Samsung has announced that the Samsung Wave has surpassed one million sales.
The news goes some way in fulfilling Samsung’s intentions that the Wave should be a popular handset that opens up the smartphone market to the masses. The manufacturer will be doubly pleased since the Wave is the first phone to run on the home-brewed Bada platform.
With its superb Super AMOLED screen and responsive capacitive touchscreen, the Wave certainly offers customers a great deal of functionality for a low price and retailers have been able to offer extremely cheap Samsung Wave deals. However, there have been some reservations over the platform’s lack of apps.
These encouraging sales reports should do much to encourage developers to starting porting their existing titles to Samsung’s new O/S, but only future growth will convince devs to start creating entirely new apps to this largely uncharted operating system.
closeAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars… Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I’d be all like, “Shh…,” and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I’m EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren’t gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (1307)
Just as we were wondering what on Earth (or in space, ha!) happened to the Samsung Spica, the other Android handset available from the Korean phone maker, it’s popped up on T-Mobile’s UK site as the Samsung Galaxy Portal.
Available for free from £23 per month on an 18 month contract, the Galaxy Portal offers a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, media player with support for DivX and Mp3 formats, 16GB of storage (via microSD), as well as access to the Android Market and over 20,000 apps.
Unfortunately the Portal is still sporting the v1.5 ‘Cupcake’ build meaning that it doesn’t pack some of the impressive features of later Android phones, but Samsung has promised to issue software upgrades to both the Galaxy and the i5700/Galaxy Portal next month, making this Google-powered blower a bit of a bargain!
So if you want to make a tentative step into another dimension – namely one filled with customisable homescreens, decent mobile internet and e-mail connectivity – then the Samsung Galaxy Portal is the phone to take you there.
Having dominated the touchscreen game this year, Samsung intend to shake up the fashion phone market in 2010 with a pair of sexy handsets – meet the Divas.
The Samsung S7070 Diva is a cute revamp of the hugely successful Tocco Lite, sporting a Hollywood-gnasher white finish and luxurious quilted rear cover. Specifications are also reminiscent of the multi-million selling phone with a 3.2-inch resistve touch screen, 3 megapixel camera, FM radio with RDS and the familiar TouchWiz interface.
Where the S7070 earns its diva status is in its social networking functionality, with a gem-shaped option key, the ability to receive live notifications from social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter (all about the ‘pull’ updates, I told you so!) and the always impressive ability to silence a call by turning the handset onto its face.
How boujis!
The 3MP camera on the Samsung S7070 Diva has tweakable settings to turn those snaps into profile-worthy portraits, with Beauty effect (which makes you beautiful, natch) and Lomo effect, which seems to be the digital equivalent of smearing Vaseline onto a fisheye lens.
The Samsung S5150 Diva folder is a rare clamshell handset from the Korean manufacturer, with a mirrored cover housing an external screen to display the time and incoming messages.
Hinging on arresting looks as opposed to cutting-edge features, the S5150 eschews a touchscreen and rocks an understated yet functional user interface, giving an old-school feel reminiscent of early Sony Ericsson phones…hardly a bad thing.
These fancy phones should be sashaying into stores from early next year, and we’re sure that their entrance will be overstated and showy, like the Divas they are…SSamsung Diva
Last night saw a glittering awards bash in Central London, where Mobile Choice magazine picked the best handsets, tariffs, services and networks in the phone business. Some were surprises, many were deserving, all are great.
Without further ado, here are the big winners of the Mobile Choice Awards:
Most Stylish Phone
LG New Chocolate BL40 – None can argue that the striking stylings of this fashion phone were anything less than catwalk quality. A marriage of unorthodox looks with a 21:9 display, and a classic minimalist black finish had the Chocolate head and shoulders above the rest.
Runners-up:
HTC Touch Diamond2
Apple iPhone 3GS
Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte
Samsung i8910HD
—————
Best Multimedia Phone
Samsung i8910HD – 3.7″ AMOLED display? HD video recording? 8.1 megapixel camera? Yes.
Runners-up:
LG Chocolate BL40
Sony Ericsson Satio
Nokia N97
Apple iPhone 3GS
————————
Best Camera Phone
Samsung Pixon 12 – For once, the numbers aren’t just for bragging rights as the first 12 megapixel camera phone also proved to be the best, with a suite of features commonly found on dedicated gadgets.
Runners-up:
LG Viewty Smart GC900
Nokia N86 8MP
Sony Ericsson C905 +
—————
Best Social Networking Handset
INQ1
3’s ‘little handset that could’ takes down the bevy of smart phone beauties by being a pocket dynamo in the social stakes. Liaising happily with Windows Live and Skype, the coup de grace is the merged contact list formed by hooking up with Facebook. Profiles, status and images all sync perfectly, leaving you with a perfect phone for popular folks that doesn’t dent the bank, let alone break it.
Runners-up:
HTC Hero
Nokia N97
LG GW520
BlackBerry Curve 8520
—————–
Phone Of The Year
The HTC Hero ticks all of the boxes as far as a strong handset is concerned. Embracing the new Android operating system, HTC’s Sense UI manages to offer a fun, intuitive, slick and (above all else) practical interface, without choosing to ape Apple’s groundbreaking device.
The form factor might be a little divisive in terms of people’s tastes, but each design choice is clear, justifiable and makes for a striking phone to look at.
A deserving winner.
Runners-up:
Samsung i8910HD
HTC Touch Diamond2
Nokia N97
Sony Ericsson Satio
Apple iPhone 3GS
LG Viewty Smart GC900
LG Chocolate BL40
Samsung Tocco Ultra Edition
INQ1
Microsoft has finally launched ‘Windows phone’, their casual consumer-friendly line of handsets equipped with Windows Mobile 6.5, eager to convince the world that Apple is not the only fruit. Let’s see which phones are on the shelves…
Samsung
Samsung have a wide range of phones, encompassing all form factors and price points in an aim to get the Windows phone party started.
Samsung Omnia LITE
The flagship “Windows phone” for Carphone Warehouse, the Omnia Lite is a great cheap and cheerful option, sporting a 3″ display, 3.15 megapixel lens and 3G connectivity in a compact candybar frame.
Windows Mobile 6.5 is on board enabling a full suite of multimedia, productivity and web functionality, whilst Wi-Fi and A-GPS round out a smart phone featureset at almost a feature phone price.
Samsung Omnia Lite deals are already available from a number of retailers.
Samsung Omnia 2
The handset that Phones4U have pinned their Windows phone hopes on, the Samsung Omnia 2 beefs up the specs of the Lite to make for a stronger smart phone contender. A 5 megapixel camera and dual LED compliments the 3.7″ AMOLED resistive touchscreen to make for a strong multimedia device, whilst Windows Mobile 6.5 is overlaid with the widget-based TouchWiz UI to make for a more intuitive handset.
Samsung Omnia 2 deals were unveiled as of yesterday, in sync with the launch of Microsoft’s mobile platform.
Samsung Omnia PRO
This QWERTY slider offers a slightly more business-like frame for Windows Mobile 6.5, allowing fans of physical typing and texting to hop aboard the 6.5 train.
Omnia PRO features include a 5 megapixel camera, 3.5″ touchscreen, not to mention that 4-row keyboard which is equally perfect for writing Word documents in Pocket Office as sending a message to a loved one.
HTC
HTC Touch2
The Taiwanese manufacturer’s first WinMo 6.5 phone is a solid effort, the HTC Touch2 is firmly in their comfort zone as far as stats and form factor are concerned.
The stylish design of the device is a bit of a headturner, whilst the silky TouchFLO overlay keeps the essential contacts, messaging and mail information at the forefront of the device, whilst the 3.15 megapixel camera and robust media player make easy work of entertainment.
The 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity are all top-notch, and a good example of the device that might not wow at first impressions, but is strong throughout.
HTC HD2 (HTC “Leo”)
A handset that has taken on an almost mythical status since the initial unveiling, the HTC HD2 is a flagship phone in every respect. The sliver of black metal and plastic is home to a 4.3″ TFT capacitive display – a world first.
Bringing multitouch to Windows Mobile, the HD2 also is the first phone to use the ‘Sense’ user interface, a beautiful and customisable evolution of TouchFLO that was previously only seen on Android devices.
The HD2 has a 1Ghz processor purring under the hood, providing a lightning quick responsive touch ecxperience and the ability to run multiple applications without breaking a sweat. The Sense UI brings the things that we use most – mail, messaging, contacts and even Twitter – to the fore with an array of shortcuts from the homepage.
Toshiba TG01
The Toshiba TG01 was an impressve Windows-powered handset in a lot of ways, not least the huge 4.1″ touch display and interesting ‘Blinds’ interface improving the complex user experience often associated with smart phones.
However, the manufacturer believes that Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade will be so substantial that it turns the handset into an entirely new mobile.
The Toshiba TG01 Windows Phone will be released day and date with Windows Mobile 6.5, on October 6th. In terms of hardware, the new TG01 will be identical, but will have the update pre-installed out of the box.
Were you one of the early adopters to buy Toshiba TG01? If so, worry not.
Toshiba pledges that existing owners will be eligible for a free upgrade to the latest Windows software by going to their site upon its release. How nice.
LG
LG GM750
The LG GM750 is a sleek new touch-driven device, expected to launch day and date with the new packing Windows Mobile 6.5 software update on October 6th.
Seemingly a Vodafone exclusive, the GM750 plays host to a myriad of features and services in a sleek form. The device offers access to personal and work e-mail accounts, calendar synchronization and faster Internet browsing via Vodafone’s high-speed mobile broadband network or Wi-Fi.
With a 3″ full touchscreen facilitating enhanced navigation capability while browsing the Internet, writing text messages and memos, GPS and a 5 megapixel camera, the GM750 offers a powerful all-in-one device.
With support for downloadable applications from the Windows Marketplace, the LG GM750 marries the popular S-Class user interface with a suite of productivity features.
A sleek synthesis of a slider form factor and robust functionality, the Samsung S5200 has now been made available for sale on pay monthly deals.
Packing a 3 megapixel camera with LED flash, 3G connectivity and a full media player, the Samsung S5200 is an attractive antidote to the horde of touchscreen handsets currently available.
Available in two colours, the Samsung S5200 Black has gold accenting on the keypad whilst the Samsung S5200 Pink has less-than-subtle rouge overtones.
Available for free on contracts under £15 per month, the Samsung S5200 is a strong mid-range handset.
Check out Samsung S5200 features right here.
The most exciting range of Windows phones due for release are the Omnia range from Samsung, Microsoft-powered devices that supplement the TouchWiz interface with a suite of great music, media and messaging applications.
The Samsung Omnia Lite is the most mid-range of these phones, a WinMo 6.1 device that is confirmed to be ready for the leap to the new 6.5 version, due for release on October 6th.
Thankfully, the B7300 Onmia Lite will be available a little bit earlier with a SIM-free release date of 30th September.
It shares much of the functionality of the original Samsung Omnia as well as the new breed like the Samsung Tocco Lite, coming equipped with a 3.15 megapixel camera, a 3″ TFT resistive touchscreen and a microSD slot up to 32GB.
Pay monthly Samsung Omnia Lite B7300 deals will follow in due course, just in time for the Windows upgrade.
O2 UK becomes the latest network to offer an Android powered handset as they launch the Samsung Galaxy i7500, the first non-HTC created device and the thinnest Google-powered device on the market today.
The Samsung Galaxy is a 3G handset with Android ‘Cupcake’ (so it’s vanilla in the vein of the G1 and HTC Magic, rather than the HTC Hero’s bespoke user interface), has a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 8GB of internal storage, and a 3.2″ AMOLED capacitive screen.
An exclusive on O2 for four weeks, the i7500 Galaxy will turn up on other networks in good time. The i7500 is available for free on a £44 per month pay monthly contract.
Seems like the Samsung Corby has a slightly more palatable name for UK audiences, as the tiny capacitive touchscreen device will be known here as the Samsung Genio.
The curved touchscreen device has a colourful line in changable covers, social networking site support and stops short of online connectivity with a 2G setup. The Genio inherits the TouchWiz interface made famous on earlier Samsung phones, whilst the Tocco Ultra’s ‘fake call’ option makes a reappearance here.
Still an appealing handset without saluting the Midlands, the Genio is due for a September release in the UK.
Samsung’s Galaxy i7500, the manufacturer’s first Android handset, is due to make a debut on UK network O2 as early as next week.
According to Reg Hardware, and contrary to reports that the handset had failed network accreditation, the Samsung Galaxy i7500 is currently hiding in the accessories section of O2’s website, lending credence to the fact that it will soon be available.
The i7500 is already available in various territories around the globe, including O2 in Germany and Israel under the Cellcom network.
O2 – the exclusive retailer for the Samsung Galaxy – apparently already has the handset in the stock management system in retail stores, so a release in all but certain for the week beginning 17th August.
No details or pricing of Samsung Galaxy i7500 deals have been released at this time.