Samsung debuts Omnia HD, Beat DJ/DISC phones
updated 08:55 am EST, Mon February 16, 2009
Samsung Omnia HD Beat DJ
Samsung today is headlining its introductions with three of the first non-Nokia phones to include a touchscreen Symbian interface. The Omnia HD is also known as the i8910 and is one of the first-ever phones to record as well as play back 720p HD video. The feat is accomplished with the help of an 8-megapixel camera that supports autofocusing as well as blink and smile detection. It also centers on an extremely sharp 3.7-inch, AMOLED touchscreen with a full 16 million colors and a 960x540 resolution.
As Samsung's new flagship and effectively the replacement for the Windows Mobile-based original Omnia, the phone includes the revamped TouchWiz interface with 3D components. It carries full, tri-band HSPA as well as GPS, Wi-Fi and FM radio. Media is helped by support for DivX and XviD among other more common formats as well as an upgrade to storage that provides either 8GB or 16GB of built-in memory as well as a microSDHC card slot.
The BeatDJ and BeatDISC shift the focus from the screen, with smaller 400x240 AMOLED displays, towards audio: both have integrated Bang & Olufsen audio systems, including amps, that provide relatively powerful sound for cellphones. They also add a unique DJ scratch mode that uses the touchscreen for a virtual turntable to add effects to tracks that can be saved later. The two carry 3-megapixel cameras, GPS and full tri-band 3G using HSPA, but neither includes Wi-Fi.
Samsung splits the DJ and DISC models by giving the DISC a slide-out number pad while the DJ is almost exclusively touch-driven.
Despite the high-profile announcements, none of the phones have been given release dates or pricing. Including 850MHz frequencies points to very likely North American releases on AT&T or Rogers, though none of these have mentioned their plans.
BeatDJ
BeatDISC
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2007
Impressive hardware to
say the least. When it comes to hardware features, the Omnia HD doesn't seem to have any peers. Samsung definitely will have to charge a lot of bucks for that puppy, but I don't hear anyone saying that it'll be too expensive. That beautiful screen and 16GB internal memory plus a microSD slot just can't be beat. Samsung shot their whole wad on the Omnia HD. Nobody in S. Korea would ever choose an iPhone over that handset. Samsung has a solid lock in their own country and probably Japan as well.