SCH-i910
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Samsung Omnia coming to Bell and Telus next month
It's a little sad that Samsung's 5MP Omnia is just now getting around to Canada's CDMA carriers -- you know, given that you're already savvy on the OmniaHD -- but at least it's coming, right? The WinMo 6.1-equipped handset won't be changing in terms of specs, but we are told that it'll be splashing down on both Bell Mobility and Telus this April. The pain? MobileSyrup has it that Bell's Omnia will run $549.95 outright or as low as $349.95 on a three-year contract, which sounds patently absurd and completely believable at the same time.[Via MobileSyrup]
Samsung Omnia becomes first DivX Certified handset in USA
Samsung's Omnia is far from being the first handset in its stable to grab the coveted DivX Certified badge, but it is the first with said badge to ship in the United States of America. What's it all mean? Pretty simple, really -- those lured in by the Omnia's boyish good looks and seductive touchpanel will have no issues playing back DivX video files on the 3.2-inch screen, regardless of whether those files are stored on the 8GB of internal space or on a microSD card. We probably speak for DivX fans across the web when we say that this is hopefully just the beginning of a long list of DivX-friendly phones to come stateside.
Verizon announces Samsung Omnia for $249.99
If it's a 5-megapixel cameraphone you're looking for, there are decidedly cheaper entries on the market -- but if only a 5-megapixel WinMo Professional set will do, the Omnia's just about the best (read: only) deal you'll find on an American carrier these days. The CDMA translation of the smartphone that Samsung's been selling in other parts of the world for much of 2008 in GSM form carries over most of its key features, namely Windows Mobile 6.1 with TouchWiz, WiFi, DivX certification, the love-it-or-hate-it optical directional pad, and that beefy cam with flash and autofocus. It also nabs VZ Navigator support, stereo Bluetooth, a 3.2-inch 400 x 240 display, and 8GB of internal memory. Gives pause to that imminent Touch Pro purchase, doesn't it? Look for it to be available for order this week -- a full retail launch is expected come December 8 -- for $249.99 after rebate on a two-year contract.
Samsung Omnia makes official Verizon appearance
Not that we've any reason to be shocked here, but Samsung's Omnia is indeed coming to Verizon Wireless. 'Course, most everyone with any remote affiliation to Big Red is frenzied over that other phone today, but those with a soft spot for Windows Mobile 6.1 may want to give this one a bit of attention. You know the highlight specs by now -- a 5-megapixel camera / camcorder, full HTML browser and an expansive touchscreen -- but the nitty-gritty details are still being withheld. As of now, the link on Samsung's website tunnels straight to an error page, forcing us to be content with the knowledge that somehow, someday, this phone is destined for a life on VZW's shelves. Enlarged screengrab is after the jump.
WiFi certification: pretty strong evidence Verizon's Omnia is WiFi-equipped
There's some ongoing debate as to whether Verizon's upcoming version of the Samsung Omnia, the predictably-named SCH-i910, would feature WiFi. In general, Verizon's historically just been about the least WiFi-friendly of the major US carriers, so prevailing logic had us believing (pessimists that we are) that the Omnia would rely on EV-DO alone to go about its high-speed data business, too. Ah, but wait -- there's this little matter of a WiFi Alliance certification proudly proclaiming the i910 as a "Phone, dual-mode (Wi-Fi and cellular)," which would suggest that there's an extra radio up in there somewhere. Of course, Verizon could go ahead and disable that circuitry in software before they drop it on a store shelf, but with that giant heart of gold of theirs, would they really sink so low as to disable it? (Don't answer that.)[Thanks, Ari]
