Acorn returns - as a, err, bog standard off-the-shelf smartphone

And, yep, it'll run Android rather than RiscOS

Acorn is returning to technology more than 20 years after the iconic brand went out of business - but anyone looking forward to a new ARM-powered RiscOS-running PC will be sorely disappointed.

Instead, a phoenix company calling itself Acorn has launched a fund-raising project to deliver an Acorn smartphone that would appear to be based on an off-the-shelf Chinese design.

Coming, more or less, on the 40^th anniversary of the company's founding in 1978, a continuity Acorn bearing the company's logo has launched an Indigogo campaign that looks to raise funds so it can deliver its own Android smartphone.

The Acorn Micro Phone C5 is essentially a rebranded version of the Leagoo S8 which means, specs-wise you'll find an octa-core MediaTek MT7650T SoC paired with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, and a 5.7in 1440x720 18:9 display.

There are also four camera sensors - two on the front and two on the rear, a baked-in fingerprint sensor and a 3,000mAh battery. It'll ship running Google's Android Nougat software, but Acorn says that an upgrade to Oreo will be made available.

In order to set it apart from the thousands of other mid-range Android mobiles out there, Acorn has equipped the handset with some custom software touches, including a keyboard that mirrors that from the original Acorns. There's also a British flag on the rear of the handset to indicate that it's been made in, err, China - like everything else.

Over on the crowdfunding page, the firm has set itself a goal of £450,0000. Packages range from £95 to £300, with the latter option bagging you two Micro Phone C5 handsets, along with four cases and six screen protectors. The company is promising to deliver the smartphone in May.

Sam Goult, director of design at continuity Acorn, said: "The Acorn BBC Micro was the first computer many of us ever used, so it holds a special place in our hearts.

"The Acorn team in the 1980's accomplished such groundbreaking achievements that didn't just change Acorn, they changed the world. In the 21st century, Acorn is a name that needs to be at the forefront of the tech industry in the UK, not gathering dust in the history books. We are calling on the UK to champion this historic marque and to inspire tomorrow's world."

He didn't say, though, why the company chose to add the "C5" suffix to the name of the device, which is rather evocative of another technology from the 1980s, namely, the Sinclair C5 electric trike.

If Acorn manages to reach its £450,000 target, it's promising to deliver the smartphone in May. If not, it'll likely be even less successful than the Sinclair C5.