Apr 19, 2024 | Updated: 11:35 AM EDT
Aug 31, 2015 11:52 PM EDT
In a time when Android pundits are lamenting the lack of originality and differentiation in the market, it seems like more and more startups are angling for the secure end of the Android smartphone market. Turing Robotic Industries is releasing ultra-secure Androids made of “liquid metal,” on December 18, 2015. The date is also the same date that “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” hits the theaters, and matching the movie’s launch date is no coincidence, according to Turing Robotics reps. So, this is an ultra-secure, practically unbreakable Android, with a Star Wars twist.
Indeed, general geekery extending beyond Star Wars is all over the virtually indestructible Androids’ nomenclature: The Series II super-limited edition model is named the “Dark Wyvern Glaedr.” “Super-limited,” because only 3,000 units will be sold. Whereas the premium edition is named the “Dark Wyvern.”
Turing Robotic Industries already teased a Series I line of smartphones, which will come in models named the “Beowulf,” the “Pharaoh,” and the “Cardinal.”
The “Beowulf” is made of a dark gray material with some snakeskin portions on the back panel, with mahogany or maroon accents, and a yellow detail on the camera lens area. The “Cardinal” sports a red and black combination, and the same yellow detail on the camera lens. And the “Pharaoh” is a red and gold theme, with black for the camera lens detail. Royal, legendary colors, for legendary phones. There is another Series I model that Turing Robotic Industries will roll out, which they branded as the “Black Dragon.”
As for the Series II line, the Dark Wyvern, meanwhile, has a gorgeous black and gold combination, with “scales” on the back panel. The model was named after a mythical creature that the Turing Robotic Industries’ Facebook Page named as one “so often associated with heraldry.” For the unfamiliar, this is a dragon that often appears in games.
The ultra-special Dark Wyvern Glaedr will be made of a different material, presumably something that will justify its $1,299 price tag. Aside from the differences in the material used for the Series II line of Turing Phones, this premium line will also be bundled with dedicated Cloud storage and a secured VoIP feature. Those who can afford these models will certainly find use for these extra-secure features.
The Turing phones are not for the faint of heart, indeed. The Series I phones are priced at a tier of $610, $740, and $870, while the Series II Dark Wyvern is priced at $999. As mentioned, the Dark Wyvern Glaedr has a $1,299 price tag.
Turing Phone Series I (Beowulf, Cardinal, Pharaoh, Black Dragon) Specs, $870:
Processor/Chipset: 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC Krait
RAM: 3GB
OS: Android OS v5.1 (Lollipop) with the Turing Æmæth UI and the Turing Imitation Key encryption
Internal Storage: 16GB ($610), 64GB ($740), and 128GB ($870)
Connectivity: GSM, HSPA, LTE, WiFi 802.11a/c, NFC, Turing-Unique-Identification X-RFID
Display: 5.5 inches FHD with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4,
Cameras: Primary: 13MP with HDR and Dual Flash; Secondary: 8MP with HDR
Battery: Non-removable 3000mAh Li-Ion battery
More Goodies: Binnacle Ocean Master IPx8 water proof
Turing Phone Series II Dark Wyvern and Dark Wyvern Glaeder Specs, $999 and $1,299:
Processor/Chipset: 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC Krait
RAM: 3GB
OS: Android OS v5.1 (Lollipop) with the Turing Æmæth UI and the Turing Imitation Key encryption
Internal Storage: 128GB
Connectivity: GSM, HSPA, LTE, WiFi 802.11a/c, NFC, Turing-Unique-Identification X-RFID
Display: 5.5 inches FHD with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4,
Cameras: Primary: 13MP with HDR and Dual Flash; Secondary: 8MP with HDR
Battery: Non-removable 3000mAh Li-Ion battery
More Goodies: Binnacle Ocean Master IPx8 water proof, dedicated Cloud storage, secured VoIP
All the Turing Phones are made of “liquidmorphium,” an “an amorphous ‘liquid metal’ alloy” developed by the company. As they say, it’s a material that’s even stronger than the encryption they powered the phone with.
Does anyone need a phone that won’t break when they throw it onto a wall in a fit of liquid rage? Does anyone need NSA-level encryption? Those who have messaged the Turing Robotic Industries’ Facebook Page with “bring it on and take my money” just might.
The Series I Turing Phones already rolled out its reservation period, but a second round of reservations will be received on September 21st. More details on the Dark Wyvern Glaeder will be released on September 9th, which coincides with the iPhone launch. The Series II line, including the Dark Wyvern and the Dark Wyvern Glaeder will be available for pre-order on September 24th.
