The SGH-i300, Samsung's 3GB Windows Mobile-powered musicphone

Samsung rocked us back in September with the SPH-V5400, the first cellphone to sport a built-in hard drive (1.5 gigger, to be exact), now they're back in effect with the SGH-i300, a massively spec'd out 3GB model. The i300 runs on Windows Mobile (we haven't gotten confirmation of which version, though) and comes with a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, Bluetooth, scroll wheel navigation (take that, iPod!), a 262,000 color, 240x320 LCD screen, support for playback of MP3, WMA, AAC, and AAC+ audio files, and a TransFlash memory card slot. Better still, the hard drive is plug-and-play, so you can connect the phone up to your PC over USB and just drag and drop your files as you please, there's no lame interfaces to have to mess with. Click to see three more higher-res pics.

P.S. - Forgot to mention, it's tri-band GSM/GPRS (900/1800/1900MHz), so probably not going to make it over here.

[Grandpa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Windows Mobile, thank god, not some weirdo closed OS or iTunes only thing.

[Tyme @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

is it comin to america? and what carrier?

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Now THAT'S what SonyEricsson T637 featureset SHOULD have had! Smart move that it supports AAC *AND* WMA. Is this the first "mp3 player" that supports both?

[dynamius @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

oh man this is awesome... micro hd mp3 player combined w/ a cell phone... not to mention bluetooth and the camera. as much as i hate samsung phones (they break on me all the time), this is the kind of device i've been dreaming about. windows mobile too! transflash? i guess it's to expand the memory w/o accessing the hd to prolong battery life

[PhilJ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Looks like a good one to me. Just don't drop it -- I've toasted 4 micro HDs in daily wear. It's an expensive habit.

[broman78 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

I guess samsung took these pictures with the new 7 megapixel camera phone.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

"Windows Mobile, thank god, not some weirdo closed OS or iTunes only thing."

Best laugh I've had all day.

[cng @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

This is the previously leaked "Thor". A while back, this was leaked over the internet along with Samsung's roadmap for like the next two year. The "rumors" leaked proved true so we can expect much more from Samsung now. According to the leaked info, this device is indeed going to be running on MS Smartphone Magneto. Just to add, this phone will be able to access online music service as well. Looks very promising, if only it was able to be used in North America!

[Grandpa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

#7: Anyone can develop software for Windows Mobile in C++ using free tools from Microsoft - no need to apply and pay fees like others require.

Also Windows Mobile devices play MP3 - I don't think you'll see your precious Apple phonepod thing do that.

[Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Looks like there are two more pictures of the device. I posted them additionally on my site with some more info: http://www.davespda.com/index.php?itemid=268

It seems the source of the material (or at least the ones with all the pictures) is Mobile-Review: http://www.mobile-review.com/exhibition/cebit-samsung-2005.shtml

[harry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

finally someone realizes they should put aac into their "mp3 player".

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

#9 Actually the phonepod made by moto, will play MP3 get your facts straight grandpa, learn to use a better phone OS (moto os sucks SE is much better) Microsoft is a pathetic excuse for an OS right now due to the fact that it is the most buggy OS in existance.

if microsofy would get their heads out of their @sses then maybe they would realize they need to rebuild the OS from scratch utilizing a different OS for security, like Mac did, but microsoft will not which leads them to be a crappy

[Scott @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

"Triband so not coming over here?"

Why not? T-mobile is GSM1900 so there is always a very slim chance they will make an exception to their lame ass phone selection and offer this one...

[msafi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

me want some

[Grandpa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Yes the motopod will do all sorts of wonderful things oneday.

In the meantime Windows Mobile does it all, does it well and doesn't crash.

Burns a little, huh?

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

#12: I'm surprised you didn't spell "Microsoft" with an "M$". Do you people still shit on MS because you think it will make you cool?

[Joey Geraci @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Windows smartphone is based on Windows Mobile, which is the most stable os in existence. Some of you guys really don't know what you are talking about don't you.

[Joel Barciauskas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

We creep closer and closer to my perfect device (http://fluxt.org/wordpress/index.php?p=78) - iPod + 2MP CCD camera + phone. Maybe another year or so...

[nojetlag @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

How often did you drop your current mobilephone already ? I wonder how durable these HD phones will be. Except of that, why not bring it with 900/1800 and UMTS :(

[Heyuan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

My goodness this is a great retort to SE's new Walkman mobile phones. 3GB is indeed mouthwatering. But as #19 mentioned, I may be too clumsy to use such a phone.

Wonder if any other phone has a "scroll dial"?

[Dante @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Samsung seems to be in "Let's-Add-One-More-Feature"-state at the moment. The 7MP-Phone is impressive (if the Schneider-Kreuznach-Lens really delivers what I suppose), this phone seems to be impressive. But I could never put the 7MP-phone into my pocket, have you seen how poorly the lens is covered? No way, you'll need an extra case, very sexy...

And as the other posters above stated: a mobile phone likes to drop down sometimes, I don't know how often my good old GD 87 fell to the ground (and I hope my D500 won't continue this series ;-) ), but if a HD is inside the unit, well, I think an insurance is a good idea.

Or is there any protective mechanism (as in the new PowerBooks or IBM Think Pads) built into this phone?

[AD @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

"Windows smartphone is based on Windows Mobile, which is the most stable os in existence"

I guess that is why the US National Missile Defence and the Atomic Power Agency, etc, use Windows Mobile to run their systems.

Yeah, right.

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

I love how people say the iTunes phone is better despite the fact it doesn't even exist yet.

Come talk when you can actually buy a phone that has iTunes on it. Windows Smartphones are available now and already play mp3s on removeable media.

[hopper the happy rabbit @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Segmentation fault.

[Realist @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

The iTunes phone may not exist yet but nor does this one. Samsung have a track record for hyping protos and not shipping. Then if they do ship how many people in the real world are going to buy one.... phones are a volume game. Drool all you want, it ain't going to change the world. You and all your geek buddies can buy this pos and feel pretty unique.

[DMR @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Hey, I live in Europe and I can't wait to get my hands on one of these bad boys. Come on, it's got the lot. Camera with flash, MP3 player, plug and play storage, Outlook... I mean this thing replaces a laptop, pda, phone, camera, media handset, USB pen drive... in something that doesn't resemble the things you use to build houses. I don't care if it runs on VULCAN - if it does all that, in a pocket sized phone, I'm having me one.

[MikeV @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Any one know who's stereo Bluetooth earphones they will be marketing with the phone. One of the original press releases I saw made a point of mentioning "Stereo Bluetooth Earphones".

[skalonga @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

when does thos phone come out?

[RENAT ZARBAILOV @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

If it were to have VGA screen 640X480 resolution and the latest Windows Mobile 5.0, it will actually beat the Dell Axim X50V Pocket PC. I wonder what speed processor this phone has. Samsung is going to include Windows Mobile 5.0 if you buy one today, or upgrade CD sent to you if you bought it at launch of this unit.

[RENAT ZARBAILOV @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

If it were to have VGA screen 640X480 resolution and the latest Windows Mobile 5.0, it will actually beat the Dell Axim X50V Pocket PC. I wonder what speed processor this phone has. Samsung is going to include Windows Mobile 5.0 if you buy one today, or upgrade CD sent to you if you bought it at launch of this unit.

[suruchie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

don't you think the Nokia N91 and Sony Ericsson W800 are better than the 1300 over all? The W800 has 30hrs playback time. and Memory Stick Duo!

[enegue paul arsene @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

this phone is the phone of mi dremans i want it but dont have much money if some one can help me i'm paolo 23 years oldd student live in cameroon pleaz need help

[JEBRIETSZKIE @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

is it capable of video or just for picture camera alone?or BOTH?

[Scott @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

I really like this phone, I am using Motorola's MPx220. The sound quality for phone calling is suck. Hope this SGH-i300 will come with WM 5.0, and a free spare battery.. haha.

[kenichi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

will this phone be coming into singapore?

[Callum @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

33. Posted Oct 13, 2005, 12:34 AM ET by JEBRIETSZKIE
is it capable of video or just for picture camera alone?or BOTH?

It is capable of both. You will also be able to drag and drop video files on to the phone as well... I think.
It should be out soon - its advertising in phone company mags and stuff... and they are gonna be selling for �450 (GBP), and thats from O2.