The crypto world is still mostly shrouded in mystery and far from going mainstream, as the technicalities of cryptocoins and blockchains are barely grasped even by IT&C nerds. Sirin Labs intends to bring the crypto world closer to mainstream by releasing the first open-source devices connected to a fee-less blockchain. The device line, which includes a smartphone and a PC terminal, was named Finney in honor of Bitcoin pioneer Hal Finney.
All Finney devices will connect to an independent blockchain network. This will feature a distributed ledger both scalable and lightweight, powered by IOTA’s Tangle technology. Sirin Labs aims at providing a decentralized experience, capable of providing fast, fee-less and secure transactions.
Both the smartphone and the PC terminal come with a built-in “cold storage” crypto wallet and SIRIN LABS’ Cyber Protection suite that includes:
• Behavioral based Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
• Physical security switch (for wallet protection)
• Secured communications (VoIP, text, email)
• Three-Factor authentication: Biometric, Lock Pattern, Behavioral
The Finney smartphone has a target price of US$999 and runs the proprietary Android-based Shield OS. It comes with a 5.2-inch QHD display, but Sirin Labs does not specify what SoC will be included. The price suggests this should be a high-end chip, though. Other features include 8 GB RAM, 256 GB internal storage, Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 5.0, 16 MP rear camera and 12 MP front selfie camera.
The PC terminal will also come with the Android-based Shield OS and will feature a 24-inch 2K monitor that incorporates the computing core. Again, Sirin Labs doesn’t provide any info about the CPU / GPU specs. The target price of US$799 suggests that these should be mid-range solutions. Also included with the PC terminal are 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB storage (presumably in SSD form) and Wi-Fi connectivity, along with biometric security sensors.
The London-based company announced that it will begin a crowdfunding campaign this October in order to facilitate the mass production of the Finney devices.
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I first stepped into the wondrous IT&C world when I was around seven years old. I was instantly fascinated by computerized graphics, whether they were from games or 3D applications like 3D Max. I'm also an avid reader of science fiction, an astrophysics aficionado, and a crypto geek. I started writing PC-related articles for Softpedia and a few blogs back in 2006. I joined the Notebookcheck team in the summer of 2017 and am currently a senior tech writer mostly covering processor, GPU, and laptop news.
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2017 09 > Sirin Labs is developing world's first blockchain smartphones and PC terminals
Bogdan Solca, 2017-09-28 (Update: 2017-09-28)