General

G'zOne TYPE-XX clamshell Android review

Fact! The era of clamshells in the global sense has long seen its decline, although classic cheap pushbuttons

from renowned manufacturers andnon-name brands are still glimmering on the shelves of the remaining retailers. By the way, recently in Runet I often come across articles telling about "an unprecedented growth in sales of push-button dialers." Like, in the current difficult situation, in the absence of smartphones and well-paid jobs, people have to use what they have. So-so reasons, to be honest. Ears are pulled. Modern Russia has never been rational in the matter of choosing and purchasing the optimal communication device. Half of domestic buyers traditionally demand from manufacturers at least a conditional iPhone 16, and it doesn’t matter that they will have to give a loan for it for the next couple of years, living off mother’s buckwheat for a doshik.

Of course, I do not rule out the existenceadequate, often adult (head) people who have played enough overseas "glass beads" and optimized their Wishlist to a critically low level. The wish list of such subscribers, according to experience, is reduced to a minimum: voice calls, WhatsApp (or its derivatives), Internet, camera. Delete unnecessary to taste. Well, if we shrink this category of citizens to a statistical error, then in the end we get a classic user of a push-button telephone, and even more rarely, a flip phone.

To be honest, I'm not sure that my today'sThe G'zOne TYPE-XX story will be the last in a series of reviews of Japanese flip phones, but there is a definite trend. Undoubtedly, the modern buyer is less and less looking towards the "lamp" devices of the Neolithic era. Technologically, they have remained at the same level, standing out against the background of current smartphones only by their unusual appearance or even by the very fact of their existence.

Before writing this text, I thought for a long time,is it worth it to describe in detail what I was lucky to see and experience, because almost 99% of the G'zOne TYPE-XX repeats my previous experience with the Kyocera TORQUE X01 and its analogues. Let me sum up my review to some extent in advance, but, by and large, today's hero differs from his predecessors only in his exterior.

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I'm sure my delights are from long forgottentactile sensations or groans-sighs about the originality of the design, most readers simply will not be uninteresting. All this is designed for amateurs, of which one and a half people will gather at most. Nevertheless, given previous experience, let me open up in all its glory, telling you about the "miracle" of Japanese engineering in the 21st century.

TORQUE X01 and G'zOne TYPE-XX

G'zOne TYPE-XX concept

For the first time, the new G'zOne TYPE-XX officially appearedAugust 2, 2021. The release of the clamshell was timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the G'zOne brand, which is owned by Casio. Under this logo, the first MIL-STD protected phones were produced at that time, capable of withstanding not only immersion in water, but also falling from a considerable height, freezing, high temperatures, excessive vibrations and other bullying. A kind of tribute to the past fashion, embodied in a push-button miracle, looks especially unusual against the backdrop of everything that happens in the world of modern gadgets.

Especially for this case, the Japanese created a separatea page with a description of all the delights of the future novelty, where slowly, opening item by item, fueled the interest of potential buyers. By the way, to the question of the production of the phone itself. G'zOne TYPE-XX is a joint project between Casio Computer Technology and Kyocera. If you think about it, the Japanese have outdone themselves. Let me remind you that at that time Casio had long ceased to produce mobile phones and completely said goodbye to the idea of ​​​​returning to the old days. Especially for the project, all those designers and industrial design specialists who once worked on the creation of Casio mobile phones were involved. It was they who from start to finish worked on the appearance of the clamshell, while Kyocera was entrusted with the task of manufacturing the phone itself. The G'zOne TYPE-XX project was managed by the planning department of the Japanese mobile operator Au, owned by the Japanese corporation KDDI.

The idea of ​​creating G'zOne TYPE-XX originated in2017. According to a survey of Au subscribers who used similar devices in their time, it became obvious that most of the operator’s regular customers, despite the widespread dominance of now classic touchscreen smartphones, would be happy to purchase a successor to the once popular push-button phone of the G’zOne series.

First G'zOne C409CA LCD color model (2001)

First G'zOne TYPE-R clamshell (2005)

G'zOne TYPE-X model, released in honor of the 10th anniversary of the series (2010)

4G smartphone G'zOne TYPE-L CAL21, which became the latest model of the series (2012)

KDDI Product Planning Team and Nu Toru Design Manager

Managed the design departmentwell-known Japanese industrial designer Nu Toru, who has been officially a staff member of Casio Computer Technology since 1985. He and his subordinates were faced with the task of creating a classic Japanese flip phone with a dynamic design that meets the spirit of the times and past traditions, but at the same time is inextricably linked with the current reality.

A prerequisite for creating an exteriorstrength and resistance to aggressive external environment became the future masterpiece. It is the full-fledged MIL-STD protection of the case and the insides throughout history that has been an integral attribute of any phone of the G'zOne series. Subsequently, Kyocera inherited these standards in its TORQUE series of rugged phones.

Mr. Nu Toru cleverly explains who needs it all

During the creative process, the artists presented several sketches of the future gadget. Of all the variety, the choice was stopped at the current version.

Commercial samples (left) and 2018 prototype (right)

To complete the picture, a 3D layout was created,as close as possible in size to the commercial sample. Thanks to the tactile sensations of real shapes and textures, the three-dimensional model made it possible to understand what design details still needed to be finalized in order to bring the exterior to the ideal.

A bright catchy appearance has always distinguished Japanesephones from everyone else. Courage in expressing their ideas did not give the Japanese rest in the case of G'zOne TYPE-XX. Strict black and “pull out your eye” green were offered to choose from. To emphasize the uniqueness of each color, the classic black was made with a matte finish, and green with a glossy finish.

Many drew attention to the similarity of the exteriorG'zOne TYPE-XX with sports car and motorcycle designs. Indeed, this theme can be traced literally in every bend of the phone. If you look at the clamshell from different angles, you can see that it has a pronounced fast-paced design with many curved lines and surfaces. Such an idea made it possible to draw the attention of even those who had previously been absolutely cold to devices of this type to the phone. Appearance is definitely one of the strengths of the G'zOne TYPE-XX.

G'zOne TYPE-XX and Samsung Galaxy S21

Equipment

Despite the uniqueness of the G'zOne TYPE-XX project,the Japanese confidently follow the "Party policy". The contents of Japanese phone boxes are traditionally kept to a strict minimum. In addition to the phone itself, the future owner receives as a bonus a decorative screwdriver for the bolt holding the battery cover, and a detailed instruction manual (in Japanese). No cable, no AC adapter, no headphones. All this, if necessary, will have to be purchased separately. Fortunately, the Japanese have been using standard USB connectors in their flip phones for five years now. In the case of TYPE-XX, USB-C is provided. So charging can be purchased at the nearest bakery.

Specifications

The "inside" G'zOne TYPE-XX is designed in stricttraditions of actual Japanese Android-clamshells with all the ensuing consequences. Let me remind you that the presence of the Android operating system in phones of this type does not at all guarantee a happy, familiar life for their owners. As in any similar phone, the local operating system is devoid of everything that you have long been accustomed to using ordinary smartphones. There is no way to connect your Google account, there is no Gmail, Youtube, Maps and all the other GMS goodies. There are several reasons for this, and it is important to know this before you are tempted to buy the G'zOne TYPE-XX. Firstly, manufacturers and operators thus force potential subscribers to choose classic smartphones, and secondly, even if a full-fledged OS was installed in clamshells, it would still be inconvenient to use all its charms, given the physical characteristics of such devices. As they say, everything is known in comparison.

First of all, TYPE-XX is not about modernfunctionality, but rather about nostalgia and genuine childish joy. Some buyers consider it as a collector's edition, and sometimes even a kind of fetish. The manufacturer did not have the task of stuffing it with all the attributes of a modern smartphone, otherwise the final cost would have hit the sky. On the one hand, it’s hard for me to call it a smartphone in the usual sense, on the other hand, I can’t call it an ordinary dialer either. With all the limitations of the operating system, nevertheless, with the help of simple manipulations, it makes it possible to install all the necessary software that can help the owner feel more or less comfortable. It is only important to realize how convenient it will be for you to use it in everyday life, because there is no familiar touch screen with which you can fully control all the functions of a smartphone. And this is the main disadvantage of any modern Japanese Android clamshell, and TYPE-XX is no exception.

G'zOne TYPE-XX is equipped with a quad-coreQualcomm Snapdragon 215 processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of user memory, which can be expanded using a microSDHC memory card with a maximum capacity of 512 GB. The clamshell is running Android 10 version. Of the available languages, only English and Japanese are present. You cannot Russify the interface, but self-installed applications can. To do this, as usual, you can use the Morelocale application.

Like most flip phones, the TYPE-XXhas only one camera. Here it is represented by a 13 MP CMOS module. I will tell you more about the results of her work at the end of the review. The main 3.4″ TFT display with a resolution of 854 × 480 pixels, as I said, does not have a sensor, and the menu is controlled using hardware buttons. The external 1.08″ round display, in addition to standard operating information (current time, date, network and battery level, incoming number, missed events), displays data from OUTDOOR APPS, which includes a barometer, thermometer, altimeter, weather forecast, compass, fishing and tide waves.

G'zOne TYPE-XX received a standard setcommunication capabilities (W-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, FM radio). For recharging, a classic USB-C connector is used. You can also connect wired headphones through it. All you need is a regular audio adapter. There were some ugly downsides as well. Unfortunately, the phone lacks an NFC module. So contactless payment will not work.

Like all Japanese flip phones, TYPE-XXIt has a removable battery, which makes it easy to replace it at the right time. The capacity of the local battery is 1500 mAh. In my experience, a full charge lasts about 2 days if you use the phone in standard mode (calls, WhatsApp, Internet, some photos and videos). If we limit ourselves to voice calls only, then the battery will surely last 3-4 days.

TYPE-XX uses only one SIM cardnanoSIM format. Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not plan to add eSIM here. Thus, given the very limited functionality, it is assumed that the phone will be used as an additional, rather than the main device. The clamshell is capable of working in GSM, 3G and 4G networks. I traditionally tested it on MegaFon and I can say with full confidence that I have not experienced any problems with signal quality. Like all other Japanese phones, the G'zOne TYPE-XX requires manual configuration of an APN mobile internet access point.

  • operating system: OS Android 10
  • Standards support: GSM, 3G, 4G
  • CPU: 1.2GHz Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 215
  • GPU: Adreno 304
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • ROM: 16 GB
  • Main display: 3.4″, FWVGA, 854×480 pix, TFT, 16 million colors
  • External display: 1.08″, 96×96 pix, STN
  • Camera: 13 MP, CMOS, HD video recording, autofocus
  • Memory card support: microSDHC up to 512 GB
  • GPS
  • WiFi IEEE802.11b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • FM radio
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack (via microUSB adapter)
  • USB Type-C
  • MIL-STD-810H rated (1.8m drop resistant)
  • Water-, moisture-, dustproof case (IPX5/IPX8/IP6X)
  • Battery: Li-Ion, 1500 mAh (removable)
  • Dimensions: 115x55x23.4mm
  • Weight: 183 g
  • SIM card: nanoSIM

First impressions. Design

It is foolish to deny that the main and most importantThe advantage of all push-button phones is their real compactness. I assume that for some of you this is really important. When folded and open, the clamshell fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, without weighing it down at all, even considering its considerable weight.

At the top of the metal ring,framing the screen, a large LED is built in, signaling missed events and charging mode. Unfortunately, many manufacturers of modern smartphones have long forgotten about its existence and continue to ignore it to this day, replacing it with the notorious and impractical Always On Display.

Monochrome display with single color backlightpleasant blue color. You can turn on the screen by pressing a single button located on the right side. If the contact in the phone book is written in Cyrillic, then it will also be displayed in Russian on the external display. If the contact name does not fit within the screen boundaries, the text will be displayed as a creeping line.

Hidden above the screen behind a perforated mesh is an incredibly loud 100 dB speaker. Here, the developers decided to put it on the front panel to give more space to the sound wave.

An unusual feature of G'zOne TYPE-XX is hiddenbehind two decorative elements located on either side of the speaker. The black rectangles are reminiscent of the air intakes of a sports car. And, by the way, that's exactly what they are. As it turns out, thermometer sensors are hidden under them, and the holes allow air to freely penetrate.

At the top end, Casio designers prudently placed a loop for attaching a strap. Quite appropriate functionality, given the compact dimensions and anti-vandalism of the phone.

Separately, you can purchase the original case with a set of branded accessories, which includes a strap and a carabiner. The case also provides space for a spare battery and headphones.

On the left side, except for the contact group for connecting the phone to desktop charging, there is nothing. Enjoy the elegant design.

Hidden at the bottom end behind a tight plugUSB-C connector. The lid is very hard to open. The thick polyurethane bumper that surrounds the bottom of the phone is designed to withstand hard landings from considerable heights. In appearance, the design really inspires confidence.

Desktop charging, for which a contact group is provided on the sides of the phone, is sold separately. It looks simple, but it does its job.

Cradle prototype (left) and commercial sample (right)

As I said, the button on the right side "revives" the external screen. A long press puts the phone into silent mode.

As you know, man is a creature capable ofget used to any pain, even aesthetic. I am sure many will agree with me, but simplification and the desire for unification have made modern smartphones soulless and faceless. The hero of my today's review with all his appearance reminds me what “beautiful” means. Well, if this “beautiful” can still somehow be influenced, then in some cases goosebumps even begin to run through the body.

Phone mechanical transformation processinstantly teleports your consciousness to the early 00s, resurrecting memories of mobile phones of those times. There were golden times… These are indescribable impressions, guys.

Thanks to the optimal weight distribution, the phone does notfalls out of hand. The loop connecting the two halves has no fixed positions. Good or bad, I will not say, because. if necessary, the clamshell allows you to easily fix the screen part at the desired angle. Now I don’t even remember in what cases I had to do this. The phone is either closed on the table or in your pocket, or open when you work with it.

3.4″ screen works great both indoors,as well as under the sun. Resolution 480x854p is more than enough, given such a small diagonal. Yes, definitely, such dimensions may seem unacceptable to someone, because on such a screen you can’t play 3D games, and you won’t be able to watch movies comfortably.

Watching Youtube on G'zOne TYPE-XX

At best, 3.4 inches is enough to makeregular phone calls, SMS, instant messengers such as WhatsApp, work with the camera and music player. I will speak for myself. After switching from a 6.1-inch smartphone to a 3.4-inch one, with my eyesight, I definitely wanted to make the font bigger. And once such sizes were quite enough.

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The working screens of G'zOne TYPE-XX are 99% similar toKyocera TORQUE X01 interface. The phone menu is recognizable and understandable. Yes, of course, to customize the phone for yourself, you will need at least a minimum knowledge of English (or Japanese), but in general, the menu logic is quite simple and uncomplicated.

The menu is controlled by4-way joystick with an enter button in the center. A classic option for any Japanese folding bed of the last ten years. Around the joystick are four functional buttons (phonebook, messages, camera and browser). They cannot be reprogrammed. But on the two buttons located under the numeric keypad, you can program any four functions or applications. Short and long presses launch the corresponding functionality.

In some cases (gallery or browser) onhelp can come with the mouse pointer, which, again, is controlled using the joystick buttons. In certain cases, such a smooth way of manipulation seems more convenient than "jumping" through the menu items. You can activate the cursor by long pressing the # button.

Each button has its own unique texture.The joystick, as well as the call and cancel buttons, received a perforated surface. The two lower programmable buttons, functional around the joystick and the button for returning to the previous menu (deleting a character on the left) are smooth. And the digital buttons slightly recessed into glossy recesses are made under aluminum. At the same time, all this diversity does not look eclectic, but creates a completely laconic picture.

When you close the phone, both halves restinto each other with neatly protruding sides. Thus, the buttons are not imprinted on the screen, which even after long-term use allows its surface to remain new.

All buttons have a nice white backlight, evenly distributed over the entire surface of the keyboard. To save battery life, the backlight can be turned off in the settings.

Back wall of Japanese folding bedsusually removable. This is convenient, because If necessary, you can quickly change the battery for a new one. It will be possible to perform a similar operation with any modern smartphone only in the nearest workshop. The cover covering the battery compartment, like the TORQUE X01, is attached to the body with a special bolt. It is not necessary to use the supplied screwdriver. You can turn the bolt with your fingernail.

NanoSIM-card and flash drive are fixed in special fasteners, so that in case of a fall they would not scatter in different directions. The maximum capacity of a memory card is 512 GB.

Additional protection can be safely considered andvery tight fit of the battery in the phone. To pull the battery out of the case, you need to pull the special "tongue". No other way. We add here a no less dense protective cover with a silicone gasket around the perimeter. Neither water nor dust will definitely penetrate here.

By the way, about batteriescontainers. There are no such for Japanese phones. Even Chinese craftsmen do not dare to engage in their production. But to meet a fake is easy. The original battery (KYY31UAA) looks like this.

The back wall is like the second series of thisdesign series. It doesn't matter what color your device is, both look unique. The matt black elements harmonize with the gray lid, while the high-gloss green attracts with its contrast.

Stamped icons with designationsThe anti-vandal properties of the phone are reminiscent of the strong character of G'zOne TYPE-XX. Waterproof, frost resistance, impact resistance, low pressure resistance. The only thing missing is fire resistance.

To prove compliance with the military standardMIL-STD-810H, G'zOne TYPE-XX developers conducted 19 different types of endurance tests: 1.8 m drop, water and dust resistance (IP68), vibration resistance, salt fog resistance, high and low pressure resistance, critical temperatures, including exposure to direct sunlight and freezing. Among other things, the body of the phone can withstand exposure to salty sea water, however, after that it is necessary to rinse the phone under the tap. Officially, the cot can even be washed with foam hand soap or alcohol.

Camera

I would like to immediately interrupt your thoughts aboutthe quality of the local camera. Here it is rather for show. The optics, which are average in their characteristics, are able to replenish the family album with photographs taken only in the conditions of a nuclear war. However, you should definitely not expect flagship quality from it. The 13 MP CMOS sensor does a good job in sunny weather, but immediately blows out in low light conditions, and even more so at night. The first thing you pay attention to is the color rendition that does not match reality. Photos come out with a blue tint. Images often lack sharpness. You have to hold the phone still for longer than usual directly at the time of shooting. Maximum photo resolution is 4160x3120p, video is 720p at 30fps and mono sound.

The flash can be used as a flashlight

G'zOne TYPE-XX camera interface:

Sample photos and videos from the G'zOne TYPE-XX camera:

  • Original photos (zip, 42 MB) >>>

As a conclusion

I agree, for most G'zOne TYPE-XX isMore of a goofy toy than a fully functional device. A person of sound mind and sober memory is unlikely to decide to buy such a toy. The target audience of such gadgets is limited to fans of this form factor, collectors and people who have played enough smartphones. The latter literally pulled by the ears. Alternatively, the clamshell can be used as a second dialer. It is clear that testing such a phone for review made sense only for educational purposes. But since the capabilities of TYPE-XX for the most part repeat the capabilities of all previous analogues, I did not find anything new here for myself. G'zOne TYPE-XX is primarily an aesthetic pleasure for the eyes, a kind of outlet in the world of faceless smartphones. The rest is not even worth paying attention to.

What do you think about this? Write in the comments.