Samsung Omnia II and the case of the musical guided tour

Samsung's Omnia II and its gorgeous 3.7-inch AMOLED screen is still without a Verizon release date, but don't let that stop you from enjoying Italian site HDBlog's ten-minute guided tour of the device. Hard to tell exactly how crisp is from the footage, and we also couldn't help but note a good bit of interface lag, especially when using the new cube menu. We're hopeful that'll get remedied before launch, and all in all, it's looking good, and the hardware definitely has some style. Grab some popcorn, video is after the break.

[Via Slashgear]

[BumGravy @ Jul 5th 2009 9:06PM]

I like it when "Icons become bigger when you finger them".

[Colonel Panic @ Jul 5th 2009 9:11PM]

Ahhhhhh!!!!!!......Weegee!!!!!! *Runs away screaming*

[Barney @ Jul 5th 2009 9:30PM]

I like Ross Miller's article on engadget!

[Markarian @ Jul 5th 2009 10:32PM]

What the hell is an Italian gadget blog doing with a CDMA phone?

[sacapuntas @ Jul 6th 2009 1:18AM]

Dang! This Phone has DNSE for audio!!! That fact alone gives this phone a leg up on the competition for media enabled phones. Anyone who has ever used DNSE will well you, it makes your audio sound amazing. :D

[OneLove @ Jul 6th 2009 9:47AM]

let me first say, "MAn hAnds"! Also, where is the HTC touch Pro 2?

[gouken85 @ Jul 6th 2009 3:05PM]

Give me the CUBE Booooooyyyyy!!

[Conor @ Jul 5th 2009 9:10PM]

8 Jigga-bite.

Italian women for the win

[a ham sandwich @ Jul 5th 2009 9:26PM]

well, i guess to her it WOULD be 1.21 jiggawatts! :P

[derX @ Jul 5th 2009 10:04PM]

Her accent was just too damn awesome. I had--and still don't--no intentions of owning that device, but still I could not help but watch all 10:53.

[Celedhring @ Jul 5th 2009 9:15PM]

Something that bugs me about all these WinMo devices with little onboard memory: can you boot apps off a memory card? I will be able to get this beauty for little from my domestic carrier, and the AMOLED screen is stunning.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 5th 2009 9:44PM]

The iPhone doesn't need a memory card slot when it comes with 16 or 32GB of flash. I'd bet if you put a memory slot in the iPhone, less than 10% of owners would ever use it. Its a PHONE.

[derX @ Jul 5th 2009 9:58PM]

Okay, I'm not gonna get all macWhore on you because I'm not. But I will say, having used one, the iPhone is an excellent melding of an iPod with a phone. On that note, in the same manner there is a need for 60GB+ iPods, the same for iPhones would be welcome, I'm sure.

Furthermore, the oversimplification of devices of today, and not just the iPhone, as being "just phones" is just incomprehensible for me. Surely there is a difference between an iPhone, an LG Xenon, and a Nokia 1100.

[Major4Play @ Jul 5th 2009 10:22PM]

The ability to run apps off your memory card has been with us since pocket pc winmo 2002 D'OH!

[johnsushant1 @ Jul 6th 2009 3:55AM]

I know why iPhone does not include a card slot. Then no one would buy 16GB or 32GB iPhone. iPhone with memory slot would mean 40GB(8 + 32) for less than 270$ which is much less than retail price. Apple makes money in every possible way.

[Rollins @ Jul 5th 2009 9:25PM]

WinMo is a dumbphone OS?

[jay jay @ Jul 5th 2009 9:27PM]

this looks alot like the samsung android phone

[CJ @ Jul 6th 2009 12:14PM]

Really?

A phone, made by Samsung, looks a lot like a phone made by SAMSUNG? Must be KIRF

[GingerFox @ Jul 5th 2009 9:37PM]

Does look really quite laggy(N)

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 5th 2009 9:47PM]

Windows mobile will never get better until it can actually take advantage of modern smartphone hardware, like new ARM instruction sets, SIMD, DSPs, GPUs, etc. Most importantly, they badly need to toss out the ancient software-rendered GDI graphics system and get a modern hardware-accelerated GUI for god sakes. Running the interface in software is the reason why the windows mobile interface is slow and laggy --- Same with web browsers zooming and panning.

[PEZOLLA @ Jul 5th 2009 11:24PM]

@ loosely_coupled: ITS NOT WINMO YOU FOOL. ITS TOUCHWIZ OS!

[Mikeo @ Jul 5th 2009 10:30PM]

loosely stop with the semitrue BS.

You do NOT need a compiler change to take advantage of ARMv7's 1.5-2x speed increase in terms of integer computations at all. Dual issue and speculative OOO are not extensions, they are an integral part of how the CPU computes.

Do you need a new Windows version to make the Core 2 Duo faster in tasks against the Pentium 4? To take advantage of u-ops fusion and its 4-issue width, or its aggressive prefetch mechanisms?

And no, stop painting the picture that Android/OSX Mobile even uses the streaming extensions on ARMv7. Apple just like the others, are in for the integer performance increase. Palm might adapt it later on if it needs it, but not for now.

WM's slowness is attributed to the handset makers just slapping the software on top of the hardware and expect it to work with full blast, like the early demos of the Toshiba TG01. The newest builds of WM6.5 near-unanimously solve all of these problems.

This is why some newer Qualcomm ARMv6 phones (the 2 newest HTCs) are comparatively blazing fast even on the WM6.1 pig (of which 6.5 is even faster in most cases). And this is all still based off the "vintage" CE 5.x core.

[sweet greggo @ Jul 6th 2009 1:57AM]

Whatever it needs, it needs it bad. The lag was very distracting, esp for a high end phone like this.

I really like what I saw though. The UI still needs cleaning up, but Samsung is doing a pretty good job overlaying WinMo. I especially like the music app. Very nice.

[xiton @ Jul 5th 2009 9:39PM]

There's so much misinformation about the phone in this tour. Half of what the person says about it is incorrect.

[xiton @ Jul 5th 2009 11:41PM]

I also have to say, that while the interface looks excellent, it also appears to be incredibly slow. Does it bother anyone else that it glitches as it slides from one screen to the next? Maybe I'm just anal.

[n_shakuras @ Jul 5th 2009 9:41PM]

Don't feed the trolls.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 5th 2009 9:42PM]

When is Verizon going to get a decent Android/iPhone/Web OS smartphone?? I hate Windows mobile (much experience) and I'm sick of the limitations of Blackberry OS (not to mention their weak processors, non use of GPU, etc) --- Although I will say that the BB Tour is pretty good is far better than the ancient 8830 Curve they've been selling.

[derX @ Jul 5th 2009 9:52PM]

I loved WinMo for a while until some little annoyances in the interface became huge gripes, e.g., the organization (or lack thereof) of the program screen. I believe for an a technologically literate consumer, WinMo is just awesome because of its high functionality and I guess most programs can be solved with a skin. I am not skillfully technologically literate yet. Moral of that story: I understand why you don't want a Windows device (though I am excited for WinMo 7 or even the manufacture-skinned WinMo 6.5).

What I do not understand is all the fanfare about Android? I get that it has a lot of potential but it's a fledgling OS with lots of improvements ahead of it. And as far as aesthetics go, it's FAIL. Again, I know it is potentially awesome, but in its current state, to me, not so much. Why do find Android so appealing? (I understand your WebOS love - it totally rocks my goddamn socks.)

[jay jay @ Jul 5th 2009 9:55PM]

have you seen what htc did with android in HERO?

[derX @ Jul 5th 2009 10:01PM]

Well, if it's just a skin job--though an amazing one--coupled with kickass hardware, then I wouldn't get loosely_coupled aversion to WinMo devices.

[n_shakuras @ Jul 5th 2009 9:43PM]

And maybe you missed the part where the screen said "START" with the Windows logo. Just saying.

[kaminariko @ Jul 5th 2009 9:51PM]

"apples revolutionary Iphone OS"

That cracked me up. I bet that Apple Kool-Aid is pretty good stuff, huh?

[PEZOLLA @ Jul 5th 2009 10:07PM]

This seems like a decent phone for Verizon - whats it running? OS of the week?
The problem I have is th ridiculous quirky beeps when a button is pushed. This isn't
1980 video game pop time. There could have been a better job done there for sure.

[Jughead @ Jul 6th 2009 12:40AM]

It's Windows Mobile 6.1 under Samsung's skin. It's the same concept as installing SPB Mobile Shell on any WinMo phone.

[Hitman @ Jul 5th 2009 10:06PM]

As if "OCEAN CLAK 31st Account" wasn't dorky enough!
Copy and paste is a revolutionary feature by Apple, mate...I see!

I think you forgot to pull your head outta your iButthole!

[derX @ Jul 5th 2009 10:06PM]

N_shakuras, wise person you are. Some people are the ones that go to the circus and cannot resist the urge to take flash photography. God rest their souls.

[Hunts314 @ Jul 5th 2009 10:08PM]

revolutionary OS? you can't even change the alert tones on the damn thing....every cell phone since forever (as far as the tech is concerned) has had that ability. It is a PHONE first afterall and it can't do that or MMS yet (with ATT). The fact that its just getting MMS and copy/past cements what a laughable claim "revolutionary" is. Smartphones and even most dumbphones have had all of these things I've mentioned for a long time.

[Look_Around_You @ Jul 5th 2009 10:29PM]

"it was also the first phone to feature a touch screen, full web browser to surf every site, and downloadable apps, and less restrictions"

Maybe your 32nd account will come with an intelligence upgrade.

[Al @ Jul 5th 2009 10:29PM]

So then the HTC Elf(which later became touch) does not count? Well the App store wasn't called an app store it was just a link to HandanGo site. And web browser was IE and Opera 8.5(which at the time was able to utilize flash), then again there were many other touch screen WM phone before that with the similar features.

[Demo @ Jul 5th 2009 10:32PM]

"We're hopeful that'll get remedied before launch"

Unfortunately, it seems to be extremely rare that a company bothers to actually remedy stuff like this before launch.

[Ryujin @ Jul 5th 2009 10:50PM]

@Ocean Clak

I must say your the stupidest fanboy i've seen for a while. One the touchscreen is due to the hardware not software (even then its not the first device) and less restrictions and downloadable apps? Seriously? Research please. LOL

[Jacob Decoteau @ Jul 5th 2009 11:30PM]

did she say "samsung has optimized the interface to use it without pants?"

[Matt @ Jul 5th 2009 11:36PM]

I'd rather see the current omnia patched up a bit so it didn't lag so much.

[Jughead @ Jul 6th 2009 12:44AM]

go here: http://www.modaco.com/category/405/i910-specific-omnia-rom-discussion/ read for 30 minutes then flash your phone to a custom ROM. I have an Omnia at work on Bgill55's 6.5 Rom v3.0 M2D, runs smooth as silk plus HTC's M2D and TF3D UI is one of the best out there.

[lessthantito @ Jul 5th 2009 11:39PM]

Why don't nice looking Samsung phones show up on Sprint, maybe not this exact one but I would really love the Omnia or the new Android one or how about something like the Impression, why doesn't cdma have many good "smartphones"?

[Oren @ Jul 5th 2009 11:40PM]

Sprint better get this -- I would chose this guy over the TP2!

[Webber @ Jul 5th 2009 11:58PM]

This device would rock with a 4.0" capacitative screen (keep the AMOLED, it's absolutely stunning), a physical keyboard (preferably horizontal, gives more space, allows device to be tilted for better visibility), and the same interface layered on top of Android.

[quiksilv3r @ Jul 6th 2009 12:08AM]

that woman has some serious man hands

[sespesteve @ Jul 6th 2009 12:18AM]

Has anyone tried cookin any pancakes on the back of their new Apple iPhone 3G S? I hear the overheating problem can be real useful.. especially with backpackers. I think i would try some apple pancakes first... and what about that White 3G S? I hear they got an app for that one called Cameleon... you run the app and it changes your new white iPhone 3G S to a burnt amber color... what will they think of next overthere at Apple? They always amaze me.

[sespesteve @ Jul 8th 2009 10:59PM]

Has anyone tried cookin any pancakes on the back of their new Apple iPhone 3G S? I hear the overheating problem can be real useful.. especially with backpackers. I think i would try some apple pancakes first... and what about that White 3G S? I hear they got an app for that one called Cameleon... you run the app and it changes your new white iPhone 3G S to a burnt amber color... what will they think of next overthere at Apple? They always amaze me.