Hands-on with the Samsung Ultra Smart F700--sort of

Samsung Ultra Smart F700

(Credit: CNET Networks)

We were pretty stoked when Samsung told us they had a Samsung Ultra Smart F700 that we could actually touch and drool over, but the excitement was short-lived when we found out it wasn't a working model. Bummer. Still, we got some hands-on time with F700 and came away with a couple of thoughts. First, the VibeTonz technology is a little startling. This feature causes the phone to slightly vibrate when you slide up the cover or use the keyboard. Personally, I think this would get old after a while, but hopefully there's an option to turn it off. The keyboard buttons are springy and seems easy enough to use. Truth be told, for better or worse, some elements of the F700's design and overall feel reminded me of the Sony Mylo. Of course, the Mylo didn't have a touch screen like the F700, but it's not like we could test it. Samsung couldn't tell us whether the F700 would make its way to the States, but many have already compared it to the infamous Apple iPhone. Interestingly, I just got back from a panel discussion about cell phone design with representatives from Samsung and Motorola, among others, and they all agreed that by the time the iPhone is finally available in June, it'll have plenty of competition (more on this later), so perhaps that's a sign that the F700 is U.S. bound. Fingers crossed.