Samsung's SCH-B550 enters N-Gage territory

Yeah, we get pretty excited when we see a phone like this too -- the tilting screen and plethora of buttons make it clear that this isn't your run-of-the-mill handset -- but like so many other hot devices out there (save for Nokia's N-series of multimedia computers), Samsung's SCH-B550 entertainment powerhouse will likely never venture beyond the Korean peninsula. Besides the usual assortment of features you'd expect from any halfway-decent Asian cellphone these days -- MP3 player, two megapixel camera, and of course, Bluetooth -- the B550 also delivers a number of value-added extras, not the least of which are a DMB TV receiver (with video out) and what sounds like some pretty serious gaming capabilities. On the surface you have a key and screen layout that are most conducive to gaming, but beyond that, a 3D graphics processor ensures that you'll feel like you're really committing a crime when playing that Marc Ecko graffiti title. In the end, though, it's the game selection that will make or break this model, so until we hear about an imminent Gears of Wars port, we couldn't say whether or not we'd be willing to toss our smartphone to the curb for the flashy B550.

[Via Slash Gear]

[saq Posted Dec 2nd 2006 7:16PM]

If somebody made a device like this and the sole game that was made for it was ADOM (www.adom.de) I would buy it. Also I would pay a lot of money for someone to port ADOM to Windows Mobile.
Nethack WINCE is nice and all, but its just nethack...

[Geirskogul Posted Dec 2nd 2006 7:30PM]

I want the phone Big Sister has in Ichigo Mashimaro. That phone kicked all kinds of ass.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2006 7:31PM]

This handheld will fail. The cellphone buttons are completely misplaced for it to be used as a phone. To make a phone call you will have to flip up the screen, which will become annoying fast, and what are the chances that a sliding, tilting screen like that will stay attached for long?

Points for creativity and being able to jam all that stuff in there, but my predicition is that this is a picture of the new generation of Ngage failure.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2006 9:06PM]

How ironic, the very product that regularly has a slightly smaller amount of buttons now has more buttons and increased features.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2006 10:12PM]

@Zib: you are so right, that thing will fail so fast. i mean look at the Sidekick 3, its almost the exact same thing and that thing was a TOTAL failure, i cant even imagine how Danger stayed in business with that flop of a device. good call man!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2006 10:17PM]

I don't think I'll purchase this. I bought the original ngage and the ngage qd, used it for a bit but I couldn't get use to it. I was debating getting a sidekick next but 20 bucks data plan wasn't worth it to me. I choose to get the MDA instead 5.99 internet and I got myself email, internet browsing and aim. Nokia thought the n-gage would be a big hit and it ended up dying. There were barely any n-gage users. Sidekick just appeals to teenagers. It's really just the internet browser and the aim.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2006 12:48AM]

I foresee myself buying this purely because every time I buy a phone I almost never make voice calls on it. It's always been text/data for me, so difficulties in making voice calls don't bother me. Besides, with a little work it can be activated in the States. Really, Helio needs something like this- Myspace can't be appealing forever.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2006 2:12AM]

i still have my ngage what i moron i was to buy that

[Tony C Posted Dec 3rd 2006 2:16AM]

Reminds me more of a Sidekick than an NGAGE... Even without the QWERTY thumboard...

But yeah, this thing has *FAILURE* stamped all over it in big red letters. Too many compromises for this to do everything stuffed into its innards and probably does none of any single feature well.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2006 5:36AM]

it looks like Pantech 'SKY im-u140'(Korean Model)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2006 8:27AM]

The question that nobody ever thinks to ask: Does it support the protocol known as Sidetalkin'?