Samsung's SCH-V960: "world's first" optical joystick phone

We've seen and felt some sorry, craplastic navigation devices over the years. So pardon us while we effuse hope over Samsung's latest "world's first," the optical joystick cellphone. Though not bad, it's not the SCH-V960's specs that get us going: EV-DO data, 2 megapixel camera, 2.12-inch 240x320 display, Bluetooth, GPS, and microSD expansion to store your media. Rather, it's the new joystick with optical sensors which, according to Sammy, reads and reacts to your finger movements for "quick and hassle-free" navigation through the menus. The phone also touts a "smart lighting" featuring to automatically control the brightness of the LCD and keypad to help squeeze a bit more life out of the battery. This 18.6mm /102g phone hits Korea later this month. Don't be too surprised to find the new optical stick popping up across Samsung's lineup of audio players, digicams, and UMPCs in the near future. Who knows, maybe they've got an iPod Click Wheel on their hands... or not. Another picture after the break.

[Via AVING]

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2006 9:00AM]

Whats special about this is that you can navigate the phone menu like if your using a mouse on a PC.

[Andir3.0 @ Dec 19th 2006 9:19AM]

It kind of looks like someone flipped an optical mouse over and put a lens over it. I guess it could work the same as if you cranked up the sensitivity of your optical mice and used your thumb to nav around (but in reverse).

[LikesGadgetsWillTravel @ Dec 19th 2006 2:09PM]

Andir -- Flipped the optical mouse over?

That's exactly what they did. I just turned mine over, and I can control it fine using my thumb -- no sensitivity adjustment needed. Horizontal movement was perfect (logically, since I flipped it over), and, as expected, the vertical movement was mirrored. Great idea... and a bit obvious, come to think of it.

[ThrustinJ @ Dec 19th 2006 9:36AM]

I love the idea. An optical mouse flipped over makes perfect sense. The components are small and it tracks better than any joystick or buttons could ever hope to match.

I hope this becomes a new trend.

[chrisfoley @ Dec 19th 2006 9:50AM]

Is it just me or does that screen look sharper than most 240x320 displays?

[Simioni @ Dec 19th 2006 10:01AM]

Probably because it have so many pixels in so small space.

[Andy @ Dec 19th 2006 10:09AM]

It pretty much looks to be the same phone as Helio's Samsung Drift, which I recently picked up. If it is than an optical joystick would be a huge upgrade over the current d-pad that is probably the only bad part of this phone.

[Jamar @ Dec 19th 2006 10:23AM]

Gee- this should have been Helio's Drift- then they would actually have something innovative going for them.

[CaptSaltyJack @ Dec 19th 2006 12:05PM]

What phone? What screen?

Oh my GOD. That chick is d r e a m y.

[K @ Dec 19th 2006 2:06PM]

She reminds me of an Asian Jennifer Love Hewitt.

[par @ Dec 19th 2006 2:44PM]

Bah!! Now my RIM blackberry pearl looks outdated like a normal trackball mouse compared to an optical mouse!

[Brandon @ Dec 19th 2006 2:52PM]

Put my # in your optical cell purdy lady! Recycled technology the wave of the future...past... present!!!

[CellLuva @ Dec 24th 2006 10:41AM]

Ok, next step, an iDrive interface ala BMW. Perfect for cell menu navigation and shortcuts.

[LikesGadgetsWillTravel @ Dec 19th 2006 4:09PM]

i-drive sucks in BMWs, it would equally suck on a cell-phone. Probably more so, because cell-phones require a completely different user-interface than a car... since they have completely different uses.

[carlos @ Nov 21st 2007 2:56AM]

Wow, that's awesome thing.
I googled about it. u gyus should check this web.

http://www.crucialtec.com/

it is very interesting concept. it might be novel alternative of touch screen.
that company developedd this input device. it seems like moving very fluently.