An old-school brand meets new-ish Android, but don't let your grandparents be wooed
The reports of Kodak's death have been greatly exaggerated. Or at least been made premature. The Bullitt Group has licensed the Kodak name and today at CES in Las Vegas is officially unveiling the Instamatic 5 Android smartphone — erm, camera.
As far as phones go, it's a pretty basic number. The Instamatic 5 (speaking of iconic names) has a 5-inch IPS display at 720p. It's running a MediaTek octa-core CPU at 1.7 GHz, pushing a custom build of Android 4.4.2 — it'll be updated to Lollipop, the company says. The UI is extremely basic, and that's pretty much the point of the phone. It's meant to be simple for taking and sharing pictures.
In fact, anything you shoot can be automatically added to your lock screen. No muss, no fuss. (You do have control over this stuff, though, for those private times that perhaps are best left unseen by the rest of us. The launcher has large, clearly labeled buttons, with Print, Gallery and Camera featured at the bottom — so you know this is a Kodak device.
And if you're anything like me, your older relatives might see be tempted by the Kodak name. You must help them resist.
The camera, by the way, is a 13-megapixel shooter with autofocus and flash. the front-facing camera is 5 megapixels. Storage is a bit anemic at 8 gigabytes, but you can add to that with an SD card.
The phone's light. Really light. But that's really the best thing this overly plastic piece of plastic has going for it. The Kodak Instamatic 5 will be available in Europe toward the end of the first quarter for around $249.
Your money's probably better spent elsewhere, though.
| Category | Features |
|---|---|
| Display | 5 inches IPS LCD at 1280x720 |
| OS | Android 4.4.2 (Will be updated to Lollipop) |
| Processor | MediaTek MT6592 octa-core at 1.7 GHz |
| Network | EDGE/3G (no LTE) |
| Rear camera | 13 megapixels |
| Front camera | 5 megapixels |
| Weight | 120 grams |
| Storage | 8GB with micro SD card |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Wifi | 802.11 b/g/n |
| Battery | 2150 mAh |
Reader comments
Hands-on with the Kodak Instamatic 5
Old grandpa Kodak has to be rolling over in his grave
Posted via the Android Central App
Yuck. What a waste. Why would Kodak put their name on this 720p ugly phone? Was the camera really that good? They could've at least added LTE.
Posted via Android Central App
They licensed the brand. If this doesn't sell, it won't be Kodak's problem as they did absolutely nothing here.
(It's not the same as with the Nokia N1 where Nokia designed everything from the hardware to the software)
Posted via the Android Central App
Whenever a company licenses their name, they lose brand value if the product negatively impacts the company's brand.
Posted on my Galaxy S5
That's true. That's why Nokia went to such lengths in their partnership with Foxconn to ensure that the only thing Foxconn would be doing would be manufacture and distribution.
Kodak, apparently, didn't bother to do so and simply licensed the name, period. Which is a pity.
Posted via the Android Central App
Kodak lost all brand value whatsoever already, their old HQ are a ghost town and the company pretty much doesn't exist anymore... So really, this is just some random lawyers and shell companies cashing in whatever's left of the husk.
When does Nokia n1 come out?
Posted via Android Central App on 1+1
The N1 is expected to come out in China this month (rumours point to tomorrow, 7th January). It will then go to Europe and other select markets. If I had to bet, and since Nokia will be at MWC, I would think they'll announce the N1 for Europe at MWC.
As for the US...no one knows. In the last few years, Nokia burned a lot of money trying to penetrate the US market (specially the WP-years). At the same time they neglected Europe where they had their stronghold which led to the continuous decrease of sales as Europeans started to move to other brands who cared more. I don't think Nokia will be dumb enough to do that again (ie neglect Europe and focus on the US). And while yes, the distribution etc will be done by Foxconn, they'll do it under the Nokia brand so for the consumer it's as if it was Nokia. Foxconn will want to capitalize on the Nokia brand as if they were Nokia since they'll profit from the sales.
Why would Kodak put their name on it? Kodak's name hasn't meant anything good for decades. Their cameras have been crap for many years, their printers were garbage, and most of what they licensed their name to was trash. This isn't remotely surprising.
All that licensing their name to trash was a big part of their problem. They've allowed their brand to be whored out to anyone who will pay, and it has only served to make sure that no one finds any value in the brand itself, anymore.
Born and raised in Rochester, NY. My father worked there for 38 yrs. I was shocked to see this, Kodak has been tearing down buildings because the taxes are cheaper on an empty lot. Happy to see them getting back in the game, even if it is just their name licensed by Bullitt.
Honestly the thing about this that worried me the most was the constant talk about printing. Coming from a Kodak branded device, it just passes the message that, despite everything, Kodak didn't learn that the time for things like printed photographs has passed.
Posted via the Android Central App
The time of film has definitely passed, or at least become a speciality.
The time of printed photographs is definitely not over
Posted via the Android Central App
That's what they said about film when digital cameras showed up. "time for Polaroids had passed but time for film-based cameras has not". And Kodak went Bankrupt for that. Sure some people still print their photos. But they're going down in numbers.
Posted via the Android Central App
Maybe they are wherever you live, they certainly aren't here in Australia
Posted via the Android Central App
Yeah I haven't printed a photo in about 7 years. I know exactly what photo was the last one I printed.
Posted via the Android Central App on the 2nd Gen. Moto X
Same here. I can probably count the number of photos I've actually printed in the last 6 years on my fingers, and have fingers left over.
I guess I could be a grandfather now, and it really does sadden me to see a company name that once rivaled Coca-Cola in brand recognition and value being reduced to this.
Posted via Android Central App
I know it said it was running kitkat but that looked more like gingerbread lol. There was the unlock pull tab in the lock screen, and then when she clicked share the little app pop up looked a few years old.
Go easy on Kodak! They may not be completely dead yet, but they're certainly trying their best to make it happen!
Wubba lubba dub dub!
The irony of Kodak trolling for patents from other manufacturers... Looks like a piece of crap and the name should have disappeared long ago.
Posted via Android Central App
Wrong optical system. They should have gone with optical zoom. What a waste.
Now people can say Kodak is dead.
AC App on SGS3
The first big yawn of 2015 to be in the ranks of the Facebook and Amazon phones.
Zenwatch rhymes with Winwatch. Coincidence? I think not.
I wouldn't mind them skimping on design and some of the hardware. But if they're going to say that this is a camera first, it needs to rock one amazing camera. It needs to focus fast. Be ready to shoot fast. Take great pictures. Otherwise this is just further associating the name Kodak with crap.
And after 36 shots you mail the phone in for development?
Posted via the Android Central App
Where's the flashcube socket?
Posted via the Android Central App
A waste of materials, totally
unnecessary, put it on the shelf next to the Amazon Phone
Posted via Android Central App
That thing is ugly. They should name it KodaCHROME> From the gist of the article I think Phil was not impressed.
Wow what a price of garbage. I didn't even know Kodak still existed.
Posted via the Android Central App on the 2nd Gen. Moto X
I don't get it. Without a significantly better camera than other phones what's the point? Especially with all of the really solid mid-range phones coming out this year in the $200-300 range with better specs.