Live from Samsung's Android event!
We're here live at Samsung's mysterious Android event... actually, it's not that mysterious since we're dead certain we're about to see the well-leaked Continuum make its official debut. Regardless, we're here and we're bloggin', so settle in and let's see if Sammy and Verizon have any actual surprises for us, shall we?
6:43PM And that's it, apparently. We're off for some hands-on -- Samsung is reminding us that there's free food and drink again.
6:43PM Not word on a Froyo update for Galaxy S devices here.
6:43PM 5 megapixel camera with flash, as well.
6:42PM 1GHz Hummingbird, 720p camcorder, Android 2.1, 8GB microSD expandable to 32, 3G Mobile Hotspot.
6:42PM Swipe between ticker functions.
6:42PM The ticker is controlled by a grip sensor. "It's rude to check your phone every minute -- you do a gentle grip on the side and the ticker alone lights up to show new notifications. If nothing's happened, you just see the time and temperature."
6:41PM Lastly, the ticker shows media controls.
6:41PM Built in VZ Navigator, so turn-by-turn GPS directions are displayed on the ticker. That's awesome.
6:40PM That button on the right is the ticker history -- you hit it to bring up all the notifications that have hit the ticker.
6:40PM Fourth, incoming call and text alerts -- you can answer and ignore calls and texts.
6:39PM Third is RSS feeds -- ten preloaded feeds, and you can add others directly from the browser. Touch to open the story in the browser.
6:39PM Second is missed notifications: SMS, MMS, IM, email, all updated live. Click to bring up the message directly.
6:38PM Seven specific ticker services, first is standby mode -- date, time, weather.
6:38PM 3.4 inch WVGA Super AMOLED display, with a 1.8 inch ticker display below it.
6:37PM "So this is the Samsung Continuum, a Galaxy S phone exclusively on Verizon Wireless. Launching very soon."
6:37PM Looks like the ticker can also be configured as a dock for apps and shortcuts.
6:36PM Looks like apps can hit the secondary display -- they just showed a guy watching a movie and getting an ESPN score alert.
6:36PM We're watching a video here. Life is a continuum, guys.
6:35PM "We were inspired by Times Square and the stock ticker for speed and real time updates... for the first time I bring you the Samsung Continuum!"
6:35PM "People are multitaskers... almost hypertaskers." Meme alert!
6:34PM "You're familiar with the Galaxy S smartphones... but there are more opportunities in the smartphone market."
6:34PM Nick DeCarlo from Samsung up on stage now.
6:34PM Three million Galaxy S phones shipped in the US.
6:33PM Chief marketing officer Paul Golden on stage now. "Thanks for coming out to be with us, we're very excited about out announcement tonight." Announcement, singular. That doesn't bode well.
6:33PM "I can't remember a year in the five years I've been with Samsung that we've been here with so many events."
6:32PM "Good evening, thank you all for coming!"
6:32PM Okay, we're getting underway here. We hope.
6:30PM And now the Bravery is on. At this point this is just a really polite college party. And everyone's parents have shown up. Oh, and the college kids aren't here. Pretty weird party, actually.
6:27PM And now duck with marinated orange in a puff pastry shell. This is getting serious.
6:24PM And now Weezer is on. Is it weird that we can't hear "Say It Ain't So" without instinctively doing the Rock Band finger motions now?
6:20PM Chicken fingers and risotto / mozzarella croquettes now making the rounds. If Samsung doesn't start this thing soon we'll all be passed out.
6:18PM False alarm -- they cut the Killers off so they could kick in some MGMT.
6:18PM And the Killers have been abruptly shut off. Let's get this party started.
6:17PM Just looking at the various Continuum promo images floating about, it looks like the secondary display can at least show the time, weather, and text messages. There's also an icon on the right side that looks like it'll launch a message reply, so we'd guess the front of the phone is one large touch surface -- we'd definitely wondering how easy it'll be to hit the Android buttons, but we'll find out when we get some hands-on time.
6:13PM And on to "Friday I'm In Love." Fine, Samsung, you got us. We love the Cure. We admit it.
6:11PM "Hey folks, just wanted to let you know that the bar is... OPEN." Not being very subtle here.
6:11PM Hey, what's this? A closer look at the Continuum displayed on screen reveals that it's another in Verizon's line of Bing-infused Android phones. That's... cool.
6:09PM We've gone from dramatic action movie score to Phoenix. Even secret agents need to stop checking their stocks and look at twee vacation slideshows, we suppose.
6:08PM We're here -- Samsung is plying the invitees with beef tenderloin on crostini and an open bar, while security guards with stock-ticker T-shirts wander about to James Bond-esque music. It's very strange.
