Verizon's new Samsung FlipShot
That's why they call it the FlipShot.
(Credit: Samsung)Heads up, everyone, Samsung has announced another new cell phone. I know that's a shocker; it's not as if the company has announced any other new models in this short holiday week, but try to contain your surprise. The new Samsung FlipShot, aka the SCH-U900, is a high-end multimedia phone for Verizon Wireless. Not only does it offer the full slate of 3G features, but also it marks the return of the swiveling flip phone, a trend which briefly climaxed two years ago. Though it differs from the previous Samsung SCH-A970 in that the front flap can rotate a full 180 degrees and then fold down again, the idea is basically the same. You can take all kind of shots, including self-portraits, and you can view media on the handset's main display with the flip closed. It comes in red and black and in typical Samsung style, the FlipShot is relatively trim (0.78 inch thick).
Features include a 3-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, a business card scanner, a speakerphone, speech recognition, a media player a MicroSD card slot, multiple messaging options and a set of personal organizer applications. As an EV-DO phone it also supports the full range of Verizon's 3G services including V Cast Music and V Cast streaming video and it's enabled for the carrier's VZ Navigator GPS application.
The FlipShot will be $199 with a two-year contract. Starting November 26, the red version will be available at Best Buy while the black model will be sold through Verizon.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent. 
