Another day yet another leak and this time, it’s the Samsung Epic. No official word from Samsung on this one but sources claimed to have seen the Epic 4G passing through the FCC approval process. Rumor has it that Sprint will release the phone and since their EVO 4G wasn’t so well received, experts hope this Samsung phone makes the cut among consumers.

Renowned site, Engadget reports that the spotted phone is the SPH-D700 “cellular/PCS CDMA/EvDO Phone with Bluetooth, WLAN, and WiMAX,” and several details regarding the phone have also been leaked.

The Samsung Epic 4G sports a 4-inch Super AMOLED display and features a nice 5-megapixel camera that can be used to take shots and there’s also another camera located in the front that can be used for video calling. It works on a strong 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird CPU. It is said that the device will run on Android 2.1 with an update expected soon after it releases.

We are hearing that T Mobile will release two new mobile phones, the White BlackBerry Bold 9700 and Samsung T959. RIM Research’s White BlackBerry Bold 9700 is being released in white as compared to the black version that you can find at other mobile carriers. The features are the same except for the phone’s color and probably the price. We were mentioning yesterday how Blackberry is eager to boost their status in the market and hopefully if this phone is a success among consumers then RIM can rest assured.

The Samsung T959 is a phone that works on Android and it is a bit similar to Samsung’s other model, the Galaxy S. This phone comes with a 4-inch AMOLED screen with full touch capabilities. As this phone works on the Android platform, there will be Samsung’s TouchWiz 3.0 user interface and also Wi-Fi connectivity options. Both of these devices will be released by T Mobile on May 5th. No price was given for now.

The Samsung Galaxy S smartphone has a big screen which the brand claims that it is a brighter screen and will have lesser sunlight reflection. This is made possible by the Super AMOLED technology on this phone. It also has a longer battery. It is powered by a 1GHz processor and runs on Google Android 2.1.

Meanwhile, Palm introduced their Pixi Plus and Pre Plus which will soon be released on AT&T. Palm claims that these phones will help smartphones retain their place in the market, in other words, it will help boost the market.

HTC wasn’t far left behind with their HD2. This phone of theirs runs on Windows Mobile 6.5. It features a 5-megapixel camera and runs on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. There are several applications on this one including Facebook and HTC Peep.

Moving on from smartphones to mobile accessories, there was a huge display of mobile accessories at the CTIA. A couple of accessories for smartphones were unveiled like coverings and holsters in stylish designs.

At the recent CTIA event, we saw many renowned brands busy unveiling their upcoming products and today, we will unleash the tiger, so to speak, by summarizing what was seen and heard at the event. First of all, at this event big brands showed off their smartphones and mobile services in hope that these products will help to expand their name in the market. Whether it’s the smartphones or services of mobile, all had one target in mind, to please the consumers.

HTC started off by introducing their Evo 4G which will be released by Sprint. This 4G-capable smartphone has been promoted by HTC to be a must-have phone as it includes speed and multimedia capabilities. Samsung, on the other hand, introduced their Galaxy S which has a big screen that looks perfect for video and photo viewing, not forgetting e-texts. Google Android was also on display with their presence on many of these new smartphones while the other phone operating system, Windows Phone 7, was also shown off by Microsoft.

Microsoft has let out news that Samsung will release a Windows Phone 7-based phone. Microsoft claims that after LG & Asus, Samsung will release a phone that will feature Microsoft’s operating system for phones. Samsung, on their part, haven’t commented on the news yet. The upcoming Windows Phone 7 device from Samsung is expected to be a touch only phone with an AMOLED display and a large camera.

Not that much details was released on this phone, actually, no details at all but we do know that to be a Windows Phone 7 handset, the device needs to have at least an ARM7-, Cortex- or Scorpion-based processor and a DirectX 9-class graphics core. The reason we are expecting a large resolution camera is because the minimum requirement would a 5-megapixel camera. The screen should at least be 480×320. Also on the list of must-haves are 256MB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory. There should also be sensors for acceleration, compass direction, light and proximity. We are expecting these phones to be released later on this year.

Samsung decided to release another model in their Jet line of phones. The Jet Ultra Edition from Samsung will be the successor to the Samsung’s Jet S8000. The Samsung Jet S8000 garnered mixed reactions when it was released but nonetheless, the phone had its ups and downs. Not much is different from the Jet Ultra Edition and the Jet S8000. For starters, we noticed a change in the exterior part of the phone, yes, the design has been changed a bit to suit today’s time. Not that the previous design was old-fashion but in the world of technology designs do move fast.

Moving on, there are also integrated social networking applications, no need to indulge in more details here as most phones today are implementing applications that will give users quick access to their favorite social networking sites. Not forgetting the BBC iPlayer which now has its own widget, yay! Moving on from here, we don’t see anymore changes on the phone. You can expect the Samsung Jet Ultra Edition to be available soon. If you are a fan of the Jet series of phone then keep an eye out for this phone.

Now called Samsung Wave (S8500), the rumored Bada handset has been made official at the MWC event. It will feature a 3.3-inch Super AMOLED display and will be powered by new operating system, Bada. This smartphone will be the first (among the rest) to feature Bluetooth 3.0. Its 3.3-inch Super AMOLED display will feature a resolution of 800 × 480 pixels which unfortunately doesn’t offer multitouch but there are still chances of getting a better screen in terms of it being brighter, clearer and less reflective thanks to Samsung’s OnCell technology. Samsung also added mobile Digital Natural Image engine technology in this phone; it’s the same technology that is used in their line of LCD TVs and LED TVs. Aside from Bluetooth 3.0 being featured on this phone, there are also 802.11n WiFi, TouchWiz 3.0, aGPS, accelerometer, multi-codec support for DivX, XviD, MP3 and WMV.
It will work on an unknown (as far as we know, no brand name was given) 1GHz processor. There will be a 5-megapixel camera and 2GB or 8GB internal memory with a microSD expansion slot. This phone will also support virtual 5.1 surround sound and 720p recording / decoding. The Samsung Wave (S8500) will hopefully release in April and as of now, no price for this phone was made official.

Samsung cell phones have always been a hit amongst its audience due to its user-friendly functionalities. As time goes by, Samsung puts in more and more effort into making their mobiles nice and easy. They input the use of their latest cutting-edge technology in their phone releases and add a handful of functions on these phones. Samsung’s sliding designs is another attractive feature in their phones. Samsung’s constant upgrade in their phones made their competitors stand up and recognize them. Samsung’s latest phone, a touchscreen phone, offers Bluetooth, memory card, video camera, and camera of 3.2 megapixel, music player and GPS. Samsung’s best looking phones are known to be phones Samsung S8000 Jet, Samsung M8800 Pixon and Samsung S5600v Blade. Among Samsung’s releases for this year include the Samsung B7610 OmniaPRO, the Samsung Behold II, the Samsung Impact and the Samsung Mythic. Most recently, Samsung announced their new mobile phones for the ladies which include the Samsung Diva S7070 and the Samsung Diva S5150 phones. These phones are aimed for fashionable ladies and these phones feature a diamond-inspired styling. How will Samsung fare with these new phones, let’s just wait and watch.

The Samsung i607 BlackJack is a sleek 3G compatible Windows Mobile smartphone designed with full QWERTY keyboard layout for a quick response and it also comes with a gorgeous 2.2-inch diagonal LCD TFT screen that provides 65,000 (16-bit) colours with 320-by-240 pixel resolutions and a built-in 1.3-megapixel camera, 2x digital zooming capability and self timer feature. This phone also comes with high-speed 3G technology, UMTS with HSPDA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) capability, works on the Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz and WCDMA 850/1900 MHz networks; it support Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP wireless technology without the hassle of using wired cables, support USB connectivity, provides Infra-red connection and also has microSD or TransFlash memory card slot for expansion of storage capability of up to 2 GB. It is designed with a Num Lock, email launcher key and a key that switches to and from the silent profile. It is a beautiful phone that comes with an all black colour casing with nearly straight lines.

Specifications
Form factor
The Samsung i607 BlackJack is a sleek 3G compatible Windows Mobile smartphone designed with full QWERTY keyboard layout for a quick response and it is designed with a Num Lock, thumbwheel, 5-way navigation email launcher key, and a key that switches to and from silent profile. It is also a beautiful phone that comes with an all black colour casing with nearly straight lines. It measures in at 4.4-inch in height, 2.3-inch in width, 0.5-inch in depth and 3.5 ounces in weight. It is also equipped with a built-in 1.3-megapixel camera, 2x digital zooming capability and self timer feature.

Network
It also works on GSM Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) with GPRS, EDGE and 3G (HSDPA) for data on the UMTS and HSPDA (850/1900MHz) network bands. If you are not in an area of 3G coverage, the device will switch to the EDGE network automatically. It also supports Bluetooth 2.0 technology that supports headset/hands-free profiles, DUN (dial up networking), serial port, A2DP stereo headset profile and Bluetooth Printing Profile. It can handle up to 6 simultaneous Bluetooth connections, plus USB connectivity that provides a quick file management of pictures, video and music library.

Features
The Samsung i607 BlackJack features a built-in speakerphone, speaker-independent voice recognition, an internal antenna, an alarm clock, a calendar, contacts lists, task lists, other notes, a voice recorder, phone book, scheduler, a world clock, stopwatch, a unit converter and calculator. Users can also save callers to groups and pair them with a photo (caller ID) or assign to one of the polyphonic ring tones. The device also provides mobile versions of Outlook, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger. In addition, the Outlook Mobile integrates calendar, email functions, and contact list that integrates with the phone’s dialing functions. Besides that, users can also find a wireless internet Web Browser, conference call capability, a voice-memo recorder, vibrating alert, support MP3, MIDI and polyphonic ring tones, stereo Bluetooth, syncronization with computer like using Microsoft’s ActiveSync software so that the device can sync with your PC’s Outlook information by using Bluetooth or USB, it comes with Samsung RSS Reader for a full-featured news reader that supports import and export of OPML files, support for Cingular Video, and Cingular Music services. It is powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition software for its operating system with AKU 3.0.2.Java runtime, plus it uses a 220MHz Texas Instruments OMAP1710 dual core processor. Other software include Outlook mobile suite (messaging, contacts, calendar and tasks). Pictures and Videos application, Windows Media Player Mobile, File Manager, Internet Explorer Mobile, Task Manager, File Explorer, Call History, Speed Dial, Voice Notes, Solitaire, Bubble Breaker, camera/video recorder applications, Cingular and 3rd party applications bundled: Picsel Viewer for viewing MS Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and PDF files, Samsung Notepad (with desktop syncing to Outlook notes), SmartConverter, Samsung RSS Reader, D-Day, MusicID, XM Radio Mobile, ActiveSync 4.2 and Outlook 2002. With the UMTS and HSDPA support helps the device to provide faster streaming video, watch TV and downloading of files or data (subject to Cingular’s MEdia Max plans that supports Cingular Video and MobiTV). Apart from that, it also supports MobiRadio, in addition to streaming video and TV, you can listen to your favorite radio station via the supported digital radio service.

Display
It features a 2.2-inch diagonal screen provides a clear viewing tool with a 320-by-240-pixel resolutions, transflective TFT/LCD display of up to 65,000 colours for users to view.

Multimedia
The Samsung i607 BlackJack is also equipped with built-in 1.3-megapixels digital camera with a 1,280-by-960 resolutions for still images, 2x digital zoom, self timer delay, photo frames, 3 effects (black & white, sepia and negative) and has a self-timer, self-portrait mirror plus brightness and adjustable white balance. It also works as a video camcorder where users can record video clips along with settings similar to the camera’s settings. The device supports file format such as MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, 3GP format, MPEG-4 and WMV by using the Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. This phone also comes with high-speed 3G technology, UMTS with HSPDA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) capability, works on the Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz and WCDMA 850/1900 MHz networks; it support Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP wireless technology without the hassle of using wired cables, support USB connectivity, provides Infra-red connection and also has microSD or TransFlash memory card slot for expansion of storage capability of up to 2 GB.

Messaging and data
The Samsung i607 BlackJack offers include e-mail for accessing POP3, IMAP, and SMTP email, text messaging (SMS), Instant messaging (support AOL, MSN, and Yahoo), Picture messaging (MMS), Predictive text input (Intelligent typing with T9 technology), push e-mail capabilities using several services like Microsoft Direct Push, Good Mobile Messaging, and Cingular XpressMail.

Memory and connectivity
It comes with a built-in memory of 64 MB RAM, 128 MB of flash ROM but this can be expandable with a MicroSD or TransFlash card with up to 2 GB of memory for further storage capabilities. The phone also supports Bluetooth wireless technology without the hassle of using wired cables and USB connectivity.

Power and Battery
The Samsung i607 BlackJack uses the standard rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery and the battery life for talk time is rated up to 5.5 hours, while the stand by time is rated up to 11 days.

Review:

“The 3G-enabled Samsung BlackJack is sleek, has a gorgeous screen, and a full QWERTY keyboard. Highlights include Bluetooth 2.0, push e-mail capabilities, and good call quality. This Windows Mobile smart phone also comes with support for Cingular Video and Cingular Music services.” – (CNET, 2006)

“…. and the keys and keyboard are not exactly our favorite, but it’s the only GSM phone on the block with EDGE / UMTS / HSDPA. Other notable features include a QVGA display, new Cingular Music support (as well as Cingular Video), Bluetooth 2.0, and a 1.3 megapixel camera.” – (engadget, 2006)

The Verizon Samsung Convoy (SCH-U640) is a rugged Push-to-Talk mobile phone that meets the military specifications 810F standards for shock and dust resistance, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, altitude and low and high temperature storage. The Samsung Convoy is similar to Motorola’s Barrage. It has a an internal color display and an external display, and features a 2 Megapixel camera with Night Shot, Bluetooth 2.1 and support for EVDO Rev.A 3G network. The Samsung Convey is available in Nov 15, 2009 for an MSRP of $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year contract.

Specifications
Display
The small external display can support 65,000 colors at the resolution of 128×128 pixels. For the external display, only the contrast can be adjusted. On the external display, a couple of the phone’s features are displayed such as the date, time, signal strength, and photo caller ID. The external display goes on to function as a viewfinder as well for the camera lens. It can also be used for quick access to certain features such as the calendar, Bluetooth, the music player, and voice commands. Opening the phone up, there we can find the internal display. It measures 2.2 inches and comes with a resolution of 220×176 pixels and supports 262,000 colors. For the internal display’s menu interface, users can choose from here menu styles provided and users can also adjust the position of icons and replace the standard menu choices with their favorite apps. Users can also change the backlight time, clock format, dial font size, and menu font size and style. Below the internal display there’s the navigation array that comes with includes a large toggle with a central OK button, two soft keys, a camera shutter, a voice dial control, a clear button, and the talk and End/power keys. The toggle found on the phone can be used to set up shortcuts to four user-defined features. There are also flat buttons on the keypad.

Design
The Convoy is designed in a clamshell form factor that comes in Charcoal grey color. The design of the Samsung Convoy is said to be durable. It has also been mentioned that it has an easy to use design. It comes in a rugged design with hard plastic skin and rubber sidings. The design is made in a way that it is certified to the military specifications such as in situations such as humidity, dust, shock, temperature, and salt fog. It has a solid feel to it and comfortable at the same time. Above the external display, there’s the camera lens. Just below the external display, there are three music controls such as play/pause, next and previous. Below the controls is where the speaker is located. There’s the microSD card slot on the right side. On the same side, there’s the speakerphone control and a 2.5mm headset jack. While on the left side, there’s the programmable shortcut button, a volume rocker, and the port for Samsung’s proprietary charger.

Network
It has 3G and GPS.

Camera
It comes with a 2-megapixel camera.

Phone Features
The handset features stereo speakers and is powered by a 1300 mAh capacity battery. It has a 2.5mm headset port and a proprietary charger jack. It also comes with a music player.

Other Features
Other features on the Verizon Samsung Convoy includes VZ Navigator^SM which allows users to get audible turn-by-turn directions to more than 15 million points of interest and share the directions with others; a 2.0 megapixel camera with Night Shot, panorama, color effects and more to capture images and share them with friends and family; Bluetooth® version 2.1 wireless technology that supports synchronization and connectivity to compatible devices; support for headset (mono and stereo), hands-free, dial-up networking, serial port, object push (vCard and vCalendar only), basic image, basic printing and phonebook access and features a personal organizer with calendar, tip calculator, currency converter, notepad, alarm clock, world clock and stop watch.

Reviews

“Despite a couple of design complaints and a missing feature, the Samsung Convoy is an easy-to-use phone with great performance.”(CNET, 2009)