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Samsung Continuum hands on

Published Nov 8th, 2010 8:20PM EST
BGR

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We just grabbed some hands on time with Samsung’s latest device to debut on Verizon Wireless, and here are some of our initial thoughts. First off, the build quality on the Continuum seems solid — definitely a notch better than the Samsung Captivate and Samsung Vibrant. The device still feels a bit plasticky and a tad light, but again, it’s better than what Samsung has put out in the recent past. The screen is fantastic. It’s a Super AMOLED display with separate “ticker” display below, though there aren’t actually two displays on there. The four menu buttons are basically silkscreened over the display, which breaks it up into two separate sections. Software then controls the main section and the ticker section, and they can work independently of each other. Pretty cool, huh? Lastly, the grip sensor. There’s a capacitive layer on the edge of the handset and as soon as you pick it up (or even just touch it), the ticker display lights up and is fully functional while the main display stays dormant.

The raw specs of the Samsung Continuum are as follows: 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 384MB RAM, 512MB ROM, 3.4-inch (480 x 800) Super AMOLED main display, 1.8-inch (96 x 480) Super AMOLED “ticker” display, 3G EV-DO Rev. A, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + ERD, 2GB internal storage, 8GB micro-SD card included (expandable up to 32GB), 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p video recording, 3G hotspot capable, DLNA capable, Android 2.1, and the SWYPE keyboard is pre-installed. We have our hands on gallery with the Continuum below followed by the press release.


VERIZON WIRELESS AND SAMSUNG MOBILE DEBUT WORLD’S FIRST DEDICATED MOBILE PHONE TICKER DISPLAY ON THE SAMSUNG CONTINUUM™, A GALAXY S™ SMARTPHONE

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS – Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network, and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the number one mobile phone provider in the United States(1), today announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Continuum™, a Galaxy S™ smartphone. The Continuum is the world’s first smartphone designed with a dedicated ticker display, which provides users with up-to-the-minute news, sports, finance and social networking updates for maximized multitasking.

The Continuum features two separate but integrated displays: a 3.4-inch touch screen Super AMOLED™ main display and a customizable 1.8-inch Super AMOLED dedicated ticker display that streams customized information in real time. Additionally, the Continuum is powered by Android™ 2.1, with support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Android Market™ and more. The Continuum also includes a 1GHz Hummingbird Application Processor, 5-megapixel camera, and multiple entertainment and social networking features.

Color: Mirror Black

Key features and specifications:

• 3.4-inch Super AMOLED Main Touch Screen Display – Main display provides user-customizable homescreens and widgets in a brilliant screen display

• 1.8-inch Interactive Super AMOLED Ticker Display – Dedicated ticker display enables zero-click access to news, social networking, sports and entertainment feeds; users can select what content they want on the ticker by selecting from menu on display

Grip Sensor – By touching the bottom sides of the device, the ticker display lights up to give users real-time weather, social networking services (SNS), message, IM and e-mail notification updates

Super AMOLED Screen Technology – Brilliant screen makes watching movies, viewing videos and playing games come to life like never before, even in bright light and outdoor environments

Android 2.1 platform – With support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and Android Market

Preloaded with Bing Maps and Bing Search

Full HTML Web browsing capabilities

3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to transform their phone into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Advanced touchscreen gestures capabilities, including multi-touch pinch to zoom, double tap to zoom and horizontal swiping, which provides easier and quicker access to many applications, including location-based services, Web browsing and digital photos or videos

Multiple file formats supported, including DivX and Xvid support

Samsung 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor – Produces amazing graphics, faster upload and download times, and HD-like multimedia content

Six-axis sensor that works with the smartphone’s accelerometer to provide a smooth, fluid gaming experience when the user is tilting the device up or down or panning the phone to the left or right

Virtual QWERTY Keyboard Featuring Swype Technology – Input text faster and in a more intuitive way with one continuous finger motion across the screen keyboard

Full suite of messaging options – Text, picture, video and voice messaging; corporate and personal e-mail accounts supported

5.0-megapixel camera/camcorder – Auto-focus and LED flash with HD video recording and playback capabilities to capture photos and videos for playback on your HD television; playback (720p) on the screen display

Wi-Fi Connectivity (802.11 b/g/n)

Stereo Bluetooth® Technology – Support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, and object push for vCard and vCalendar

Corporate Email – Supports Android Éclair Exchange ActiveSync e-mail to synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from office e-mail accounts

Music player features lock screen, ticker display and quick side panel controls and 3.5-millimeter headphone jack

8 GB microSD™ card preinstalled expandable up to 32 GB

Lifestyle features:

V CAST Music with Rhapsody®, V CAST Video on Demand, V CAST Song ID, Visual Voice Mail, V CAST Tones, VZ Navigator®, Mobile IM, City ID, Bing Search and Maps, and Blockbuster Application

Dedicated ticker displays up-to-the minute news, weather and SNS updates, as well as music player controls and incoming e-mail, IM, and text messages without interrupting the activity on the main display

Samsung’s Social Hub – Built around messaging, contacts and calendar sync, which allows users to send and receive information, whether it is e-mail, social network updates or SMS messages

o Integrated Calendar information from portal calendars, on Exchange, Google Calendar™ and SNS, including Facebook®

o Integrated Contacts syncs with Exchange, Google, Twitter and Facebook – Facebook contacts display in four categories, including Info, History (previous calls and messages), Activities (status updates and notifications on social networking sites), and Media (Facebook profile photos and photo gallery)

AllShare™ – Enables inter-device connectivity through Digital Living Network Alliance® (DLNA®), so users can send multimedia content wirelessly to other DLNA Certified®-enabled devices such as TVs and laptops

Daily Briefing – Instant access to weather, news, stocks and schedules

Write and Go – Quickly jot down an idea and later decide on a format, such as SMS/ MMS, e-mail, calendar or memo, to send or post to popular SNS sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace

Smart Alarm – Natural alarm sound and display automatically illuminates

Weather Clock – Displays current time and weather of the selected city (ability to add and select other cities)

Pricing and availability:

The Samsung Continuum will be available for order starting Nov. 11 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at http://www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement and data package. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. The device will be available for purchase in stores beginning Nov. 18.

For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to http://www.verizonwireless.com.

Jonathan S. Geller
Jonathan Geller Founder, President & Editor-in-chief

Jonathan S. Geller founded Boy Genius Report, now known as BGR, in 2006. It became the biggest mobile news destination in the world by the end of 2009, and BGR was acquired by leading digital media company PMC in April 2010.

Jonathan is President of BGR Media, LLC., and Editor-in-chief of the BGR website.

What started as a side project at the age of 16, quickly transpired into 24-hour days and nights of sharing exclusive and breaking news about the mobile communications industry. BGR now reaches up to 100 million readers a month through the website, syndication partners, and additional channels.