This post is automatically translated with LLM. The translation content has NOT been reviewed and may contain errors.
North Korea is a mysterious land.
When North Korea developed Red Star Linux, people exclaimed: "They have this capability?"
When North Koreans built a 3G network in their country, people gasped: "They even have 3G technology?"
Although North Korea's feature phones are imported from China, and all Android phones there are still made in China, North Korea suddenly announced a self-developed Android phone... My friends and I were stunned. This phone is named Arirang, after a local folk song.
But the creativity of the North Korean people knows no bounds. Since they've even made smartphones... what's next?
Well... Let's see:
- First, let's learn its name.
Its English name (or Korean romanization) is Samijyon. Try pronouncing it... "Sandwich"?!
Its Chinese name is 三池渊 (Sanchiyuan). Not sure about the profound meaning here.
- For a tablet, we care most about specs.
According to reliable sources:
CPU: 1.2G, core count unknown. Why does MT6589 come to mind again?
RAM: 1GB. It actually has more than my G520? That's not right.
Camera: 2MP. Slightly better than the ridiculous Arirang phone, but that's Nokia N81 level from my ancient past.
Screen: 7-inch. A mini tablet... but 1024x768 resolution? Are you kidding?
Internal storage: 8GB, apparently expandable up to 16GB via SD card.
Actually, I can tell you the source of these "reliable specs". Stare at the box for a while. If you still can't see it, you need to brush up on your English. (Not Korean.)
This tablet is mainly sold to foreign tourists. A user named Michael claimed its specs are "comparable to Samsung and Apple products". Has North Korean tech reached this level? But don't rush to buy yet, because...
This "Samsung/Apple comparable" tablet doesn't support WiFi... WiFi... WiFi...
Of course, it can connect via SIM card, but what's there to do on the North Korean intranet? Even offline, the "Sandwich" tablet comes with some interesting pre-installed content, like:
I bet 50 cents this is a pirated game.
- Software Features
Targeting foreign customers, the Sandwich tablet needs to include things foreigners like.
North Koreans think foreigners love Angry Birds, so it's pre-installed. But are they serious? Don't they know everyone plays Temple Run now?
The images also show Breakout and two tower defense games.
Don't even think about American apps like Gmail or Google Play - even if installed, you can't connect.
Of course, in this magical country, leader's quotations are mandatory. Surprisingly, it actually includes them. Michael speculates it's for political propaganda. But who can read Korean? I need a translator.
North Korea says: "We know you can't read it, so here's a multilingual dictionary."
I...
- Price
Sold to foreigners at $200 USD. Visit designated tourist spots, take specified photos during your North Korea tour, and you can buy a Sandwich tablet. With good luck, maybe an Arirang phone too.
Good luck with that.