Intel Introduces the Safaricom Yolo Based On Z2420 Lexington Smartphone Platform
by Brian Klug on January 24, 2013 10:48 PM ESTAt CES I took a look at Intel's newly announced Lexington platform FFRD (Form Factor Reference Design) which is an entry-level smartphone design aimed at emerging markets and uses a lower clocked 1.2 GHz Z2420 SoC, dual-SIM supporting XMM6265, and smaller 3.5-inch HVGA display. I came away decently impressed with the Lexington platform when you consider the broader context of the entry level market which it was designed to compete in. Later that week on the AnandTech podcast I joked about Intel naming a part with Y in it the Yolo, amazingly enough, today Intel announced the availability and launch of their first Lexington smartphone platform device win with the Yolo smartphone in partnership with African carrier Safaricom. Intel seems to have adopted a rather interesting naming scheme here, since we had the Lava Xolo, now the Safaricom Yolo, I guess that means Zolo is next?
This is essentially the Lexington FFRD but in final form for the market it was intended. Many of the Lexington's design features were catered to entry level design, with things like ease of manufacture, somewhat rugged construction, and other features at heart. Reviews website Techweez got a copy of the Yolo in for review and from their report it looks like the Yolo is identical to the Lexington FFRD.
The Lexington FFRD popping up in the African market for 11,000 Kenyan Shillings ($126 USD) isn't entirely unexpected, as this is exactly the kind of place that a performant, properly priced device could disrupt some of the very under specced entry level Android phones.
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Brian Klug - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
Well, the Lexington platform is just designed for HVGA. Might be overkill to have that SoC inside, but it also makes the device pretty speedy. The display is that resolution just for cost reasons. If you want WVGA or qHD there's always the Medfield platform.-Brian
Shadowmaster625 - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
lol what does it cost, an extra 6 bucks for 800x480?Flunk - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
No.mfenn - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
Somebody at Intel must be giggling pretty hard that they actually got the brass to approve the name "Yolo". I suppose it does have kind of a self-referential flair to it.YOLO, AMIRITE????
nafhan - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
It sounds like a device for giving your friends jungle animal lower back tattoos.Flunk - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
Sounds sweet!Too bad I don't need one, all my friends already have jungle animal lower back tattoos.
celtic ruins - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
http://juuchini.com/2013/01/intel-safaricom-yolo-f...kmmatney - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
Pretty impressive for a $126 phone. Keeps up with the Samsung S3 in most benchmarks. Is that $126 without a contract?thesavvymage - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
yup. Mostly due to the super cheap screen (480x320) and small physical size of the phone. Also looks to be somewhat chunky so they didnt need to invest money in getting it thin.gevorg - Friday, January 25, 2013 - link
looks like iPhone 2G, Intel has years of catching up to do, fast CPU is not enough to win in mobile arena