Despite smartphones gaining more market share than ever, Nokia remains a strong entity in the feature phone department. And their latest, the Nokia X2-02, likely makes that position stronger.
Coming under the music-minded X series, the handset comes with dedicated music keys, special sound processing that boasts "the clearest sound you’ll find at this price" and Play via Radio. If you're not familiar with that last one, it's a feature that lets users record songs directly from the radio, as well as share playlists with your home system, car stereo or other phones.
A dual SIM phone, the X2-02 supports two active networks at any time. Even better, it allows you to swap SIMs without having to turn off your phone, with the handset switching to the new SIM's stored profiles automatically (it can store up to five profiles). Hardware details include a 2.2-inch display (320 x 240 resolution), a 2.0 megapixel camera module, an FM tuner and microSD card support (up to 32GB). Onboard battery is rated at up to 9.7 hours of talk time.
The traditional candybar handset measures 113 x 50 x 15 mm and weighs 93g. It runs the familiar Nokia feature phone OS, so don't expect much in terms of software niceties. There's also no 3G or WiFi support.
The Nokia X2-02 will be released in five colorways: Bright Red, Orange, Violet, Ocean Blue and Dark Silver. Likely headed to emerging markets, there are no exact dates for release, but pricing is set at €60 before taxes and subsidies.
[Nokia]
Samsung debuted a new messaging phone for Cricket's roster. Called the Samsung Comment, it's a QWERTY candybar feature phone for texting-heavy users.
Sporting a Blackberry-style form factor, the handset measures 4.41 x 2.4 x 0.43 inches and weighs 3.3 ounces. It appears to be Samsung's replacement for the Freeform II, although the specs aren’t all that much of an upgrade.
Details of the Samsung Comment include a 2.4-inch LCD (320 × 240 resolution), aGPS, Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel camera module, a four-row QWERTY keyboard in the front panel, microSD card support (up to 32GB) and a 1,000 mAh battery module rated at 5 hours of talk time. There's no 3G or WiFi, although you do get GPRS access to Cricket’s proprietary storefront, where you should be able to download Java apps, wallpapers and various other types of content. Preloaded apps include MyHomeScreen (access to weather, news and horoscopes), MyBackup, and Cricket Navigator.
While there's really nothing very attractive about this phone's feature set, it should appeal to the text-and-call crowd who aren't really interested in anything much beyond the basics. Paired with Cricket's cheap monthly plans (which don't require any extended tie-in), those on a budget should find it a decent pick-up, too.
The Samsung Comment retails for $89.99 with no contract.
[Samsung]
Verizon announced the latest rugged feature phone to join their ranks. Called the Samsung Convoy 2, the handset packs everything you need for staying connected in the rugged outdoors.
Clad in a clamshell form factor, it measures 3.89 x 2.01 x 0.85 inches and weighs 3.9 oz. Designed to survive the field, it meets military specs for shock resistance, sand, dust, extreme temperatures and all the usual hassles of the outdoors.
Details of the Samsung Convoy 2 include two displays (1.3 inches outside and 2.2 inches inside), a 3.2 megapixel camera module (with flash), aGPS, Bluetooth, push to talk, dual mics with noise cancellation, microSD card expansion (up to 32GB) and a 1,300 mAh battery (rated at 6.5 hours of talk time). There's no WiFi or 3G, so it’s strictly the utilitarian communicator.
The graphical UI looks decidedly old-school, but does offer quick access to the phone's various functions. Software features include Verizon's numerous media applications, Verizon Navigator, Opera Mini, Mobile IM and Mobile Email.
The Samsung Convoy 2 is far from the prettiest or the most feature-rich phone available. If you're shopping for a rugged handset with PTT, though, this could very well fit the bill. It’s available now from Verizon, priced at $79.99 on a two-year agreement.
[Verizon]
With smartphones cheaper than ever, the feature phone is probably in its last legs. But it sure isn't giving up without a fight. In fact, here's a new one from US Cellular: the Samsung Character.
Samsung's no stranger to messaging-centric feature phones, of course, and this happens to be one of them. Much like last year's Samsung Messager Touch, it combines both a touchscreen and a slide-out landscape QWERTY keyboard. Phone dimensions are 4.2 x 2.18 x 0.58 inches, with a weight of 4.23 ounces.
Details of the Samsung Character include a 2.8-inch touchscreen display (240 x 320 resolution), a four-row QWERTY keyboard, a 1.3 megapixel camera module, Bluetooth, microSD card support and a 1000mAh battery (rated at up to 5 hours of talk time). This doesn't seem to be running TouchWiz, but it does offer three customizable homescreens, along with widget support, a voice recognition software and a built-in browser. No WiFi or 3G support is available.
If you're not yet ready to jump into the smartphone fray, the Samsung Character can probably make for a nice handset to start whetting your appetite for one. It's available now from US Cellular, in gray and blue color optionss, priced at $39.99 on a new two-year agreement.
[USCellular]
Motorola just announced a new semi-rugged feature phone. Called the Motorola Wilder, it brings a compact but attractive design that we wish we could actually see in something with Android running at the helm.
As with most current touchscreen feature phones, the device brings some of the basic smartphone features into its fold. As such, you get "social networking integration" for Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and YouTube, HTML Web browsing via Opera Mini and full messaging support (including email).
The Wilder's design gives it a beefy appearance along the edges that look like they could give the phone extra drop and shock protection. Motorola only makes a point of promoting its being splash- and dust-resistant, though, so we're not sure how well it can stand other forms of abuse.
Details of the handset include a 2..8-inch resistive touchscreen (320 x 240), a 2.0 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm jack, microSD card expansion (up to 32GB) and a 910mAh battery module (rated at 9.5 hours of talk time). There's also a secondary 0.7-inch OLED screen under the main display for notifications.
The Motorola Wilder has only been announced for the UK as of now, with an expected July release and £49.95 pricing. No word on whether it will roll out elsewhere.
[Motorola]
Remember the Galaxy Mini? Samsung just announced a new compact touchscreen that looks similar to it, except without Android at the helm. Called the Samsung Corby II (model S3850), it's the official follow-up to the company's successful budget touchscreen feature phone from last year.
Like its predecessor, the handset comes in a colorful shell adorning the sides and back . It's extra tiny, too, measuring 109.9 x 60.6 x 11.7 mm and weighing just 102 grams.
Details of the Corby II include a 3.14-inch touchscreen display (240 x 320 resolution), a 2.0 megapixel camera module, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, DNSe sound enhancement, a 3.5mm jack and microSD card expansion (up to 16GB). A 1,000 mAh battery comes onboard, rated at a talk time of 9.5 hours and a standby time of up to 620 hours.
As with Samsung's other touchscreen feature phones, it runs TouchWiz as the UI of choice. Onboard software include Samsung's Social Hub and SNS applications, along with a variety of IM apps, Dolfin browser and more.
The Samsung Corby II will be available starting in late March, with the German market getting first crack. After that, it will roll out across the rest of Europe, along with Asia, Latin America and Africa. No pricing details have announced, however.
[Samsung]
Chances are, the Samsung Chat 350 won't receive all that much of an unveiling. It's just a compact messaging feature phone, after all. Now that someone managed to leak details of the handset, you may as well consider this as official an announcement as you can get.
The likely third phone in the Chat series (which Samsung irritatingly continues to refer to as the Ch@t), it sports similar dimensions and styling to the Samsung Champ 3300. Except this one takes on a landscape slider form factor, coming with a flush-looking four-row QWERTY keyboard in tow. Oh yeah, it's thicker, of course, measuring in at 100 x 52 x 16 mm.
Details of the Samsung Chat 350 include a 2.4-inch touchscreen display (320 x 240 resolution), a 2.0 megapixel camera module, Bluetooth 2.1, an FM radio and microSD card expansion (up to 8GB). Neither 3G nor WiFi are onboard, so you're stuck with GPRS for data connectivity.
According to the source, the phone will be running a proprietary UI software (not TouchWiz), much like the other phones in the series. Since this isn't an official announcement, there's neither pricing nor release date. With a product shot like that, though, expect this to hit the budget section in your local carrier's roster soon.
[via Samsung Hub]
AT&T quietly added the LG Neon II to their website today. The sequel to last year's Neon, the new handset retains the basic messaging capabilities and beefs it up with a faster data connection.
One thing of note: this appears to be slightly different from the Neon 2 (at least, in the front panel's design), which was released on Rogers' network earlier this year. Yes, the confusing differences between models "2" and "II" from Korean cellphone manufacturers appear yet again.
Like its predecessor, the LG Neon II features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for that all-day messaging convenience. It sports 4.06 x 1.96 x 0.6 dimensions, weighs 3.7 ounces and retains the youthful styling present in the original device.
Details include a 2.4-inch screen (240 x 320 resolution), a 2.0 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, 3G, microSD card expansion (up to 16GB) and a built-in GPS. Battery is a 950 mAh slab, good for 4 hours of talk time and 11 hours of standby. Preloaded apps include AT&T Maps, Social Net and Instant Messaging. In a lot of ways, it's actually very similar to the original Neon, with just a few tweaks (3G inclusion being the most prominent upgrade).
The LG Neon II is available now, priced at $29.99 on a two-year agreement after a $50 discount.
[AT&T]
One of Verizon's messaging-centric Samsung phones just got its successor. Billed as the Samsung Intensity II, the handset features dual keyboards, an alphanumeric one on the front panel and a slide-out QWERTY panel.
Made with the company's sustainability efforts in mind, the device comes with some minor eco-friendly features. In particular, the exterior battery cover is fashioned from 35% recycled PET bottles, aside from coming pre-installed with an eco-calculator app for keeping track of your personal carbon footprints.
Details of the Samsung Intensity II include a 2.2-inch display (320 x 240 resolution), a 1.3 megapixel camera module, stereo Bluetooth, aGPS (with VZ Navigator) and microSD card expansion (up to 32GB). It comes in two colors - deep gray and metallic blue.
Like any self-respecting messaging phone, it supports SMS and MMS (both voice and pictures), along with Mobile IM, Mobile Chat, Mobile Email and Mobile Web applications. It comes with Social Beat, a social networking app with access to Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. There's also support for Verizon's services, including V cast Music, V cast Song ID and V cast Tones.
The Samsung Intensity II is now available (strictly online for now, though) from Verizon's website, with the device hitting physical stores in the coming weeks. Price is $49.99 with a two-year agreement.
[Samsung USA]
Puma started a teaser campaign a few days ago for a product called Puma Phone. It attracted moderate interest, but, really - how excited are you supposed to be about a feature phone from a sports apparel company? Well, they've officially used MWC 2010 as the platform to make it official.
Developed by Puma and Sagem, the device is a feature phone with capabilities that are geared towards sports and outdoor use. It's sufficiently small (102 x 56 x 13 mm) and light (115 grams), making it easy to carry throughout the course of an active day. Billed as having been “engineered to facilitate and encourage an active way of life,” it comes with a slew of sports-oriented applications that include a bike speedo, a run tracker, a pedometer and a sailing compass.
Phone details include a 2.8” QVGA touchscreen, a 3.2 megapixel camera module, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, a 3.5mm audio jack, FM radio, microUSB port and microSD expansion. It comes with 7.2Mbps HSDPA and 2.9Mbps HSUPA data speeds. Battery is an 880mAh Li-ion with a rated talk time of 5 hours. It uses a custom carousel-based UI
Since it's geared for outdoor use, the Puma Phone has been outfitted with a solar panel around the back to add a little trickle of charge. Release is slated for April, although price hasn't been announced.
[via Unwired View]
