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Samsung's retail Omnia II smartphone gets hands-on treatment
Oh sure, we've seen Samsung's WinMo-powered Omnia II a time or two before, but this looks to be the first instance of it waltzing in front of a camera after leaving its retail packaging. Not much seems to have changed from those pre-release versions we peeked, and we have to say, that 3.7-inch AMOLED display looks awfully inviting. Of course, you'll have a hard time procuring one of these critters here in North America without a solid importer over in Singapore, but if you can somehow steal some patience from underneath that couch cushion, you'll be just fine. Give the read link some love for a few more high-res shots.
Samsung Omnia II gets banded for US 3G, but it's not for the US
Remember how Verizon is getting the Omnia II? Yeah, well, don't get too excited, because this isn't it. A version of Samsung's latest full-touch WinMo superphone just garnered FCC approval, and more excitingly, it packs WCDMA bands II and V -- exactly the bands we use in North America -- but you might notice that there's a surprising dearth of English on the product's certification label. Well, see, it turns out that South America uses those bands, too -- and the "L" in this version's model number of i8000L probably stands for Latin America, if we had to guess. That's not to say savvy North Americans couldn't import this and get some juicy 3G on AT&T or Rogers, but at least in AT&T's case, we still don't have any particular reason to believe that this'll land over there. Certainly wouldn't hurt their case, though, would it? [Via Cell Phone Signal]
Oh, by the way: July 16, 2009
Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of mobile for Thursday, July 16th, 2009: The Samsung Omnia II will go on sale in Singapore this Saturday, July 18 for S$898 (about $619) unlocked, while the Omnia Pro will be available August 1 for something under S$550 (about $379). [Thanks, Rixter] Remember that mysterious Samsung Link for Bell? MobileSyrup has scored the lowdown on the device, and it turns out not to be a smartphone of any sort -- instead, it's just a text-centric dumbphone (isn't that theme starting to get a little played out?) with a 1.3 megapixel camera and a 2.2-inch display. It'll allegedly launch on July 30 in your choice of white or black for CAD $19.95 (about $18) on a three-year deal. HTC has already managed to roll a fix for that Bluetooth vulnerability they've been dogged by in recent days. [Via pocketnow.com] Ovi Maps 3.1, N-Gage, Ovi Contacts 2.1, and a mysterious "phone memory update" are all now available to users of North American Nokia N97s. Early reports suggest that some users are having trouble getting the goods installed successfully, so let us know how it goes. Continuing a trend it started earlier this year on other smartphones, Verizon has gone ahead and unlocked the GPS on its Samsung Omnia with an official firmware update. The release also includes an updated WinMo 6.1 AKU, Bluetooth tethering support through VZ Access Manager, and some memory fixes. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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]
Android lovingly, painstakingly ported to Samsung's Omnia
This project's a few days old, but it's so cool that we wanted to bring it to your attention anyway: "andromnia." From the name, you might be able to gather that this is all about porting Android to the Samsung Omnia, which represents the marriage of one awesome piece of hardware with one very awesome platform, as far as we're concerned. Of course, a project of this magnitude requires hackery of the highest order, and the going's not easy -- things like "calling" don't readily work at the moment -- but it appears to be actively developing, so if you've got an Omnia handy and WinMo isn't really your bag, we'd recommend keeping an eye on this.
Samsung's Omnia family hands-on, Samsung Jet and Pixon 12 come along for the ride
Samsung just pulled a bit of a "Samsung" and completely blew out its Omnia lineup. We just got some face time with the new Omnia II, Omnia Pro, Omnia Lite and the Omnia-inspired Jet, along with the Pixon 12 -- which runs the same in-house Samsung OS as the Jet, but packs a 12 megapixel camera. It's hard not to notice the stunning AMOLED screens on these phones, especially up against the dull-by-comparison Omnia Lite with its petty LCD. Unfortunately, while the build quality is good and the specs are certainly all there, all the phones were fairly slow in regular operation. The Jet and Pixon were passable (and the Jet certainly ought to be, with an 800MHz "application processor"), but we can't imagine anybody finding any pleasure in the molasses Windows Mobile 6.1 experiences on the Omnia trio. The Jet has a fun little 3D UI "cube" gimmick, which involves the pointless spinning of a cube to access different media apps, but most of what we saw was pretty standard TouchWiz. We did like the speed of Pixon's camera, which does a Pre-style trick of sending photo processing duties to the background so you can snap another photo with little delay in between -- it's also pretty good at auto focus and color accuracy for a phone, but we won't be trading in our regular point and shoot in the near term. None of the phones we looked at had network access, so we weren't able to test out the WebKit browsers, but it sounds like a major win for the Jet and Pixon. Let's just work on that Omnia responsiveness a bit, yeah Samsung? Perhaps Windows Mobile 6.5 (the Omnia II and Omnia Pro are 6.5-ready) will help.Update: we added a video of the Omnia II and Omnia Pro after the break!
Samsung Omnia II now official: AMOLED touchscreen with TouchWiz 2.0 destined for Verizon
Although not exactly the best kept secret (we first caught wind last week), Samsung's Verizon-bound Omnia II / I8000 is now one hundred percent official, along with even more official US confirmations for the Omnia Pro B760 (Louvre) slider, Omnia Pro B7320 candybar, and the Omnia Lite B7300. Specs for the Omnia II are just a little different than what we previously heard: 3.7-inch AMOLED resistive touchscreen with WVGA (480 x 800) resolution, 7.2Mbps HSPA (or EV-DO Rev. A for Verizon's version), 5 megapixel camera, 720 x 480 at 30fps video recording, 2GB to 16GB internal storage with microSD expansion slot, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi, AGPS, and TouchWiz 2.0 UI. As for the Lite, we're looking at HSDPA, WiFi, 3 megapixel camera, AGPS, and just as the name suggests, a good likelihood it'll be overshadowed by its more feature-rich brother. Update: We can't say it's unexpected, but just to be clear, Omnia II buyers shouldn't worry about living in the past. Yahoo! Tech reports its WinMo 6.1 underbelly will be later upgradeable to 6.5.
Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 slider gets official reveal
Samsung's being tight-lipped with the details, but at least it did us the solid of making its Omnia Pro B7610 (aka, B7610 Louvre) QWERTY slider official today at CommunicAsia. The phone on the right is the Omnia Pro B7320, which, if we're not mistaken, is just the Jack candybar already available to AT&T customers. Unfortuantely, Samsung isn't giving out any detail on the B7610 so we'll have to go on believing in the rumored 3.5-inch AMOLED display with 800x480 pixel resolution, 5.1 megapixel camera, 7.2Mbps HSDPA data, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, 1GB built-in with microSDHC expansion, and 800MHz processor driving Windows Mobile until they tell us something different.[Via Akihabara News]
Samsung Omnia Pro to be the Louvre B7610?
We're actually surprised we didn't make the connection earlier, but word on the street today is the rumored Samsung Omnia Pro will actually be a renamed Louvre B7610, a set that's been popping up a lot lately. Makes sense -- the Louvre's 3.5-inch WVGA AMOLED screen, 800MHz processor, and 5.1 megapixel camera match up nicely with the Omnia line. It's running Windows Mobile 6.1 right now, but we wouldn't be too surprised if the rumored August release date is held back to September or October to coincide with WinMo 6.5. One more pic after the break, couple more at the read links.[Via Unwired View]Read - Connect-UTB postRead - Beyond3D forum post
Samsung's Omnia II / GT-I8000 leaks early?
Oh look, something other than a Pre or iPhone... it's Samsung's GT-I8000, or Omnia II / Omnia 2 as it's expected to be known by the time it launches. Spec-counters will want to listen in close 'cause the GT-I8000 comes packing a 3.7-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) AMOLED display (presumably the same display just revealed by Samsung last week) with an 8.1 megapixel camera lit by dual-LEDs capable of recording VGA video at 30fps. The Lithuanian on-line retailer responsible for leaking the specs (which have now been removed) says we'll see a 1500mAh battery powering HSDPA data with a custom "cubic" UI (looking very similar to the UI on the S8000 Jet) riding atop Windows Mobile. With a superior spec-sheet it has to be a superior phone right?
Samsung Omnia HD i8910 reviewed in the glow of the AMOLED screen
Whether you call it OmniaHD, i8910 HD, or even "Timmy Tim" (hey, it could happen), Samsung's AMOLED--infused smartphone is a winner, if the fine lads at Phone Arena are to be believed. Points go to its HD video recording and playback, a surprisingly good battery life, and a form factor that's not too hard on the pocket, measuring in at just a wee bit taller and thicker than the HTC Touch HD. Not everything's sunshine and rainbows, though, as trying to use it in direct sunlight's a lost cause and the phone is a magnet for fingerprints. Still, those are pretty minor in comparison, and this is sounding more and more like a solid smartphone. Hit up the read link for a more thorough review, or after the break for the moving pictures version.
Samsung Omnia Pro with landscape QWERTY coming this summer?
This is totally unsubstantiated, but also totally plausible -- likely, even -- so we wanted to pass along a hot rumor out of Italian site hdblog.it claiming that there'll be a QWERTY-equipped Omnia Pro hitting the market in the coming months, and they've even crafted a mockup looking like the offspring of an F700 and an original Omnia to illustrate their point. Specifically, the rumor suggests that the Omnia Pro will run Windows Mobile 6.1 upgradeable to 6.5 -- which might explain Sammy's decision to back off the OmniaHD branding for the Symbian-powered i8910 -- along with a 5 megapixel cam and sweet 3.5-inch WVGA AMOLED display. Considering that the old Omnia is widely considered to be one of the company's better (and more successful) smartphones in recent memory, it certainly stands to reason that they'd want to carry on the legacy -- and slapping on a sliding landscape keyboard seems like a no-brainer way to do it. To top things off, gossip has this sucker launching this summer for something in the range of €500 ($662), which throws it face-first into this summer's superphone smackdown alongside the N97, the GSM Pre, and whatever Apple has up its sleeves. Fun time to be alive, isn't it? [Via Slashphone]
Telus launches Samsung OMNIA
Telus announced it's sitting down with the Samsung OMNIA fanclub today. You should all be well versed in all things OMNIA by now, but if not, here's a quick rundown. This slate features a 3.2-inch touchscreen to let Windows Mobile 6.1 with TouchWiz shine, 8GB of storage, a 5 megapixel camera, WiFi, and the cute little touch sensitive d-pad. Pricing is $499 off contract, $449 (roughly $400) on one year, $349 ($280) on two years, and $129 (about $100) on a three year stint. While we do love this handset, the fact we know Verizon's got it for only 99 bills makes that pricing a little hard to chew. Of course, if you're getting an itch for a new set -- and don't live in the US -- Samsung's OMNIA is available on Telus' site right now.
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]
Leaked slide reveals Samsung going big with touchphones in '09
The same slide from the very same Dutch dealer event that outed Samsung's supposed Android device had a gaggle of other goodies on it, too, though we don't know a lot about 'em -- but what we do know is that everything you see here is touch-enabled, two of the devices augment the touch with QWERTY slides, and it's all supposed to be released over the course of this year. That's a pretty amazing plan considering the caliber of hardware we seem to be looking at here, but then again, if any phone manufacturer has the resources and the stones to pull off a plan like that, it'd be Sammy. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit here is All About Phones' claim that Samsung has a Windows Mobile 6.5-powered version of the Omnia HD in the works -- and considering the perception that they'd abandoned WinMo for S60 with the flagship line, we can hear the sighs of relief out of Redmond all the way from here. Little is known about when or where we can expect any of this stuff, so we'll be keeping a close eye.
Samsung turning 50 peeps into 'Omnia HD Ambassadors' ahead of launch
Most of us will have to wait a few months to get a crack at spending untold hundreds of dollars on Omnia HDs of our own, but for a lucky few -- fifty, to be exact -- the opportunity is just around the corner. Oh, and the phone is free, too. The catch? First off, you've got to convince Samsung you're special enough to get one of the rarefied prerelease units, then you've got to be an "Omnia HD Ambassador" -- that is, you've got to show the world why the phone is so freakin' awesome (and considering the dreamy specs, that shouldn't be too big of a challenge). The contest to be become an Ambassador runs through the 27th of the month, with winners announced in early April -- so polish your resume, comb your hair, and have a shot at it.
Samsung WMG100 brings OmniaHD video to the television, via WiFi
Just how the Samsung OmniaHD's video could reach directly from phone to TV screen was a bit of a mystery until the Engadget Spanish crew spotted the WMG100. Don't already own one of Samsung's high end sets with WiFi and DLNA built in? This dongle bridges the gap with all the necessary tech built in, pushing a max 480p (whether HD streaming to other devices from the OmniaHD will work is unknown) from its mini HDMI or component outputs for around €160 ($200), and is already available in Korea with a European debut planned for this spring. The idea that we'd ever get tired of watching that sweet AMOLED display is a bit of a reach, but just in case check out the gallery for some hands on pics.%Gallery-45209%
Verizon Wireless sinks Samsung Omnia to $99 on contract
Samsung's Omnia stayed at its original $249.99 for an amazing six days on Verizon Wireless before dropping to $199.99. Two months later, it's down to $99.99 when purchased on a two year contract. Why the drop, you ask? Oh, we don't know -- probably because it looks totally antiquated when sized up against the recently unveiled OmniaHD. Just call it a hunch.[Via Boy Genius Report]
Samsung OmniaHD hands-on
We're not sure if it's the 720p video or the simply breathtaking 3.5-inch display that does it for us, but one way or another, Samsung's ridiculously-spec'd OmniaHD is a sight to behold. The team at Engadget Spanish had a chance to swing by and check out the high-end handset's goodies today, and let's get right down to the point (and the main reason you'd buy this phone): the video that's getting shown off on the phone looks as good or better than anything we've ever seen before (it does have "HD" in its name, after all). Follow the break for the video!%Gallery-44876%
Samsung OmniaHD and BeatDisc official images revealed
We've already seen Samsung's OmniaHD via a massive MWC billboard, and now it looks like the gang at Samsung Central have managed to get their hands on an official shot of the handset. There's also an image of the BeatDisc, another entry into the company's new Beat series alongside the previously-spotted BeatDJ. Other than the appearance of widgets on the OmniaHD's screen, we've got no details on the pair. We're expecting all mysteries to be solved at Sammy's press event tomorrow.
