Live from CeBIT: Samsung's SGH-i310 8GB musicphone

Remember that 8GB Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphone from Samsung, the SGH-i310? Oh, it exists alright, and it's hot. That's a real live scroll-wheel in the center (unlike other phones we've seen), and it actually feels just about right even though it's mechanical, and not touch sensitive. Click and drool after the break.

[Adrian @ Mar 9th 2006 9:32AM]

wow ... just wow ...

[Seung-Hwan @ Mar 9th 2006 9:36AM]

Looks like they're using that stupid proprietary plug for the earphones again, just like on the D500 and others.

[Dave @ Mar 9th 2006 9:36AM]

Is it just me or does it seem a little thick?

[JREAU @ Mar 9th 2006 9:38AM]

wow... as a die hard apple fan, I must say this and other similar devices are making it harder and harder for me to buy another iPod... Step ya game up Stevie boy!!!!

[wulff @ Mar 9th 2006 9:46AM]

am i the only one that thinks it looks like its a slider phone fixed in an open position?

[Jordan @ Mar 9th 2006 9:53AM]

wulff: Nope, I thought the same thing until I saw the profile from the side.

[tennis guy @ Mar 9th 2006 9:56AM]

.
This phone's a little clunky, but it's just a matter of time before the phone guys get this music thing right, resulting in the slow demise of the the iPOD, unless Apple can counter with a phone solution, and manage to get the carriers to approve it's use on their networks, which will be very difficult.
.
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[Andre @ Mar 9th 2006 10:00AM]

did they threaten to let something bad happen to you if you photograph the backside? i sure hope the camera quality if VERY good then it would be worth carrying that hummer around all the time...

[KoBo @ Dec 7th 2006 12:04PM]

only 2.0 mp BUT this thing can shoot movies in dvd resolution 640*480! i'm definitely gonna buy this hummer!

[Jake @ Mar 9th 2006 10:02AM]

Does this thing take pictures too? 8GB is quite respectable as a standalone portable music player. This thing, if priced right, would be a total Nano killer.

[squarker @ Mar 9th 2006 10:04AM]

The original i300 had the worst battery life I've ever seen with a phone. Even with the chunky extended battery, I was lucky to get a days (12 hours) use out of it before the HDD would reject.

It promised so much, but in the real-world it was unuseable.

[xman @ Mar 9th 2006 10:06AM]

Does anyone know the specs on this thing? I'm a T-mobile customer who is considering the SDA or MDA. But I will consider this thing if it also has Wifi and bluetooth. However, I noticed that headphone plug was not a standard 2.5 or 3.5mm jack. That really sucks!!

[Rowan @ Mar 9th 2006 10:12AM]

I definitely hope this gives the iPod a run for it's money....considering that SE are not doing too much with my beloved Walkman series of phones :(

Competition is good.

[Orneta @ Mar 9th 2006 10:12AM]

It is a bit think, but its 8g!

[hmmm @ Mar 9th 2006 10:24AM]

too bad windows mobile sucks butt. apple please make an itunes phone!

[Homer J @ Mar 9th 2006 10:25AM]

Envision a purchase of this device in the US...

Customer: I want it.

Sales Rep: OK let get one from the back

*** "Girl from Ipanema" plays quietly in background while customer patiently waits, pondering the coolness of new purchase ****

Sales Rep: OK, here we go. Now let me ask you, will you be taking picture with this phone?

Customer: Uh, its 10 megapixels. Yes.

Sales rep: Great! Your going to love what it can do. Let me ask also, do you want to send your pictures to say friends, or store them on your computer.

Customer: Yes. Why?

Sales Rep: Since each picture is about 4Mb in size, your either going to have to sign up for an unlimited data plan, or you can upload your favorite shots for just $2.50 each.

Customer: Huh?

Sales Rep: Now do you download music.....
Sales Rep:

[tim @ Mar 9th 2006 10:38AM]

Re: #14
I have unlimited high speed data on Sprint for $40 a month (less than I paid for a cable modem) which includes Power Vision email/photo capabilities. The prices for high speed are a bargain these days, and assuming this phone will command a premium price, what is your point?

[Daley @ Mar 9th 2006 10:42AM]

The phone looks lovely, but i have to say, i agree with # 13 - Windows Mobile 5 is an absolutely crap Opertaing System!! I've seen less crashes at a destruction derby!!

I used a Windows mobile and now it's on Ebay - nuff sed!!

[z @ Mar 9th 2006 10:50AM]

Isn't the scroll wheel patented by Apple? Just was curious to know...

[Shicko @ Mar 9th 2006 11:47AM]

Hey, this is an amazing phone.. but really no need for the memory slot...

if you want to get an email alert when this phone is released.. just follow this link:

http://www.nextmob.com/specs_Samsungi310_364

Just perfect!

[jef @ Mar 9th 2006 11:55AM]

people, this won't have any affect on ipods, nano or not. if any, it would be minimal, and here's why...

the success of ipod is not only the hardware itself, although that's impressive. it's the whole package including itunes and how it works hand in hand and provide the ideal user experience from searching for music to purchasing to downloading to getting it on your player.

unless samsung or other phone manufacturers come up with better UI and easier user experience, they will stay in the category of phones that does a few other things like photos and music, but won't take over ipod's music player market.

[Scoobydoo @ Mar 9th 2006 11:59AM]

That doesn't look like WM5 running on it. The photos show it is running WM2003...

[Andy Weir @ Mar 9th 2006 12:56PM]

You obviously don't know what WM5 looks like if you think that's WM2003!

[Trey @ Mar 9th 2006 1:21PM]

First impressions are nice. Then it went all J-Lo. Pretty face, shame about the big fat a*s.

If it went on a diet, I'd buy that fir a $

[Adam @ Mar 9th 2006 1:40PM]

That menu is WM2003! WM05 has that menu as a 3x3 grid
not from top to bottom. Unless you can tell WM05 to look like WM2003. I'm looking at my Cingular 2125 now that has WM05 and the 3x3 grid.

[Rob de Jonge @ Mar 9th 2006 1:49PM]

I held a previous version of this thing (I don't know if it ever made it to market) at last years CeBIT and it runs mighty hot. I'm not visiting this year, but can anyone tell me if they have fixed this problem?

[jlp @ Mar 9th 2006 7:36PM]

They will NEVER LEARN:

hard disks run hot, take a LOT of energy and break too easily.

Think about it that this phone prolly has a vibrating alarm!!!

Oh gosh, here goes my harddisk :(

8 GB SD cards are around the corner and probably will be out at the same time this phone will come on the market.

Yet SD cards have many more advantages:
- prolly 10 times smaller
- takes much less juice
- have a much longer life expectancy
- don't break after 2 weeks because of the vibrating alarm
- don't break if you drop your device
- can be used in other devices, prolly 15 categories right now (digicams, moviecams, PDAs, desktop, laptops, cellphones, GPS devices, radio-alarm clocks, portable DVD players, TV sets, etc.)
- YOU choose the storage size
- you KEEP the storage medium when swapping/upgrading to a new phone
- etc.

http://minicards.boycott-it.info for more info

[steve @ Mar 9th 2006 7:56PM]

@18: Nope. Other companies are allowed to put circular navigation devices on the front of their products, although they do so at the risk of being labelled an ipod poser by every other engadget user. But no, apple has not patented the circle yet, AFAIK.

[John @ Mar 10th 2006 6:55AM]

Does look like Windows Mobile 5.0, not WM 2003.

[Scott @ Mar 10th 2006 4:45PM]

I'm way excited - sign me up!

To Post#26: I went to the HDD manufacturer's website http://www.corniceco.com and read that they have added all sorts of new features to make the HDD more able to withstand the typical usage inside a mobile phone. Things like extra ruggedness, lower power consumption, etc. Also, 8GB of Flash will be so expensive that no one could afford to buy the phone. To get 8GB capacity, it's gotta be a HDD at this point in time.

[Paul @ Mar 26th 2006 3:50AM]

On paper this looks like the perfect device for me. WM5 OS is critical with persistent memory and interoperability. Shame it doesn't have Wi-Fi, but Bluetooth and GPRS edge will be fine.

Best thing about this is the XScale 416MHz processor combined wtih GPRS EDGE means it should run a Skype client over GPRS that will save a fortune in phone bills when travelling the world!

[hongkongstuey @ Apr 20th 2006 2:04PM]

i think this will take the uk by storm if they market it right, they have apparantly fixed all the problems with the i300 like battery life etc so ive heard and have sorted a few things out like adding windows 5 etc, i have been into my local t mobile shop and asked if they have any news and got......samsung what?? so i took in the details of it, spec etc and they were like 'WOW' that looks really good, as they were trying desperately to try and sell a nokia n70 to a so called business man with a 50 quid suit and scabby shoes :)

but i was thinking of getting the i300 before i got my spv c550, glad i didnt cos of the battery life was so shocking, but wish i had cos at least it has no crappy joystick to bust, joystick on mine lasted about 6 months before playing up, hence the desperation to move away from any htc smartphone eg. the c600 (uk orange) seen the scroll wheel in operation and it looks impressive, just hope they can get it spot on battery life wise properly

and the guy that posted about the photo's being 10mp, thats the other samsung phone :)

my friends have windows 5 htc smarthpones and they work fine, my 2003 sphone crashes more than those, so i dont see why the samsung cant handle the system??

and i dont see why people are complaining about how the phone looks chunky, it has a hell of a lot of stuff in it to be honest, if you want to look like you know what you are doing get one of these phones, if you want to try deperately to look cool, get a razr, but you will soon learn from your mistakes

stuey

[Amy @ Sep 11th 2006 10:19AM]

damn...i love tis phone very much...i wanna buy it...can someone tell me wat is the price of tis phone??