translated report from a Chinese source indicates that the ViewSonic phone will have an Intel low-voltage CPU, 512MB RAM, 8 GB storage space with microSD support, a 4.3-inch TFT touch panel, a QWERTY full keyboard and even mouse buttons.

Unsubsidized pricing is estimated at $800.

This isn't the first smartphone to boast Windows XP software. Back in September, we learned of the xpPhone, which shares many of the same characteristics as the ViewSonic PC Phone VCP08.

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Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
28 Comments Comment from the forums
  • sunflier
    With the gazillion "apps" available and no WinXP for the iphone??
    Reply
  • mlopinto2k1
    I don't like that it would be XP based. Isn't XP going to lose support soon? It is a very stylish phone, personally I like the looks of it but is it really taking a step foward? Plus at $800 I think it would be a hard sell. Unless of course the salesmen know how to talk the talk. Not me!

    http://professionalmike.com
    Reply
  • gimpy1
    Ha, I am reading this from the bathroom at work, on a smartphone. How did Tom's know...
    Reply
  • henrystrawn
    XP is still being sold on netbooks. I would think that it will be supported for at least the next three years, about 1 year more than the average life span of a cellphone.
    Reply
  • rexoverbey
    BSOD and Control-Alt-Del can't wait!
    Reply
  • jeffunit
    An 'intel low voltage' what?
    An EEPROM? An Atom processor? A pentium 4? A core 2 quad? An I7? A LV Xeon?
    Intel makes many parts, and many different types of processors.
    Reply
  • doomtomb
    sunflierWith the gazillion "apps" available and no WinXP for the iphone??Think about what you are saying. Apple putting a Microsoft operating system on one of their most successful items of all time. Apple would never do that, they are far too stuck up to do that.
    Reply
  • goodbird989wi
    why? why?
    Reply
  • jacobdrj
    Could it be possible to have completely different systems within the 'phone' to prevent XP lockup problems: ala PS2 hardware inside PS3 (1st gen) console?

    What I am trying to say is: Can you keep the phone part hardware independent of the Windows XP part?
    Reply
  • Windows XP is supported until 2014, however I would prefer to have openSUSE 11.2 on it. This would create a very useful device IMO.
    Reply