Samsung has announced the newest member of the Wave family.  Running on the same Bada platform it introduced not long ago, the Samsung Wave 723 (model S720E) offers the same smartphone-like qualities as the earlier models, all while squarely positioning itself at the lower ranges of affordability.

Just like the Wave 2 and Wave 2 Pro, both of which aimed to get the platform into mid-range users' hands,  the new handset seeks to further expand the home-brewed OS' customer base.  While scaling back on some features, it retains the same extensibility of Bada (via their own SDK), paired with TouchWiz 3.0 UI on top.

Details of the Samsung Wave 723 include a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen (240 x 400 pixels), a 5.0 megapixel camera module with LED flash, dual-band 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, a 3.5mm audio jack and microSD card expansion.  Phone dimensions are 109.5 x 53.9 x 11.8 mm.  Notable design cues include a metallic back panel and a flip leather cover.

While selling well both in Europe and Asia, Samsung says there are no plans to release Bada handsets in the US, primarily due to carriers' reluctance to take on another player to join the ever-growing list of smartphone platforms.    The Samsung Wave 723 is slated to come out in Germany beginning September, with other markets in  Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa following shortly after that.  Price is expected at 240 Euros (around $300) before taxes and subsidies.

[via Akihabara News]

Personally, I can't believe it took us this many years to come up with a phone model named "Epic."  I mean, that's like most epic name available for the taking, right?  With that said, the Samsung Epic 4G backs up the larger-than-life billing with  a feature set bound to endear itself to most power users.

Physically, the smartphone looks sleek, with rounded edges, curved corners and a glossy finish.  It's easily the biggest of the Galaxy S line (so far, at least) and will probably be tough to fit in most jeans pockets.  Like most hefty phones, though, it feels particularly sturdy, apart from having a great feel in hand.

Display is a 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen, with 480 x 800 resolution.  Sharpness, colors and graphics look downright fantastic, made even better by the wide viewing angle.   Before we forget, there's a horizontal slide-out keyboard too.  Thanks to the phone's size, it's got five full spacious rows of keys, making for extra-convenient typing.

As a phone, the Epic 4G makes for good calls.  While it's not epic, audio came through loud and clear, with just a tad of distortion creeping in every now and then.  Callers actually reported even better quality  than we experienced.  Speakerphone was a bit hollow, but had plenty of volume to go and was very usable in crowded environments.  Battery is rated at 7.5 hours of talk time.  With a phone this multimedia-heavy, though, expect nightly recharges.

Unfortunately, we never got a chance to test out the 4G function.  Feedback from other users have been generally positive, though.  Performance over 3G is great, with minimal YouTube buffering, even with HQ videos.  Streamed videos still didn't look perfect (there was some noticeable degradation), but local 720p videos played beautifully.  As you probably guessed, multimedia is a serious strength for the phone, with support for HD content, DivX and Xvid, and DLNA devices.  Music playback is similarly outstanding, with onboard 5.1-channel surround support.  Internal storage is a paltry 1GB, though, so better load up on those SD cards.

The Epic has all the usual Android smartphone features, including numerous voice capabilities, robust messaging (SMS, MMS, IM, email and Exchange) and the usual suite of Google apps.  There's also WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth and Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 UI.

Camera is 5.0 megapixels and takes exceptional pictures, along with pretty good 720p video.  Even indoor shots, with help from the LED flash, were serviceable.  It also has a front-facing VGA camera and ships with the Qik video chat app.

Overall, the Samsung Epic 4G is heavy on the features and stands as one of the best multimedia smartphones with Android at the helm.  Price is steep, though, at $249.99, although you can get it from Amazon for $50 less.

Samsung just released a new Galaxy handset in South Korea.  Called the Samsung Galaxy U (model SHW-M130L), the new smartphone will come packing a hefty feature set, while running Android 2.1 at the helm.

The company's press release claims the "U" stands for “unique grip design”, “ultimate display”, “utilitarian apps” and “ubiquitous features.”  Since it's going to be released under the wireless network U+ (J-CDMA, CDMA Rev. A), we're guessing that probably had something to do with the naming convention too.

Details of the Galaxy U include a 1GHz S5PC111 processor, a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen (480 x 800 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module (with autofocus and 720p video recording), 3G with HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, T-DMB TV antenna, microSD card expansion (8GB bundled, with support for up to 32GB) and a 1,500 mAh battery.  It measures 119.5 x 59.6 x 12.4 mm and weighs 131 grams.

The usual Google suite of apps come onboard, along with a number of preloaded software, including OZ Store, Daum Maps, Kyobo Ebooks and Allshare.  It supports a wide range of media formats too, including DivX and MKV.

Those in South Korea can now get the Samsung Galaxy U, we're presuming on prepaid terms, for 800,000 South Korean Won (around $676).  It comes in two colors (white or black).

[via Samsung Hub]



Want a simple messaging phone with decent multimedia and a full touch experience?  You may want to pick up the Samsung Gravity T (aka Gravity Touch), a touchscreen feature phone with mid-range features, a QWERTY keyboard and Touchwiz UI.

Physically, the handset gets a sleeker, more rounded design than Samsung's usual slab.  It still does have some similarities to a few models, like the Messager Touch, but the form factor is visibly more oval.   Display is a 2.8-inch resistive touchscreen with 240 x 320 resolution, with vibrant colors and ample brightness.  Touch response is as good as you can expect a resistive panel to deliver.  The side-sliding QWERTY keypad is spacious, with a cushy feel, and we love that the numbers and arrows are all highlighted in red for quicker visibility.

As a phone, the Gravity T made for excellent call quality.  Voices came out exceptionally clear - very crisp and natural, almost like a landline.  Speakerphone added some echo, but it was still pretty impressive.   Battery is rated at six hours of talk time, making it good for a day or two of casual use.

It fits in the usual feature set, including a 2,000-entry address book, PIM tools and some advanced phone capabilities.  Messaging is pretty robust, with SMS, MMS, IM and email, complete with Exchange support.  It also comes preloaded with the Social Buzz app for access to a variety of social networking sites.

The phone comes with a full HTML browser (web2Go), along with good 3G speeds.  YouTube streaming had a bit of buffering, but is generally usable.  Other features include aGPS with Telenav, Bluetooth and serviceable multimedia playback (media player is a bit too rudimentary though).  It sports a 2.0 megapixel camera, with a number of editing settings and decent image quality (good sharpness, but slightly dark).

Overall, the Samsung Gravity T makes for a fairly solid messaging phone.  It's available for $74.99 with a two year agreement from T-Mobile.

An unannounced Samsung phone showed up on the company's USA website right before the weekend (and has now been pulled).  Called the Samsung Flight II (model A927), the handset takes on a messaging feature set similar to its predecessor, but comes equipped with a sliding landscape, rather than portrait, keyboard.

Slated to join AT&T's roster of feature phones, it bundles both a touchscreen and a four-row set of QWERTY keys.  The phone measures 4.4 x 2.1 x 0.5 inches with the keyboard tucked in and weighs 3.5 ounces.

Details of the Samsung Flight II include a 3-inch TFT touchscreen display (240 x 400 resolution), a 2.0 megapixel camera module, aGPS (with AT&T Navigator), stereo Bluetooth, 512MB of storage and microSD card expansion (up to 16GB).  Battery is good for 5 hours of talk time and 250 hours of standby.

The handset will run Samsung's finger-friendly TouchWiz UI, along with a decent-sounding range of features.  It gets the requite messaging capabilities (SMS, MMS, IM and mobile email), social networking access, a full HTML browser and support for AT&T's Mobile TV service.

A formal announcement for the Samsung Flight II may be coming, which is why it's been removed (as of now) from the Samsung USA website.  Given that the first Flight now costs free on contract, expect this to be somewhere near the budget range too.

[via Phone Scoop]

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]

Like the Captivate, the Samsung Vibrant is another variant of the manufacturer's Galaxy S phones.  This one, however, is made specifically for T-Mobile and definitely makes it mark as one of the best multimedia devices on the carrier's roster.

Physically, it's arguably the best-looking of the Galaxy S variants we've seen so far, combining slim lines, rounded edges and a very clean profile.  It's also lighter than the Captivate, making it a bit easier to carry around.  On the downside, it definitely feels less sturdy, although our short use didn't really show any obvious chinks in durability.  Like its brethren, it features a large 4-inch Super AMOLED screen (800 x 480 resolution) that manages vibrant images, rich colors and good visibility under sunlight.

As a phone, the Vibrant makes for great calls, with clear and rich audio that's never interrupted by even the feintest distortion.  Those on the other end said our voice quality was very natural-sounding.  Speakerphone was similarly good, adding just a slightly hollow tone, while being perfectly usable even in noisier environments.  Battery life should be a worry, though.  Expect to charge this every night (if you're a heavy user, best carry a charger along).

Anyone who's heard of the Galaxy S series knows it packs the hardware goods and it's no different here.  The 1GHz processor keeps things running along smoothly, with nary a hitch even with a load of apps open.  T-Mobile's 3G network provides good broadband speeds, loading YouTube videos with just a slight delay and playing them back with zero buffering.

With multimedia as a definite strength, the phone zipped through our music and videos with excellent playback quality, giving Android's normally shoddy entertainment performance a huge boost (the 5.1-channel surround sound processing really does make everything sound better).  It comes with a full-length copy of Avatar, so you can immediately judge for yourself.  The 5.0 megapixel camera (no flash - booo) takes good shots, but nothing spectacular.  We do appreciate the large amount of editing options, though.

Of course, it's heavy on the smartphone features too.  Aside from gaining Android 2.1's solid messaging strengths, it boasts quad-band world phone capabilities, with the gamut of connectivity options (3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS).  There's also the usual suite of Google services, a slew of social networking talents and a few choice apps (like Layar's augmented reality browser and Kindle for Android).

The Samsung Vibrant is a fast and powerful multimedia smartphone - easily one of the best options for entertainment handsets on T-Mobile's roster.  It's available now for $199.99 with a two-year agreement.

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AT&T's version of the Samsung Galaxy S has finally been released.  Called the Samsung Captivate, it's easily the carrier's most powerful Android device.

Physically, the handset sports a rather industrial design.  If you can get past the cover, though, you will appreciate the hefty hardware, maintained inside a rather slim 0.39-inch frame that manages to slip (barely) in most front pockets.  Construction actually appears very sturdy, compared to other Galaxy S phones now out.  The 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive display (840 x 480 resolution) looks gorgeous, with a brilliance and sharpness rarely seen in many smartphones.  Plus, the touchscreen is notably responsive and fast.

As a phone, the Captivate delivers great-sounding calls, with clear audio and rich voices.  Those on the other end reported the same, although they can easily identify we were talking on a cellphone.  Speakerphone  added a hollow tone, but it was usable even in noisier environments.  Battery life is rated at almost six hours.  From our tests, most users will probably need to charge every night or so.

Not only is this the most powerful Android phone on AT&T's roster, it's also the most feature-packed.  Aside from the usual phone features, it's also a quad-band world phone, with a whole host of advanced voice services.  It also inherits Android 2.1's messaging strengths, with support for IM, Exchange and multiple social networking sites.  Plus, there's unified inbox and calendar, as well as automatic backup of your address book to AT&T's servers .

Browser supports both tabbed browsing and Flash Lite, making for an enjoyable time surfing.  Data speeds are terrific and the phone performs up to speed, easily playing YouTube videos without a hint of buffering (after a couple seconds of loading).  We love this as a multimedia phone, zipping through every video we loaded handily, playing it with amazing quality.  Music quality is up there with the best too.  Plus, it's got MobiTV and future support for Samsung MediaHub.

Aside from Google's default suite of apps, it comes with a whole host of others, including Write and Go (a notepad/messaging app), Mobile Banking, Where and the gamut of AT&T-specific services.   The 5.0 megapixel camera took decent shots - nothing better than what's expected, though.  Sadly, there's no flash.

If you're getting an Android phone from AT&T, the Samsung Captivate is as good as you can get right now.  There's really nothing better, provided you're fine with an average-quality, high-res camera and no Wi-Fi hotspot tethering support.  It's priced at $199.99 with a two-year contract (both voice and data plans are required).

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Bearing one of the most irritating phone names ever devised, the Samsung (that's Smiley for you) is a candybar handset with a slide-out, vertical QWERTY keyboard.  While the name might give you fits, the functional mid-range features and user-friendly interface makes it a solid option for messaging-heavy users.

Physically, it has a fairly attractive slider design, with rounded corners and a shiny black exterior.  It feels a bit weak in hand, so durability may be an issue.  We didn't try to slam it on the floor, although it did hold up well to regular handling.  It comes with a 2.6-inch TFT display with 320 x 240 resolution, making for sharp and colorful images.  It does wash out near completely under sunlight, though.  The keyboard is decent, but the keys are arranged too closely for my tastes.

As a phone, the Samsung "Smiley" made for good calls, with clear sound, loud volume and just a hint of background noise.  Those on the other end reported exactly the same quality.  Speakerphone sounded great, despite adding some harshness to the tone, especially at the higher levels.  Battery life is rated at 5.5 hours of talk time, which should be good for a day or more of casual use.

All the basic features are onboard, including a 1,000-person phone book, a number of PIM tools, stereo Bluetooth and advanced calling options.  Extra capabilities include aGPS (with Google Maps and Telenav support), an RSS reader and WiFi.

Being a messaging device, it comes with the usual SMS and MMS.  It expands the support with IM and email (POP, IMAP and Exchange).  Social networking is also built-in with Samsung's Social Buzz app.

The 1.3 megapixel camera takes decent shots for such a low-res set of optics.  You can save photos and music externally to microSD cards (up to 16B).  It comes with a pre-installed YouTube app.

Overall, the Samsung "Smiley" is a decent messaging phone, especially for the $19.99 price (with a two-year agreement).  The name is a tad irritating, but everything else fits nicely.

The Samsung Intercept is a mid-level Android phone with all the functionality, but none of the whistles, of its more expensive counterparts.  Despite that, it is a suitable smartphone alternative for users on a budget.

Physically, it takes on Samsung's familiar design, with a slightly elongated profile, curved corners and chrome-plated sides.  Unlike many of their newer releases, it doesn't come with an AMOLED screen.  Regardless, the 3.2-inch WQVGA touchscreen offers enough brightness and sharpness to be easy on the eyes.  Plus, it's capacitive, so the touch interface is very responsive.  Below the display sits a square select button that doubles as a fairly accurate touchpad.  The device also comes with a side-sliding QWERTY keyboard, with four rows of well-spaced, adequately-raised keys for comfortable typing.

As a phone, the Intercept makes for good calls.  Volume was loud and voices sounded natural, despite easily being able to tell that you're talking on a cellphone.  Speakerphone was fine, but it invited plenty of background noise, making it difficult to use in noisy environments.  Battery is rated at 5.5 hours of talk time, easily making for a whole day (or more) of casual use.

Available stateside from Sprint, it only has EV-DO Rev. 0, so broadband speeds should be notably slower than most other 3G-equipped phones.  Regardless, browsing on the Webkit-based browser remained fast.  Expect some buffering time on your YouTube videos, though.  It comes equipped with an 800Mhz processor, so you should zip through most regular smartphone functions, as well.

Android 2.1 comes preinstalled on the phone, so you get the usual robust set of capabilities, from Google Maps Navigation to full-featured messaging to the mass of onboard apps.   Samsung sheds the TouchWiz UI for this model, which comes with Android's default screens.   Other notable features include voice-to-text, Flash Lite support, a number of Sprint's multimedia apps preinstalled and a 3.2 megapixel camera (no flash, sadly).  The latter offers average photo quality, with a few editing options.

Overall, the Samsung Intercept is solid for its $99.99 price tag (with a two-year contract).  If you've been hankering for an Android phone, but have been hoping to skimp on costs, this should be a definite consideration.