T-Mobile USA getting a beefy Tocco from Samsung?

We can think of about fifteen plain-vanilla EDGE flips from Samsung that we'd expect T-Mobile to launch ahead of something like this, but you're definitely not going to see us complaining. TmoNews is claiming that the guys and gals in pink magenta have an ace up their collective sleeve in the form of Samsung's F480 Tocco -- or really, an Americanized version of it dubbed T919. Naturally, the US version goes through the usual dilution, losing the front-facing cam -- but on the upside, it manages to hang on to the really important stuff like a 3G radio (AWS, we'd assume), GPS, and 5 megapixel cam. There's no telling when it'll be on sale, but if we know our carriers -- and we think we know 'em pretty well -- they'll want it on store shelves in plenty of time for the holiday season.

[therpham @ Aug 16th 2008 5:27PM]

Is that pronounced like "taco"?

[XenoX101 @ Aug 16th 2008 5:32PM]

Please die in a fire.

[Blackstar @ Aug 18th 2008 1:06AM]

Baby, let's make a run for the border,
I've got a hunger only Toccos can stop.
I know exactly what I'll order
three Toccos, two tostadas, and a soda pop.

[Prokanda @ Aug 16th 2008 5:35PM]

that thing looks pretty damn slick and with a 5mp cam and a well put-together OS from sammy, this could be a pretty big hit for tmo. very nice.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Aug 16th 2008 5:38PM]

Samsung != well put together OS.

[JMMGoalster @ Aug 16th 2008 5:47PM]

@Bender

+1 for the C++ reference

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Aug 16th 2008 5:37PM]

3G for a system that doesn't have a proper 3G network. I'm guessing if they are maintaining the 3G that it will comply to T-Mo US' funky frequencies. I also assume it won't be available until some time in 2009.

Why remove the front facing camera? Do they not want you to try video conferencing over EDGE.

[Joseph Singer @ Aug 16th 2008 11:15PM]

T-Mobile "funky" frequencies is all they've got to work with.

[El Taco @ Aug 16th 2008 5:40PM]

no, I'm not for sale. Sorry.

[Homeslice @ Aug 16th 2008 5:57PM]

Everyone has a price.

[El Taco @ Aug 16th 2008 5:41PM]

3 engadget taboos in one post. Impressive. Next time, go for "Can it play Doom", "Will it play Crysis", and/or "Will it blend?"

[El Taco @ Aug 16th 2008 7:52PM]

That was supposed to be a reply to the 1st post. Looks like they still haven't fixed the comments

[El Taco @ Aug 16th 2008 7:53PM]

oh the 1st post got deleted, that's why

[aaron @ Aug 16th 2008 11:39PM]

Keep digging...

[I Like Pie. @ Aug 16th 2008 6:03PM]

And if I decline?

[El Taco @ Aug 17th 2008 6:32PM]

you forgot to say that you like pie.

[JH @ Aug 16th 2008 6:05PM]

As someone who's already played with this phone (Tmo employee...)

It will launch in November, with an 'upper-tier' price point.
It does have 3G, obviously, but no WiFi. This means no wifi internet and no Hotspot@Home (dumb omission.).
The OS is not good to me. As I've said before: It's NOT a smartphone, regardless of how it looks. It's a very sexy, high tech dumbphone.

For example: It has no onscreen QWERTY. Want to type a message? The interface that pops up is like on a normal phone: "abc" "def" "ghi", etc, etc. It's absolutely horrible, but it was clearly designed for normal Samsung users to have an easy transition.

The haptics are awful. I don't know if it's meant to be true haptic like the ROKR or what, but when you touch it, you feel a non-localized vibration. Almost useless.

The OS itself gets the job done, but the icons look low-res (look up the F480 pics for example, it's almost the same,) and I personally don't feel the screen realestate is being used to it's potential.


On the whole, good hardware that needs good software+wifi to be a real winner.

[Øivind @ Aug 16th 2008 6:47PM]

I've tried this phone, too, and it's truly awful compared to any competitor. Horrible, slow, inaccurate menus and bad sound quality from the speaker. Stay away from this one.

[LethalPhoenix @ Aug 16th 2008 6:48PM]

Yeah I played with this cellphone already and it does suck.

[scott @ Aug 16th 2008 11:02PM]

oh no! this makes me sad =(. I thought this phone was gonna be my alternative to you know what.

[Andrew Boer @ Aug 17th 2008 12:38AM]

Do you or any of the other people replying to your post have any intelligence whatsoever? A pre-release phone is not equal to a released phone. That means that many of the bugs you've mentioned will hopefully be fixed before its released. Of course, you're probably not an actual T-Mobile employee, as an actual T-Mobile employee would not reveal their identity for fear of losing their job, plus your info on the phone is wrong. Don't go shooting your mouth off how bad or good a phone is before it is released, as there's still plenty of time to fix or break issues.

[Mark Anderson @ Aug 17th 2008 6:24AM]

Err... it's already out in the UK.

[TheCuttingEdge @ Aug 17th 2008 11:15AM]

Each carrier has different versions, and in some cases, different OS's. It's highly likely that Samsung had to build a complete new OS to support the MyFaves application, thus it is still a pre-release cell phone for T-Mobile.

[Jeremy K. @ Aug 16th 2008 6:20PM]

Mods (do they exist?) please ban this user... None of his remarks ever contribute to the discussion.

[Chris Ziegler @ Aug 16th 2008 7:23PM]

It would be my pleasure.

[linumax @ Aug 16th 2008 10:23PM]

Ever since I was a kid, I always thought Blondie should have finished you off!

[Jeremy K. @ Aug 16th 2008 11:38PM]

hahaha... There actually was a user who was spamming stupid comments and Engadget banned him. Now it looks like I'm asking Engadget to ban myself. lol

[Jon Doe. @ Aug 16th 2008 6:27PM]

Xeno. I'd just be happy if he died. I'm sick of trolls. Be they MS Apple Sony Etc. I wish I could make a version of Ebola that would target the asshats in the world. I would set out a chair on the front lawn with a bowl of popcorn and watch people die....wait...that would make me an asshat...damn...

[Jon Doe. @ Aug 16th 2008 6:28PM]

No keyboard == No sale....for me at least. Bring on Android and the Dream.

[grull27 @ Aug 16th 2008 6:40PM]

Another decent touch screen phone...

[Chris @ Aug 16th 2008 6:43PM]

This phone is inside a T-Mobile store, I can tell from the cabinets and carpet, I see this lousy carpet all day. So would it be safe to assume that this is coming fairly soon?

[peestandingup @ Aug 16th 2008 6:52PM]

This looks cool, but no WiFi & no full keyboard = A big freakin' fail for me.

And with the recent news of the HTC Dream (Android) phone not having GPS, this also does me no good.

T-Mobile, you're breakin' my balls here. For the love of God, dont make me switch to the dark side (AT&T) just to get some decent phones (iPhone/HTC Touch Pro).

[Wolfticket @ Aug 16th 2008 7:20PM]

I think captchas should be introduced to stop idiots, as well as bots, from creating accounts.
Also, if general inane stupidity is not bannable, then how about having two accounts: http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/16/more-treo-pro-details-emerge/comments/13731607/ ?

[Yuri @ Aug 16th 2008 7:22PM]

I don't get why they took out the Wi-fi.

I live in the country, I get no 3G!

Plus I'm one of the few people who have Hotspot@Home, it'd be amazing if I could merge it with my cell phone and save me some minutes.

This is a lovely looking phone, but rather disappointing.

[Who Knows @ Aug 16th 2008 7:43PM]

this phone never had wifi

[barry99705 @ Aug 16th 2008 8:09PM]

Here's a question slightly related to the phone. Why does T-Mo, At&t remove the front facing cameras?

[Homeslice @ Aug 16th 2008 8:43PM]

Because they know people will get angry when they can't use it for video calling.

[hank94jp @ Aug 16th 2008 8:24PM]

Hey, look! A cool phone for me to not get reception with! Thanks T-Mobile!

[Crooked Style @ Aug 16th 2008 8:36PM]

i like sauce on my tacos.

[Homeslice @ Aug 16th 2008 8:46PM]

That's nice for you.

[El Taco @ Aug 16th 2008 10:32PM]

Well maybe tacos dont like sauce being put on them. Ever think of that? Just because I'm a taco doesn't mean I don't have feelings!

[LethalPhoenix @ Aug 16th 2008 8:53PM]

Lol, im a real user but I hate when fanboys come in here and try to put down a good looking cellphone.

[AndrewAmazed @ Aug 16th 2008 9:55PM]

you really call this good looking?
i think it looks like the retro 70's

the buttons under samsung look horrid in my opinion
and the rest look a little cheaper than the iphone which is even worse!~

I really want some better phones from T-Mobile...

so, for the t-mobile employees, what will be the price range?
$100-200?
$200-300?
$300+?

[Charlie @ Aug 16th 2008 11:28PM]

I like my tacos pink.

[Jon Nelson @ Aug 17th 2008 1:13AM]

I think the greatest thing T-Mo can do for itself right now is come up with a pink version of this. I think I would buy it for someone else, even. Likely a close friend, just so I can say this:

"Hey, can I make a quick phone call on your pink taco?"

[Temmy @ Aug 17th 2008 1:04AM]

The F480 never had GPS to start off with.. so I wonder how it's managed to "hang on" to that feature in the American version.

[devind5 @ Aug 17th 2008 1:23AM]

hilarious title, "beefy tocco", i'm sure it gives indigestion

[Robert Aitchison @ Aug 18th 2008 6:22PM]

I like Samsung products in general but I'd never consider one of their phones because of the proprietary charger/data connector.

Seriously, Mini-USB isn't too difficult people.