Samsung F700 to Give iPhone a Run

Samsung said in a statement that it will reveal the Ultra Smart F700 at the 3GSM World Congress next week, but did offer a few specs and photos to tide us over until then.
Looking similar, but nicer than the Cingular 8525 smart phone, the Samsung Ultra Smart F700 also has a slide out QWERTY keyboard and touch screen. The screen is about 2.78 inches and responds to drag and drop. The smart phone also has a 5-megapixel digital camera, Bluetooth capability and SD card slot.
Click ‘read more’ to see some cool pictures. The F700 also boasts WAP 2.0 for connecting directly to the Internet from your phone without the need for a Wi-Fi connection. It also has High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) that runs at 7.2 Mbps, which Samsung says will enable you to download an MP3, which the device also plays, in 4.4 seconds. Now, HSPDA is not available everywhere – but it is popping up in most US cities.

The F700 is a part of Samsung’s Ultra portfolio which boasts a full touch screen as well as QWERTY key pad. It reflects the recent trend in telecommunications industry of touch screen user interface and, for users who are not yet familiar with a touch-screen-only user interface, it also implements a QWERTY key pad and VibeTonz technology which allows them to feel the buttons accompanied by responsive vibrations. A ‘Drag and drop’ method of touch screen was adopted for easier menu navigation along with music play list control for an expanded multimedia experience. Volume, play lists, brightness of screens as well as other menu control can be controlled utilizing the touch screen.

The Ultra Smart reflects the fastest available speed of 7.2 Mbps under the High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network. Once the 7.2 Mbps HSDPA network completely deployed, F700 users can download an mp3 song (about 4MB each) in 4.4 seconds. A full HTML browser along with the QWERTY key pad enables easy access to the internet for e-mail and data services. Using the new F700, business and creative professionals are able to view content on a stunning 2.78′ color display. The device features first class entertainment with a top-of-the-line 5 mega-pixel camera with auto focus and Bluetooth. With 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, it makes it easier to watch videos, listen to songs, share high-quality photos, or catch up on email on the move.

‘The introduction of our Ultra Smart F700 reflects the needs of today’s consumers by including features such as touch screen, enhanced connectivity to mobile internet, and access to an array of multimedia content,’ said Geesung Choi, President of Samsung’s Telecommunications Network Business. ‘The Ultra Smart F700 is a good example of how mobile phone will evolve in the future. Samsung will focus on bringing products that reflect and pursue our position as a premium leader’

So, who will be the lucky carrier in the US? Well, it has to be either T-Mobile or Cinglar/ATT. Given Samsung’s connection to Cingular in the past, that is where my best guess will be.

Written by Gary