Samsung Jack
(Credit: Samsung)Heh. I'm thinking of all the corny headlines I could use for this post, but I will spare you the cheesiness and just say that AT&T announced on Thursday the upcoming availability of its latest Windows Mobile smartphone, the Samsung Jack.
The Jack is the successor to the Samsung BlackJack II and will be in stores May 19 for a lovely price of $99.99 with a two-year contract. Like its predecessor, the Jack is a messaging-centric device, with its full QWERTY keyboard and support for multiple e-mail accounts, instant messaging, and of course, text and multimedia messaging.
The smartphone runs Windows Mobile 6.1, though Samsung says it will be upgradable to Windows Mobile 6.5 when it's available later this year. Other features include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS with support for AT&T Navigator (Domestic and Global Edition), 256MB RAM, and a 3.2-megapixel camera.
We should have a review unit in the next few days so check back for a full review.
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Samsung Epix
(Credit: AT&T)On Tuesday, AT&T announced the newest addition to its smartphone family, the Samsung Epix, and if you think it's simply a minor upgrade to the Samsung BlackJack II, think again.
True, on the surface, the Epix looks pretty much like the BlackJack II, save for a couple of different buttons, but Samsung stepped it up and equipped the smartphone with a touch screen and optical mouse. That's right. You can now interact with your device through the 2.5-inch screen (with your finger or built-in stylus) and navigate with the traditional controls or with the optical mouse. The latter is located in the center between the Start and OK button, and lets you move a mouse-like cursor on screen with a simple finger sweeps over the area.
We've seen this feature on the Samsung Omnia, and I'm interested to see how people will take to it. I didn't find it particularly useful on the Omnia, and often just it switched back to the directional keypad. You can also do this with the Epix. Other design highlights include a full QWERTY keyboard, a silver finish, and slim design (4.6 inches high by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch deep and 4.4 ounces).
Featurewise, the Samsung Epix runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Edition and offers numerous e-mail solutions, including Microsoft Direct Push, AT&T Xpress Mail, and Good Mobile Messaging. Wireless options are fully represented on the Epix: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, HSDPA/UMTS, and quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) world roaming. The Epix is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera and supports AT&T's Video Share service for video calls.
The Samsung Epix is available now at select AT&T stores and online for $199.99 with a two-year contract. We should be getting our review unit in the next couple of days, so check back soon for a full review.
AT&T Navigator
(Credit: AT&T)Today, AT&T announced that it's expanding its AT&T Navigator location-based service overseas, making it the first U.S. carrier to offer international navigation capabilities. Dubbed AT&T Navigator Global Edition, the service is available now and works in 20 countries, including North America, the U.S. Caribbean, and most countries in Western Europe. It will also work in six cities in China--Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Shenyang, Tianjin, and Qinhuangdao--all of which will host Beijing Summer Olympics events. (AT&T is an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team.)
Like the domestic version, AT&T Navigator Global Edition provides color maps, local search, and text- and voice-guided turn-by-turn driving directions. In addition, the audible prompts are available in English, Spanish, German, or Italian. AT&T Navigator Global Edition costs $19.98 per month, which includes domestic service, and works on a number of devices, including the AT&T Tilt, RIM BlackBerry 8800, RIM BlackBerry Curve 8310, RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8110, Samsung BlackJack II, and the Motorola Q9h. You can check out AT&T's Web site for more information.
One final note: Does anyone think this is another sign that GPS-equipped cell phones and smartphones will take over dedicated portable navigation devices?
Samsung BlackJack II
(Credit: Samsung)The newest edition of the Samsung BlackJack officially will become available on that uber-shopping day, the day after Thanksgiving. Announced last month at CTIA, the Samsung BlackJack II for AT&T sports a revamped design that comes in two color schemes: black or burgundy. Improvements include a larger display and more shortcut buttons while a front jog wheel replaces the side-mounted scroll wheel. On the feature front, the BlackJack II offers everything we saw on its predecessor but adds integrated GPS and support for AT&T Video Share. Only the black version will go on sale this Friday, November 23. You'll have to wait until December 6 to snag the burgundy model. Both are $149 with a two-year contract.
Samsung BlackJack II
Well, well, guess who decided to show its pretty little face at Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's keynote address this morning--mmm hmm, the Samsung BlackJack II. Today, Samsung and AT&T officially introduced the successor to the BlackJack, but it won't be available till "later this year"--you guys are such a tease! A majority of the changes are on the hardware side. You now get a slightly larger 2.4-inch QVGA display (previously 2.25 inches), the scroll wheel on the right side has also been removed in favor of a front jog wheel, and the bottom row of the QWERTY keyboard now includes more shortcut buttons to the smartphone's various apps. In addition, the BlackJack II is slightly (and we mean slight; this is still very much a sleek phone) thicker, but for good reason. The extra room was needed to store a higher-capacity 1,700mAh lithium ion battery. We know battery life was an issue with the original BlackJack, so we really hope the issue has been resolved in this iteration. Unfortunately, at this time, Samsung couldn't give us any specific numbers on rated talk time or standby time.
Feature-wise, the BlackJack II is pretty stacked. Starting with the new, there's built-in GPS and it's the first smartphone to support AT&T's Video Share service, which lets you make video calls. The camera's been upgraded to a 2-megapixel lens and you get a built-in RSS Reader client. Samsung also said they made improvements to the speakerphone for louder and clearer performance and increased standard memory. Other oldies but goodies include HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP profile for stereo Bluetooth headsets, Windows Mobile 6 Standard Edition, AT&T Music and CV support, and quad-band world roaming.
As we mentioned earlier, a specific availability date was not given but pricing is set for a very reasonable $149.99 with a two-year contract and after rebates. It will also be available in two colors: black and burgundy. I got a sneak preview yesterday, and I've got to say I'm pretty excited about the device. The form factor is still sexy and slim, and the burgundy model is gorgeous--appropriate for both men and women. The front jog wheel felt a bit loose to me, and for those of you accustomed to the side-mounted control, it's going to feel a bit weird at first. I only got about 10 minutes of hands-on time with the BlackJack II, so it's hard to say if the performance is any better, but I'm about to run over to the show floor to get some video, so check back soon for your own first look.
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