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Posts with tag samsung

Samsung's R470 looks destined for US Cellular

by Chris Ziegler, posted Jan 2nd 2009 @ 9:16PM


If we have to pick between a flip CDMA dumbphone and, say, a Touch Pro, we're going to take the Touch Pro ten times out of ten -- but as flip CDMA dumbphones go, this thing really isn't half bad looking at all. The Samsung R470 just passed FCC muster this week, and as Phone Scoop astutely notes, the manual's mention of "easyedge" indicates that the dazzlingly orange clamshell will likely see duty on US Cellular. We're looking at fairly comprehensive external controls -- likely with a music slant -- along with Bluetooth and microSD expansion, but strangely, we can't find any mention of EV-DO in the test docs. Seems kinda strange for a phone in this category, doesn't it?

[Via Phone Scoop]

Sprint's pink Instinct shows up on Best Buy's site for outrageous price

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 31st 2008 @ 3:31AM


We'd pegged early January for the release of a pink Samsung Instinct on Sprint's airwaves, and Best Buy's doing everything it can to help us hold the line on that with a new "Coming Soon" page advertising just such a product. Unfortunately, they're asking a whopping $599.99 for the pleasure of being the first kid on your block with this thing, but the off-contract pricing in Best Buy's system is usually way out of whack -- we wouldn't worry about paying anything close to $200 on contract by the time you actually step into the store.

[Thanks, Emilio]

Hands-on (once more, with feeling) with the Samsung Highnote

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 30th 2008 @ 12:43PM Featured Story


After a brief interlude at CTIA earlier this year, we've had another chance to play around with Samsung's funky little Highnote for Sprint recently, so we wanted to give our quick, stream-of-consciousness thoughts on what this music-focused dual slider is all about. The phone's claim to fame is its hidden integrated loudspeaker for blasting tunes, which can be exposed by sliding the front downward (a la Nokia N95 and the like). While we found the speaker to be loud and reasonably clear enough for occasional impromptu dance parties, we didn't think it was any louder than similar handsets that have more traditional mono or stereo loudspeakers integrated into the body of the phone. In other words, the dual slide is a bit of a gimmick here.

Gallery: Hands-on with the Samsung Highnote

Continue reading Hands-on (once more, with feeling) with the Samsung Highnote

Samsung growing its own 4G chipsets

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 30th 2008 @ 12:43AM

You know those annoying little stickers you get on new handsets proudly boasting that they're packing 3G technology from Qualcomm? Yeah, well, those have already started to go away as manufacturers have turned to competing chipsets -- but Samsung buyers definitely won't need to peel those off anymore in a year or two when the Korean giant starts rolling out its WiMAX- and LTE-based phones. Its own homegrown WiMAX silicon is already available in sample quantities to both its own phone guys and other companies, and LTE versions are on the way (though it's not clear whether the LTE stuff will be ready in time for their very first phone models to use the technology). Ultimately, Samsung hopes to shave costs and avoid a few pesky royalty payments by doing things in-house, and seeing how every single phone in a few years is going to need one of these two technologies on board, we'd say this is a good place to start.

[Via GigaOM]

Samsung's S8300 slider packs AMOLED display, 8-megapixel camera

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 29th 2008 @ 2:33PM


If Samsung's Soul had your innermost emotions shakin', wait until you wrap your retinas around this. The S8300, which is said to be an upgrade from the aforementioned mobile -- will reportedly come stacked with 7.2Mbps HSDPA connectivity, a 2.8-inch AMOLED touchscreen, 8-megapixel camera, inbuilt GPS, an FM radio with RDS, 60MB of onboard memory, DivX playback and an "anti-scratch / anti-fingerprint coated duraluminium chassis." There are no promises that it'll be ready for a CES showcase, though we're hearing that a MWC launch is expected in a worst case scenario. Lots more images are hiding in the read link.

Samsung Armani Night Effect gets unboxed, ready to party

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 29th 2008 @ 12:41PM


We're struggling to name a product that displays the Emporio Armani logo with the same unabashed flair as Samsung's Night Effect candybar, and that's totally okay -- after seeing the unboxing shots, we're not sure the world could handle any more dazzle than that provided by the bezel of this device alone. Yes, we admit, our reaction is totally conflicted between vomit-inducing disgust and "oooh, pretty lights," but the giant stylized eagle on the back of this thing seals the deal for us: we'll take our HSDPA candybars with less involvement from Milan, please.

[Via iTech News Net]

Samsung's mighty INNOV8 sk8s through FCC with US-friendly 3G

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 29th 2008 @ 6:02AM


Seeing how it's the end of the year, it's as good a time as any to formulate a list of 2008's killer smartphones -- and with an 8-megapixel cam rounding out a what's-what list of awesome specs, the S60-based Samsung INNOV8 really needs to makes the cut. In fact, it's so hardcore -- arguably the most powerful S60 phone ever released -- that it seemed like a forgone conclusion from day one that we wouldn't be seeing it in North America (yeah, we're jaded like that). Samsung might have other ideas, though, now that we've seen a version of the INNOV8 garner FCC approval with WCDMA (presumably 7.2Mbps HSDPA, to be specific) on the 850 and 1900MHz bands. Given that Samsung's mobile division doesn't really have a direct relationship with end users in the States, we'd expect this to be a branded set for either Rogers or AT&T -- but at any rate, whichever carrier it happens to be, we salute your infinite wisdom.

[Via Symbian-Guru]

Samsung gets slapped in China over dual-mode patent

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 23rd 2008 @ 12:02PM

The majority of the globe doesn't have to worry its pretty little head over this technology, but in China, dual-mode handsets that operate with equal aplomb on CDMA and GSM networks are a way of life. Since we're talking about a billion people here, foreign manufacturers are naturally going to want to get into that action -- but they're going to have to get past patent holder Holleycomm first, especially since they've just been awarded the equivalent of $7.3 million by a Hangzhou court for Samsung's apparent indiscretions on the matter. What's more, Holleycomm says it's not satisfied with the win and intends to milk Sammy for more, and when it's done, it intends to go after other violators. It's funny to hear tales of patent lawsuits in the land that harbors more Keepin' It Real Fake devices than any other -- funny, that is, until you're the one staring down the barrel of that $7.3 million fine.

Samsung attempts to set world record for fastest texting while skydiving

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 21st 2008 @ 12:01AM


We're not sure if this is meant to prove that texting on Samsung's line of handsets is remarkably quick or if the ten individuals selected to text quickly whilst skydiving are just amazing multitaskers, but either way, the exercise has been executed. Samsung Mobile rounded up ten skydivers and equipped them with a Propel, Alias, Gravity, Rant or Messager in an attempt to set the "Guinness World Record for fastest test messaging while skydiving." The crew took a total of two jumps and landed safely each time, and now the Guinness team is breaking down the video to see if an award is in order. Check the read link for more images and a vid, but don't bother looking for an application to get on the 2009 team.

Samsung R310 Byline launches on MetroPCS

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 19th 2008 @ 3:55PM


MetroPCS phones aren't typically barn-burners, and despite the fancy name, the R310 Byline is no exception to the rule. The simple clamshell's claim to fame is likely its support for ChatLINK push-to-talk service, but otherwise, you get Bluetooth, speakerphone, and a 160 x 128 primary display matched with the glorious splendor of a 96 x 96 color screen on the outside. Sound good? Then pull out your hard-earned $99 and head down to the store, friend.

Samsung's Android phone hitting Sprint and T-Mobile by June

by Thomas Ricker, posted Dec 19th 2008 @ 5:21AM Breaking News


Without a doubt, 2009 is destined to be the year of The Android. Samsung just announced its ticket to the party with a Q2 launch of its Android phones on both Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile in the US. Apparently, the touch-screen device will be an adaptation of the Omnia (Korea's 800 x 480 pixel version please) and Instinct. In other words, a rectangle with a full-screen display and minimal set of buttons just like every other touchscreen device out there. In case you missed it, this game is no longer about the hardware.

[Via ModMyGphone, thanks Neerhaj]

Samsung's AMOLED-packin' SCH-W690 clamshell heads for South Korea

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 18th 2008 @ 7:20PM


If our hunches are correct, Samsung's snazzy little SCH-W690 flip phone is actually destined for arrival in the US as well, but at least for now, we're forced to be content with a South Korean debut. Reportedly, the handset packs a swank 2.6-inch AMOLED display (320 x 240) underneath the classic black (or silver) exterior, and it also touts GSM / HSDPA connectivity, GPS, a 1.5-inch external OLED, multimedia player, Bluetooth, a 2-megapixel camera and an 800mAh battery. There's no mention of price just yet, but we'd expect to pay a small premium for the pixels.

Samsung BlackJack II tops Consumer Reports' list of best smartphones

by Chris Ziegler, posted Dec 18th 2008 @ 8:10AM


Sometimes it's the unsung workhorses that deserve the lion's share of the praise, and that might just be the case with the aging Samsung BlackJack II -- a phone that you probably wouldn't expect to top Consumer Reports' January 2009 ratings of popular smartphones. Sure, it may not be the shiniest device on the market these days, but you've got to admit it's just about as functional as you'd ever need a business-class handset to be with GPS, HSDPA, and WinMo 6.1, which gladly sucks up Exchange accounts until you're blue in the face. When you factor in the fact that it runs just $80 these days on an AT&T contract in a choice of four colors... okay, yeah, we can kinda see it. The iPhone 3G and T-Mobile G1 don't play second fiddle terribly often these days (they were way down in the middle of the Consumer Reports pack in this testing cycle, in fact), so let's just let this old dog have one more moment in the spotlight, shall we?

Samsung's low-end E1410 candybar goes 22 days strong

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 16th 2008 @ 2:06PM


It still can't hold a candle to Philips' Xenium 9@9 line, but 22 days ain't nothing to scoff at. Reportedly, Samsung is prepping a low-end E1410 candybar that'll last up to 22 days on standby, and better still, it can support up to 11.5 continuous hours of yappin' before calling it a night. The stout battery life is joined by a lackluster 128 x 128 display (1.63-inches), a simple phonebook, GSM connectivity and 4MB of inbuilt memory. Clearly Sammy's not kidding around with "low-end."

Samsung SGH-T929 (Memoir) shuffles through FCC on its way to T-Mobile

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 16th 2008 @ 8:45AM


Mr. Blurrycam delivers again. The not-at-all-clear shots we saw of a fabled Memoir last week look to be the real deal, as evidenced by the matching shape in the image above and whispers from a nearby gnome. The Samsung SGH-T929 -- which will still likely be sold under the aforementioned Memoir label -- is apparently making a beeline for T-Mobile, or at least that's the vibe we get when seeing a 1,700MHz HSDPA band mentioned. Reportedly, the handset is a "slightly different version of the Samsung Pixon," and it should pack an 8-megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0 and aGPS when it arrives. Hold tight, T-Mob faithful -- it just can't be long now.

[Via UnwiredView]




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