Samsung Omnia II unboxing and hands-on

It's here at last, and we're frankly thrilled to be holding Samsung's very first TouchWiz 2.0 device, the Verizon Wireless-bound Samsung Omnia II. The 2.0 software brings with it a Widget Store, and as a general UI manages to skin over a majority of Windows Mobile 6.5, which is puttering along underneath. The handset is a tad on the bulky side, but makes up for it with a wonderful 3.7-inch AMOLED WVGA screen and a very nice 5 megapixel camera. We'll have a review for you before long, but for now you can check out a quick video rundown (including some playtime with the Samsung-exclusive "Swype" keyboard) after the break. And if that video is enough to convince you, the phone is available now on Verizon Wireless for $200 after rebate.

Samsung Omnia II unboxing and hands-on

[MR Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:06AM]

Took too long! I'm waiting out for the HD2, worth the carrier switch!

[A Man Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:03PM]

@MR Lol, took too long so you're waiting for the HD2 now? HAHAHAHAH!!!!!

[MR Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:10PM]

@A Man Tell me about it.. Might as well wait around for HD2's successor - any info on what that may be? Aside from the tablets..

[Money2g Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:08AM]

So wheres the mythical Omnia HD, havent heard about it in a long time

[N900 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:12AM]

@Money2g Oh that's been out for quite a while now, as the i8910.

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i8910_omnia_hd-2691.php

[surgex Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:47AM]

@Money2g
It's not being released in the USA, it was released in the rest of the world over 6 months ago.

[Schmitty338 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:10AM]

I played with this at a local Bell store up here in Toronto and I was not impressed...the UI was neither intuitive nor responsive. TouchFLO (and obviously sense) UI is much better in all respect.

[ale Posted Dec 2nd 2009 12:03PM]

@(Unverified)
Amen

Honestly this thing is an experimentation in how many bad UI's and and OS's you can combine. The Behold 2 proved how Touch Wiz messed up Android. But that over WIndows Mobile? It's a disaster and a half. I feel bad for all the people waiting for this phone thinking it's gonna be good. The HD2 is the only way to buy Windows Mobile as far as I'm concerned. Maybe the Touch Pro 2 as well....

Touch Wiz should stay where it belongs! Dumbphones

[Alan Strangis Posted Dec 2nd 2009 3:15PM]

@(Unverified)

Depending on if you're willing to be on Rogers, the HD2 ROMs at XDAdevs run nicely on the Experia X1. Too bad about the bevel on the screen, but functionally quite nice.

[surgex Posted Dec 2nd 2009 6:43PM]

@(Unverified)
Oh you haven't seen the worst of it -- just wait until their BADA OS comes out -- an entire operating system based on touchwiz..LOL...instant fail

[ale Posted Dec 2nd 2009 8:07PM]

@surgex

ew
sounds gross

[N900 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:11AM]

Woah....I'd clear this and put .23502 on it. The TouchWiz interface is kinda hard to get used to.

[MoonWalkerCTE Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:20AM]

lolcats and ifart apps are the best.

[zephxiii Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:25AM]

Not impressive....lol cats ftw though! (even though the widget didn't work :(

[mobilenerd Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:55PM]

@(Unverified) LOL Cats worked for me. What's your issue?

[ddotmorse Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:27AM]

Touchscreen responsiveness looks cumbersome.

[Hotrod Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:30AM]

The sad thing is that someone will buy this.

[Eastman Posted Dec 2nd 2009 12:06PM]

@Hotrod
i def wont be buying this .. so thats everyone out of the question!

[bf710901 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 8:00PM]

@Hotrod
I will be buying this phone but I guarantee the ui will be nothing like it is stock. As it is now this is the most capable winmo phone available from a carrier in the US. I don't understand why everyone is saying this is antiquated hardware. 3.7" amoled, arm11(same core as tegra)@800mhz, 256mb of ram,wifi, 5mp camera.I'll admit I would have liked a cortex processor but this is as good as it gets for winmo phones. It's still a huge upgrade from my current phone with a 400mhz arm9 and 64mb of ram.

[Hydraulics Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:36AM]

Wow Paul Miller! You're cool and all, but you need to hit the treadmills or a quiet, long path.

[ljm Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:44AM]

@Hydraulics
Wow, you're not cool at all, you should take a long walk off a short pier.

[JoeyB Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:51AM]

@Hydraulics
Paul seems pretty cool, and he's a cute bear cub. Nothing wrong with that.

[Alco Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:51AM]

@Hydraulics How has this anything to do with the phone?

[surgex Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:49AM]

Hint, next time you make a video, TURN THE AUTOFOCUS ON THE VIDEO CAMERA OFF!

[Terrillo Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:12AM]

@surgex

I went back and watched it and you are right, i didn't notice it the first time

[bull3964 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:53AM]

I can't help but think they've missed the boat on this one. Sure, the processor is clocked at 800mhz, but it's still an ARM 11 core. It's also still a resistive touchscreen. I would have trouble signing up for a 2 year contract for such ancient hardware, no matter how they tried to polish it by hiding the WM interface and giving it such a gorgeous looking screen.

[silvestre Posted Dec 2nd 2009 11:58AM]

D-day — 6th of June. ;) Sorry for off-topic...

[kidwolf908 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 12:04PM]

I'm not sure I could hate that UI any more. My enV Touch dumbphone with BREW had a better user interface. TF3D And SenseUI best this all around, as stated before.

Responsiveness appears to be tremendously lacking as well compared to my TP2 with it's 528MHz Qualcomm.

Glad I didn't consider this one... HD2 for the win.

[lifan Posted Dec 2nd 2009 12:06PM]

resistive, slow response, real old technology nowdays. crappy. peroid.

[ai4281 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 12:57PM]

I like Paul's videos a lot. keep up the good work!

[NOOOOPedro Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:02PM]

Do want....the video makes it seem so bletch though.....

Throw TouchWiz in the bin and get SPB mobile shell, finger keyboard and gyrator2 and you will be away on that gorgeous screen.

I heard the battery life is very good also.

[BigNerd Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:05PM]

Is resistive vs. capacitive touch screens really that much of an issue?

I always see comments about how lame resistive is and that capacitive is the "pwn" but I don't see much of a difference.

In fact, I probably have a harder time using the iPhone than my WinMo phone because of the finger vs. fingernail difference. Guess it's just me.

[setulf Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:25PM]

@(Unverified) For me personally it isn't an issue. Resistive may not be as initially easy to use as capacitive, but in time I think it is. And as it is cold in my region of the country, I like not having to take my gloves off. Big plus in my book.

[BigNerd Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:39PM]

@setulf
Agreed... (as would those with sweaty hands... hehe).

And I think all those DS/DSLite/DSi owners aren't having too many issues with resistive touch screens.

[setulf Posted Dec 2nd 2009 3:21PM]

@(Unverified) A very good point; I don't hear people complaining about them too much! But they are mostly used with the stylus as well ... so I suppose that could be why.

[xFenixKnightx Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:25PM]

Meh, would have been really nice... 2 years ago.

[surgex Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:26PM]

I have mixed feelings about this device.
The guy in the video makes it look terrible, but he's an idiot...And don't you just love how when doing the typing comparisons at the end, he switches to using TWO hands with the iphone? What a dumbass lol.

Anyways,
TouchWiz should be disabled in favor of SPB Mobile Shell..I'd like to see how it runs with that installed, or even the standard WM interface on here. No one really cares about touchwiz widgets; they're stupid as all hell, I think we know that already.

The major problem this phone has though is that it is behind the times. The ARM11 processor, capacitive screen, and 5MP\D1 camera reeks of antiquated technology. But, what you may not know is that this phone was released in the rest of the world about 6 months ago. What took verizon so long is beyond me...cause back then it really was a nice phone, but now -- compared to other WM offerings (especially the HD2), this is just too old.

Then look at the Omnia HD, which is samsung's highest spec'd phone of 2009 -- 720p video camera, capacitive screen, swappable sd card -- it beats the HTC HD2 in hardware specs, but samsung has basically abandoned it and it's buggy as all hell, and also runs Symbian (ew!).

[jdeg Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:35PM]

Found a good review of the phone here:
http://cellphoneforums.net/cell-phone-reviews/t305914-samsung-omnia-ii-sch-i920-verizon-review.html

[creatza555 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:37PM]

I would like to buy one! Do you recommend me one?

[crichton007 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:48PM]

Wow, this hands on has completely killed what little (VERY little) enthusiasm I had for this device.

[Ladderless Posted Dec 2nd 2009 1:57PM]

I wonder if this will update to WM7.

That could justify a purchase, if someone wants to get WM7 when it comes out, but needs a decent piece of hardware now.

[bull3964 Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:28PM]

It only has an ARM11 processor. Microsoft has required OMAP3, Snapdragon, or Tegra as platforms for WM7 and none of those use ARM11 as their core processor.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2009 5:37PM]

@bull3964
Dumbass, tegra is ARM11 based.

[dieterk Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:04PM]

GUYS!!! YOUR VIDEOS GIVE ME A BLOODY HEADACHE!!!

Is there any possibility that the video of a mobile doesn't go out of focus every 5 seconds?

[Elite Cataphract Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:13PM]

What a messy interface. Typical of such a downright cheap and unreliable brand.

[itknowl Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:36PM]

very bad video. Engadget you should ashame of it.

[Etilord Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:54PM]

samsumg and htc come-on.... you've made the phone, can't you just put android on it too? Sell it under a different name, dual boot, i don't care, just let us have it.

[artshark Posted Dec 2nd 2009 2:59PM]

samsung accidentally the whole windows mobile. looks like shit.

[dieterk Posted Dec 2nd 2009 3:02PM]

Yep. What is it with the video quality?

Show the mobile device in its entirety (rotating it) for 2 min. Then place it in a fixed holder that does not move with a fixed camera position. NO FOCUS PROBLEMS anymore.

Honestly, teenagers on Youtube do much better quality movies with their webcam. I feel really annoyed with Engadget now!

[305BuddyLuv Posted Dec 2nd 2009 3:13PM]

This Guy needs to take some more training on giving product review. It was painful for me.