Smartphone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

"While Samsung announced the Omnia PRO B7320 Windows Mobile Standard smartphone in May only, it looks like it will not be released in Europe anymore, or at least not in Germany. German AreaMobile just received information that Samsung will release the B7330 instead - basically a B7320 refresh with a slightly different design. Running Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard, the non-touchscreen smartphone is said to feature quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE as well as UMTS/HSDPA, Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS. The Windows Mobile Standard typical QVGA screen is said to to be 2.63" and on the back, the device features a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera."

If I hadn't seen the title of this article I would have sworn this was another Dash 3G device. But nope, it's from Samsung and it's in the Ommia line. Haven't seen a ton of Windows Mobile Standard devices lately so I'm glad there's still a market. The specs are pretty nice. Wtih 3G, WiFi, and GPS, what more does one really need? It also includes a nice camera and Windows Mobile 6.5. Is there still a place for Windows Mobile devices that don't have a touch screen?

"I'm going to preface my review of the AT&T Jack with the following caveat: you will see reflections in many of the pictures. There, I said it...I feel better now. The Jack, aka Samsung i637, could be seen as the younger sibling of the Blackjack II, but with smoother lines and similar footprint, though IMHO bearing closer resemblance to the Motorola Q9 series. It sports tri-band UMTS/HSDPA and quad-band GSM capabilities, 256 MB RAM, 256 MB ROM, a 528 MHz processor and a 320×240 QVGA screen."

If you've ever wanted an extremely indepth review of the Samsung Jack then click on over to Mobility Site's very thorough review. Numerous pics including the device being weighed on a scale (I'm not kidding) to show just how lightweight the Jack is over other devices such as the Fuze. Do any of you own the Samsung Jack? If so, how do you like it? With this and the HTC Snap, there are some really good choices when it comes to Windows Mobile standard smartphone devices.

This is an unboxing and first impressions video of the AT&T Samsung Jack, a Windows Mobile Standard 6.1 smartphone that is an upgrade from the Samsung Blackjack II. Ignore the fact that this new phone has the same name as the Blackjack II in Canada - at least, that's what Samsung and AT&T are hoping you'll do. As of June 2009, the Samsung Jack can be bought from AT&T for $99 with a two-year contract.

The Samsung Jack is a 3G GSM phone - it's a quad-band phone, giving you EDGE data and voice anywhere in the world, and for 3G is has 850/1900/2100 frequencies. That's an extra 3G band than most phones have, so AT&T is claiming that you'll have 3G access in 65+ countries around the world. The Jack has a 528 Mhz CPU, 256 MB of RAM, 256 MB of ROM, GPS, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), a QWERTY keyboard, and a microSDHC slot. Samsung has said this phone is upgrade-ready for Windows Mobile 6.5, but no real comittment has been made regarding offering the operating system. Check out the video, and if you have any questions, post 'em and I'll do my best to answer.

Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys photography, mobile devices, blogging, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog.

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The new Windows Mobile Standard 6.1 smartphone from Samsung is here...and it looks a heck of a lot like the Motorola Q, doesn't it? That's not a bad thing, mind you, but it's still somewhat surprising to see. Dubbed the Samsung Jack, this phone has the same name as the Blackjack II in Canada. That's right, Samsung decided to give it the name of a previously released product. Maybe they thought no one would notice. I predict they'll do something crazy like call it the Jack II in Canada, further confusing anyone that does a search for this phone. But hey, enough harping about the name - what's it got under the hood?

It's not radically different from the Blackjack II: the Jack has more RAM, 256 MB to be precise, and an unknown amount of storage ROM (I suspect 256 MB as well). Why all the RAM? Because it's going to support Windows Mobile 6.5 when it comes out later this year - Samsung's exact wording from the press release is "The Samsung Jack will also be upgradable to Windows Mobile 6.5." Note that Samsung stopped short of committing to offer a free 6.5 upgrade as HTC has done - so it's anyone's guess as to whether or not Samsung will release an upgrade. We know how often the OEMs change their mind when it comes to upgrades.

Other hardware features include a 3.2 megapixel camera (no mention of a flash), 802.11b/g WiFi, aGPS, 3G GSM, and a microSDHC card slot for expansion. Nothing very exciting hardware-wise, and other than WiFi (which is great!) no fixes to the hardware limitations from the Blackjack II. There's still no 3.5mm headphone jack. It still uses the proprietary Samsung power/sync connector. There's no mention of the screen size or screen resolution, but it looks like it's the same as the Blackjack II.

So if you're a Blackjack II owner, unless you really want WiFi, there's nothing much new here - once Windows Mobile 6.5 is released, presuming Samsung offers an upgrade, this phone might get more interesting. I'm a fan of my Blackjack II - it's a great workhorse - but it sure doesn't have the "wow" factor that the newer touch-screen phones from HTC have. After the break there's a YouTube video from an AT&T employee that shows you what the phone looks like. I've also screen-capped an image that shows that the Jack is shorter, and perhaps a bit thicker than the Blackjack II. Read more...

Samsung's latest release is a Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard device known as the Valencia. It sports an ST Micro 8810 393MHz processor, 128MB RAM, 128MB ROM, tri-band GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA connectivity, Bluetooth, a 2.0-megapixel camera, a 320 x 240 (QVGA) display, and a microSD slot.

Yes, we know what you're thinking. It's a little dull, huh? If you love the best of the best in your devices, you'll find none of that in the Valencia. Everything about Samsung's latest release has entry-level written all over it. We can only hope that the price tag backs it up. More images after the break.

Read more...

"Last month I posted in this topic about Colorware's process for customising the Samsung Blackjack II. Colorware graciously offered to repaint a truly battered Blackjack II that team member 'encece' hooked me up with, and i've been using the resulting device for a few weeks now. So what's the finished result like? Gorgeous!"

[Photo courtesy of MoDaCo]

Over at MoDaCo, Paul was brave enough to send in his Smartphone for the ol' paint job finish. I have to say that I am highly impressed. While the Samsung Blackjack II is a powerful device, I was always put off at how cheap and shiny the outer body looked. It was as if Samsung had learned nothing from the mistakes of other manufactures and ignored the fact that shiny finishes on and tiny gadget turns the device into a fingerprint magnet. Even if you do not suffer from my hatred for smudges and fingerprints, there is no denying that after spending 5 minutes with a super shiny device like the Blackjack II that it just looks trashy and cheap because it is all smudged up and gross looking. From the look of the images that Paul has posted of this new paint job, while the device still looks shiny, it looks a whole lot more refreshing than the standard black paint job. Hopefully these lighter and brighter colors will do more to hide all of the smudges this device picks up.

"From our sources confidential and exclusive, we learned that Samsung would launch a new Windows Mobile smartphones, which we were able to hear very few but important details even if, unfortunately, we have had no image of the device... According to our information, the new Samsung smartphones was designed to target an extremely young and will be launched in Italy, although at the time there was communicated, even at orientation, the timing of final marketing."

Good news for our readers in Italy. It looks as if Samsung is working on a new Windows Mobile device target towards a younger crowd. There is no news at the moment if this device will be a Windows Mobile Standard or Professional handset, but it is nice to see that some manufactures are still catering to the younger and hipper consumer crowd. We will keep you posted as we hear more information regarding this new device.

"This has to wrap up the lunacy that has seen Windows Mobile 6.1 updates for just about everything that needed one in recent times. We've seen 6.1 hacked for Sammy's BlackJack, but it's sorta sweet of them to get it out to us all official-like. The release notes on Samsung's site mention threaded SMS, Domain enrollment, and even a BMW iDrive patch as tout-worthy features, in this, the newest and best from Microsoft. As a word of caution, following the instructions to the letter is always a good plan during ROM updates, as failure to do so can lead to a very dead handset. Thanks Samsung, we appreciate the speedy software updates. Read link has the goods."

As all of you have probably already heard, Windows Mobile 6.1 has been released for the Samsung Blackjack II. We would have reported on it earlier but when news first broke the update was pulled offline for whatever reason and after almost two days of regular refreshing of my browser hoping the update has come back... I eventually got distracted and forgot all about it. Sorry guys!

Before performing this update do not forget to back up all of your data! This update will completely restore your phone to its default factory settings! You can download the update from one of the two links below:

• Download for Windows XP
• Download for Windows Vista

"Microsoft Mobile Communications Group Manager Scott Rockfeld was on Fox Business chatting up quite a lot of Windows Mobile devices. The context of the discussion is basically 'competitors to the iPhone,' which is a little aggravating because, let's face it, the iPhone and Windows Mobile aren't always going for the same demographic. Some of the smartphones shown off: HTC Diamond, HTC Touch Pro, and the BlackJack II."

I've watched this video several times, mostly because the Touch Diamond looked so swanky in it, but also because I thought Scott Rockfeld, Microsoft Mobile Communications Group Manager, handled himself brilliantly. Scott came out swinging showing off some of the more popular Windows Mobile 6.1 devices on the market, including the HTC touch Diamond, and was really hammering home that the Windows Mobile platform is all about choice. This seems to tie in exactly with all of the recent talk on the Internet of Microsoft’s new "Windows Not Walls" campaign. On top of that you throw in the fact that every device featured in this segment has sold over a million or more devices it starts to make a lot of the recent Apple sales hype start to look a little sad.

Microsoft builds fantastic products but unfortunately they're not the best when it comes to feeding the publicity machine. One of the biggest hurdles for Windows Mobile has always been lack of visibility in the public’s eye. All of us as Smartphone and Pocket PC fans have heard the pitch that Scott gave in this video dozens of times over but I think Microsoft is finally understanding that we are not the ones that need to be told this over and over again but instead the general populous needs to know. I just hope Microsoft does more of these segments on other news networks. So what did you guys think of the video?

That's my Samsung Jack, also known as the Blackjack II, and I purchased it through Rogers Wireless a few weeks back. There are a lot of things that I don't like about the Windows Mobile Device Center, but one of the things I've always thought was cool was that when you connected a device, it should show you a graphic appropriate to that device. When I connected my HTC Touch Diamond, I saw a little graphic of the HTC Touch Diamond. So why is it that my Blackjack II, when connected, shows me that generic phone image? You other Blackjack II owners, do you see the same thing? Or do you see a graphic for your Blackjack II? I have a strong hunch that this is something that Rogers Wireless simply screwed up on...

"Samsung recently announced new software that will greatly improve the way its flash memory behaves in smartphones running the Windows Mobile, Symbian, Linux and RTOS platforms. The software makes communication between the memory chips and the phone's operating system more efficient. It also has an improved file system. These two improvements combined should result in fast boot times and faster downloading to memory and searching memory. Samsung did not indicate exactly when this new software will be available."

This is pretty cool news. Way to go Samsung! Who wouldn't love faster RAM without upgrading their hardware? I know I would. It is unclear if this software will be released to the masses or just released to manufacturers but we will keep you guys (and girls) updated on any progress we hear, just in case.

"Saying that Samsung's new BlackJack IIs are pink and blue is really only telling part of the story. Unlike the originals, the stylish new models feature contrasting white fronts with color-coordinated keys and fancy designs on the back -- perfect for that fashion-conscious Windows Mobile nerd in your life (if that's not an oxymoron, we don't know what is). Collect the whole set now for $99.99 a pop on contract."

These new handsets look pretty slick. Whole Jerry and I knew it was only a matter of time before another pink Windows Mobile Smartphone was released in the wild, we thought the colprit would be Motorola and not Samsung. I have to admit though the designs are pretty top notch and it is incredibly refreshing to see something new in the design instead of a plan ol' boring color. Hopefully the new designs are not done in the super plastic-looking glossy casing as the original Samsung Blackjack which was a huge turn off for me.

"The Samsung BlackJack is a slim, stylish mobile entertainment and organizational powerhouse. It plays: with Cellular Video and AT&T Mobile Music - exclusive TV content and your digital tunes. And it works: with Microsoft® Windows Mobile 5, Mobile Office TM applications, personal and corporate email and attachment support. And it does it all at break-neck 3G speeds. Only from AT&T."



Looking to replace your existing Windows Mobile Standard device? Right now AT&T has a fantastic online deal which involves a free Samsung Blackjack. What’s the catch? As always to qualify for a bargain such as this you will need to sign away the next two years of your life to AT&T Mobility. Sure the Samsung Blackjack is an older handset but this little engine that could still has a bit more 'chug' left in it. It's small, speedy, slim, and sleek; 3G enabled and was just upgraded to windows Mobile 6 not even a few months ago - though it appears only the Windows Mobile 5 versions are available online. Given everything that the Samsung Blackjack is I have to admit to being a little surprised that they're giving it away for free with no mail-in rebate. Usually a deal this good is accompanied by some kind of ring of fire that we have to jump through. It makes me wonder though - could this be the beginning of AT&T phasing out the Samsung Blackjack? If so I hope they replace it with something on par or better (which will not be an easy thing to do!)

"Stay connected even when on the go. The Samsung i320 offers support for a wide variety of push email solutions, making sure emails arrive the moment they are sent. A full QWERTY keyboard makes typing emails and documents a breeze with curved buttons for improved accuracy. Work while on the move with the Samsung i320. Support for MS Word, Excel and Adobe PDF files lets you view documents, open and forward email attachments. Start a conversation instantly, Microsoft Messenger support lets you shares ideas and thoughts with colleagues instantly at any time."



Just received word that eXpansys USA is having yet another fantastic deal on a Samsung Windows Mobile Smartphone. This time the Samsung SGH-i320 is getting the price makeover and you can pick one up today for a cool $175.95. The Samsung SGH-i320 is a tri-band 2.5G Windows Mobile 5 device with a QVGA landscape screen, 1.3MP camera, QWERTY keyboard, 120MB shared memory and microSD expandability. If you are in the market for an inexpensive Windows Mobile device this might be the handset for you. At the time of this posting there were only 370 left in stock so act quickly.

"3M has been touting its mini-projectors for some time now (along with many others), but it looks like they're now finally a bit closer to landing in an actual product, with Samsung reportedly set to begin offering them later this year. What's not clear, unfortunately, is whether the projectors will actually be built into the cellphones (and if so, which ones), or simply offered as an attachment of some sort, but either way you can apparently expect to pay between $200 and $400 for the chance to spread a bit of visual pollution."


[Photo courtesy of Engadget]

Once again Samsung has shown us that they are on the top of their game as far as innovation goes. The idea of being able to project my handsets display is actually a neat concept. Something like this would be perfect in a meeting type situation, or even watching a movie on the go. I have to say, hats off to Samsung for once again thinking outside the box!

"Samsung's been getting pretty creative with cell cameras lately -- the Instinct lets you pan around web pages by tracking movement with the camera, for example -- but the company's latest patent application, for a gesture-based phone interface, might be a little less practical. The idea is to use the phone's camera to track your hand movements, which, from the drawings, should have you looking insane on the subway in no time. Of course, we've all been guilty of waving at and even talking to our devices when they're acting up, so maybe a little feedback wouldn't be a bad thing -- there's one gesture we'd definitely like to see programmed in there."



This sounds kind of similar to the unconfirmed Windows Mobile 7 features and screenshots which were leaked back in January. Instead of using an accelerometer to detect motion based gestures, Samsung has decided to go the less expensive route of using our handsets built in camera. Sure it sounds silly when you say it out loud, and I am sure it will be even more silly to watch someone use it in real life, but it is still pretty neat technology. In theory this also makes it somewhat compatible with almost all of Samsung's handsets that are already on the market. Go team Samsung!

So the other day I had the urge to change my homescreen and add something fresh and new into the mix. Searching around the Interweb, I ran across this Samsung Blackjack carousel inspired homescreen created by stellsit dubbed "Card Wheel Vista". While the homescreen contains none of the flashy animated goodness that the European Samsung Blackjack owners were blessed with, it is still pretty cool none-the-less. If you were looking for a new fun homescreen, I suggest giving this one a download! I should warn you ahead of time, the designers site is in Korean. For those that do not know Korean, I have created a a download link below!



DOWNLOAD: "Card Wheel Vista" Homescreen

"The successor to the original, highly popular Blackjack smartphone, the Samsung Blackjack II (SGH-I617) retains the thin, lightweight design, QWERTY keyboard, and large screen from its predecessor while adding the power of the Windows Mobile 6 operating system, integrated GPS, and upping image capture quality to 2.0 megapixels. It can access AT&T's tri-band HSDPA/UMTS high-speed 3G network, which makes it easy to download music purchased from AT&T Mobile Music, stream tunes from Napster and eMusic, and watch video streamed from CNN and Comedy Central via AT&T's Cellular Video. It also supports AT&T's Video Share service, which offers a one-way video stream during a mobile-to-mobile phone call. The Windows Mobile 6 Professional operating system offers a familiar office experience and the ability to read and edit in applications such as Word or Excel as well as review PowerPoint presentations. You can also receive Outlook email and update your contacts and calendar on the go. Other features include quad-band global connectivity. And you'll be able to get to where you're going fast with the integrated GPS receiver and support for TeleNav GPS Navigator software. Other features include Bluetooth connectivity for headsets and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion, speakerphone, instant messaging, and simultaneous voice and data capabilities."



Amazon.com has some great deals on the sleek and sexy Samsung Blackjack II. Right now you can pick up this gorgeous handset for just a penny when you sign up for new service or extend your current contract with AT&T through Amazon's site. The good news is, nowhere on the page did I see anything that stated there was a mail-in rebate! After fooling around and adding the handset to my shopping cart and picking out a service plan, my Amazon cart total still only came out to a penny. Unfortunately I am not eligible for an upgrade at the moment so I was unable to complete checkout. If there is anyone out there that can take advantage of this wallet friendly deal, let us know!

Amazon.com Links

• Samsung Blackjack II (Black)
• Samsung Blackjack II (Red)

"Tam Hanna has taken the time to go over Handango's "Yardstick 2007" report (not my favorite company, but that's a different rant) which shows how the industry is changing in terms of platforms (PalmOS, WM Standard, WM Pro, Sybmian, BB) and category of applications e.g. games, productivity, etc. With the added touch of some simple Excel graphs, Tam finds some very interesting results. For instance, in the number of new applications added for WM Professional, it actually dipped in 2007 compared to 2006--which is quite the surprise. However, WM Standard actually increased, suggesting non-touchscreen devices, which have become more prevalent and cheaper, are quickly growing and balancing out Standard's big bro's position."



WMExperts has posted an interesting article which outlines the trends in recent software purchasing through Handango. A surprising tidbit of information that came to light is that more people are purchasing applications for Standard devices than their Windows Mobile touch screen counterparts. What is even more interesting is that the top Windows Mobile Standard devices purchasing these software packages are the Samsung Blackjack and the Motorola Q. It makes me happy to see more individuals adopting Windows Mobile Standard devices as well as supporting the developers that create applications for our handhelds. Without the developers that help expand the feature set of our handhelds we would not have as rich of experiences as we do now. I know I for one couldn't go one without FlexWallet (now eWallet 6) or Facade. I would just be plan lost without both of those applications.

I know I ask this question all the time, but I love the responses and every time I ask it someone introduces me to another great application I never knew existed. So what applications can you, our readers, not live without?

"If you think the Samsung Ace looks familiar to you, well, it is. We’ve seen its close cousins, the Samsung BlackJack late last year and the Samsung BlackJack II early this year, both on AT&T. While AT&T customers might think the Ace is old news, Sprint made a safe choice for its own customers by providing a proven and popular device that’s also a world phone. The Samsung Ace sits in between the BlackJack and the BlackJack II feature-wise with Windows Mobile 6, full QWERTY keyboard, EVDO and 1.3 megapixel camera. There is no GPS or Wi-Fi onboard. One thing that Ace is superior to both BlackJacks is the processor: the Ace has the Marvell PXA270 running at 312MHz. This world phone runs on Sprint’s CDMA network in the US with support for Sprint’s EV-DO for fast data; and it also comes with a SIM slot and the technology that allow users to use GSM/GPRS overseas."



Tong Zhang from Mobile Tech Review has given us a pretty good review of Sprint's newest Windows Mobile Standard device, the Samsung Ace. I'm not a huge fan of the Sprint network, or any CDMA network for that matter, but I do love the fact that this handset comes equipped with a SIM card slot for overseas travels. Unfortunately, those hoping to pop in their US carrier based SIM cards will be disappointed as the device runs off of the 900/1800 MHz GSM frequencies which is more popular in Europe and Asia than it is on our side of the pond.