Hands on: Samsung Transform Ultra for Boost Mobile
updated 03:10 pm EDT, Wed October 12, 2011
Pre-paid Android flagship
Boost Mobile recently launched Samsung's Transform Ultra handset, which was on hand at CTIA for Electronista to check out. The device serves as Boost's new Android flagship, a QWERTY slider that is now sold alongside Samsung's touchscreen-only Galaxy Prevail. Despite its flagship status at Boost, the Transform Ultra provides a midrange set of features when compared to subsidized devices.
The device centers around a 3.8-inch touchscreen, slightly larger than the Prevail's 3.2-inch panel. The slider keyboard makes for a thick build, however the keys are well spaced and easy to type with—similar to Samsung's high-end Stratosphere smartphone.
The single-core 1GHz processor does not provide the same level of performance as dual-core chips on more expensive handsets, however the software experience is not bad. We did not have any problems flipping through the interface or using apps.
The Transform Ultra does not stack up against most of the other Android devices that debuted this week at CTIA, but it is a perfect fit for anyone who wants to take advantage of the core Android experience with a data plan that costs just $55/month with unlimited data. The $230 up-front price for the Ultra could purchase an LTE phone through Verizon, but the cost difference between each carrier's monthly services adds up to approximately $1000 over two years.
