The Kogan Agora was heralded last year as an affordable Android handset that would be just the second phone to reach market packing Google’s OS. The phone reportedly missed the mark however, and was thrown back to the scrap pile. Weep not, Android fans, as the ambition of releasing an Android phone is still burning brightly in Ruslan Kogan. He is apparently flashing around a revised Agora prototype and promising bigger and better for his next Android handset endeavor. According to Gizmodo Australia which had an impromptu and brief hands on time with the QWERTY Kogan Agora prototype, the new Agora will ditch the front facing QWERTY keyboard and small LCD in favor of a 3.8 inch display with the much anticipated on-screen “cupcake” keyboard. Hopefully this re-design takes shape as promised and Kogan can work some magic to keep his handset competitive both in price and design.

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Given the interest surrounding Google’s fledgling mobile OS, there’s a marked shortage of actual Android-based devices. At last count, there was exactly…1 Android phone on the American market, with scant few planned for upcoming release. This absence made us that much more excitd for rogue designer Ruslan Kogan’s promise to bring the Android-based Agora to market. Sadly, Google decided that some of the specs, most notably the promised screen resolution, weren’t going to mesh too well with Android’s demands and the original project was scrapped. Fortunately, Kogan appears to have renewed his pledge to bring the Agora to market, promising a redesign that will bring the phone in line with Google requirements for screen resolution and application compatibility. No word on whether he plans on retaining the original design, but we’re hoping he’s going to stick to his planned $200 price point for an unlocked specimen.

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Remember the Kogan Agora? Of course you do. The ultra-cheap Android-powered phone out of the Land Down Under hit us pretty hard in our ol’ sympathy organ (the heart, you perv) with its 624MHz processor, aGPS, Wi-Fi and 2.0 megapixel camera all for under $300 USD. Pre-orders started a few weeks ago with a ship date of January 29, but now it looks like the little engine that could might not be able to make it up that cruel, steep hill known as the world marketplace – for the time being at least. According to a blog post by founder Ruslan Kogan, the scrappy little Agora and Agora Pro have been delayed until further notice, with one of the reasons being that its low-resolution screen won’t be able properly display to the variety of high resolution applications coming to market. Refunds will of course be given to anyone who pre-ordered, but c’mon, Kogan. We know you started production so can’t you send just one our way?

[Via Trevor Long]

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Sure it’s going to be officially unveiled this week during CES but that didn’t stop a naughty, naughty person from snapping a few cheeky pics of the world’s second Android phone. Granted it looks a bit different from the render we saw not too long ago, but the internal components shouldn’t have changed. And in case you forgot, the Agora will be offered in two configurations, the Agora and Agora Pro. The Agora Pro ($399 AUD / $285 USD) features quad-band EDGE, tri-band HSDPA, 2.5″ 320×240 touch-screen, full-QWERTY keypad, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS, WiFi and a 2 megapixel camera. If you choose to save a little bit of cash and get the regular Agora ($299 AUD / $212 USD), then you’ll be sacrificing the GPS, WiFi and the camera. But honestly, GPS, WiFi and a camera for $73 more? We’d take it and think pretty much everyone else will, too.

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Australian online-only electronics endeavor Kogan will actually make good on its claim to bring the world’s second Android-powered handset to market. Who? Exactly. Don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard of the company headed by Ruslan Kogan; if you live outside of Australia there was hardly a reason to. We’ll bring you up to speed in three sentences: Kogan is a small Australian startup. Last month it gained a bit of notoriety when Ruslan Kogan claimed he would develop, manufacture and begin selling the world’s second Android-powered smartphone for less than US$200 before year-end. Pretty much no one believed him. Now that you’re up to speed, the Kogan Agora and Agora Pro are indeed about to become a reality and Kogan will very nearly make good on his claim. The handsets won’t be out by year-end unfortunately, but that doesn’t make this feat by a relatively small firm any less impressive. Both models feature a 2.5″ touchscreen, 3G and some pretty respectable specs. In fact, these puppies match up pretty well against the G1, though we obviously won’t see them gaining much ground here in the US any time soon. Both handsets are now available for pre-order and will begin shipping in just over a month on January 29th, with the Agora coming in at AU$299 (US$192) and the Agora Pro coming in at AU$399 (US$256). Those prices by the way, are without carrier subsidies.

[Via Engadget]

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