Latest Nokia, Motorola and Samsung Handsets Heading AT&T this Year

Leakfest galore for a number of cool handsets heading AT&T this year. Leading the pack are four handsets from Nokia, followed by two from Motorola and a budget touchscreen from Samsung.

Nokia Mako, Thresher, Grouper and Snapper

The Symbian OS won’t be left out of the fray this year with AT&T. The Nokia Mako is a Symbian S60 3.2-powered device unlike anything we’ve seen from Nokia thus far. This side slider will feature a 2.6-inch QVGA screen, four row QWERTY keyboard, quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz), dual-band HSDPA (850/1900MHz), 2 megapixel camera, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.0, 128MB of on-board memory, microSD expansion and a 2.5mm headset jack. That is apparently all the love S60 will be getting at AT&T this year but hit the jump for details on three mid and entry-level offerings from Nokia headed our way.

The remaining three handsets, the Thresher, Grouper and Snapper, share the same S40-based UI. They also share designs that were seemingly recycled from Motorolas of old. The Thresher is a standard slider with quad-band GSM, tri-band HSDPA, 3.2 megapixel camera, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.1, built-in compass, 140MB of on-board memory, microSD expansion and a 2.5mm headset jack. The Grouper is a flip phone that shares the tri-band HSDPA, aGPS and Bluetooth of the Thresher but drops the camera down to 2.0 megapixels, loses the compass, and lowers the on-board memory to 70MB. For those die hard PTTer’s out there, the Grouper also includes Kodiak PTT 5.2 support. Lastly, is Nokia’s more entry-level offering the Snapper. The Snapper is a flip phone with quad-band GSM, tri-band HSDPA, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.1, AGPS, up to 70MB of on-board memory, microSD expansion, 2 megapixel camera and Kodiak PTT.








Motorola Heron and Sawgrass

Next in line are two Motorola nature inspired offerings. First up is the Android-based Heron which was first scooped back in April as the Motorola IRONMAN. From the slide, it appears as if the handset was meant to be a Windows Mobile device that was switched over to Android. The specs, which are subject to change of course, give the phone quad-band GSM, dual-band HSDPA/HSUPA, 2.6 inch QVGA screen, 3 megapixel fixed focus camera with auto-flash and aGPS. So the IRONMAN is also known as the Heron — pretty straight forward there.




Next up is the Motorola Sawgrass which apparently is the QA1 “Karma” and showed itself on the recent AT&T rebate form. The Sawgrass will sport quad-band GSM, dual-band HSDPA, 2 megapixel camera, A2DP Bluetooth, aGPS, microSD expansion up to 32GB and a full HTML browser. This handset bears a rather striking resemblance to the Motorola Somerset, which of course was formerly known as the Alexander. Even the little known specs from the Somerset/Alexander (3.5mm stereo jack, A2DP, MMC support, and a camera) line up nicely with what we know about the Sawgrass/QA1 Karma. The only piece of the puzzle that doesn’t quite fit is the camera — Alexander was supposed to sport a killer shooter but this little guy is only packing 2 megapixels.



Samsung Infinity

Last on our the deck is the Samsung Infinity. Hardly as exciting as some of the other handsets we’ve seen from this deck, the Infinity is presumably set to replace the Samsung Eternity — whose name, by the way, now looks to be a blatant lie. Spec highlights for the Infinity include quad-band GSM/EDGE and dual-band UMTS, a low-grade 3-inch touchscreen display that’s hardly on par with Sammy’s recent AMOLEDs, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, aGPS and a 1,000 mAh battery. The Infinity will definitely make a decent affordable phone when it drops sometime in 2H.



Via: Engadget

Bell: The First Samsung Vice Official Carrier

Bell officiailly got the Samsung Vice and became the first carrier to offer the messaging slider device. The mid-range device has a serious messaging focus and it’s slide form factor makes for a convenient handset for those with a need to get in touch without a hassle.

This handset features GPS, a 2-megapixel camera, EVDO 3G and a QWERTY keyboard. Social networking is a big focus here and you can even customize this phone with many decal options with an offering of one free decal from 50 designs to choose from.



The Samsung Vice comes in two flavors, blue-silver or white-red. It’s nothing much but it’s a good handset for those that don’t need a whole lot of extra features. You can buy it today for $50 with a three-year plan or $250 for a no contract up front purchase.

Two More Samsung Handsets Leaked: S8000 and M8000

Samsung is really keen on releasing loads of touchscreen devices this year as two more handsets have been leaked, and though they look exactly the same, they do sport a couple of significant differences.

For starters, Both have a 240 x 400 resolution touchscreen and have a home button. And though their exteriors look the same, there is a lot going on inside each that’s different. For instance, we don’t know much about the S8000, but what we do know is slightly interesting. It features a 5-megapixel camera with dual LED flash and autofocus.



The M8000 on the other hand also has the camera but it seems to be marketed toward the music-listening crowd with a music key on the screen and a 3.5mm headset jack. Unfortunately, we don’t know anything else, but it is likely an official announcement will come sometime this spring.

Samsung BD-P4600: Sleekest Off-the-wall Blu-ray Player

Samsung BD-P4600 blu-ray player was freshly introduced in CES 09 as the “world’s thinnest blu-ray player”. Samsung's functional style philosophy hits another milestone with the world's thinnest and only wall-mountable Blu-ray player. Beyond looking elegant in its 1.5 inch (38mm) piano-black shell, the P4600 is a powerhouse of leading-edge capabilities, including full HD 1080p Blu-ray playback with DVD upscaling, wireless streaming via Pandora and Netflix, HD audio, and inter-gadget connectivity via wireless and wired connections makes the Samsung BD-P4600 a smart long-term investment indeed.



Actual news release of BD-P4600 from Samsung:

LAS VEGAS, January 7, 2009 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today unveiled the world’s first wall-mountable Blu-ray player, the BD-P4600, as well as the new standard for Blu-ray performance and versatility, the BD-P3600. A 2009 CES “Best of Innovations” Award Winner, the BD-P4600 unites a plethora of multimedia features in a svelte, first-in-class package. The enthusiasts’ choice, the BD-P3600 promises top-notch video playback, comprehensive audio decoding, and unprecedented networking capabilities for an immersive, theater-like experience. Both players set a new direction for the Blu-ray category with wireless networking, access to video and music streaming services, such as Netflix and Pandora, as well as sleek designs. Samsung’s new Blu-ray players will be showcased in Booth #11033 at the International Consumer Electronics Show, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 8th through 11th, , 2009.

“Samsung is heralding a new direction for the Blu-ray industry with the BD-P4600 and BD-P3600," said Reid Sullivan, vice president of Audio/Video and Digital Imaging Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “The BD-P4600 makes it easier than ever to bring Blu-ray into the living room with its unique, wall-mountable design, while the BD-P3600’s comprehensive specs place it on the short list of even the most discerning home theater consumers.”

The BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 include BD Live™ (Profile 2.0) and Bonus View (Profile 1.1) support, Full HD 1080p Blu-ray playback with DVD upscaling, and total HD soundtrack support. Standard CD playback, with support for JPEG photos and DivX videos, ensure even more entertainment value with the BD-P4600 and BD-P3600.

A New Era of Functional Design
Samsung’s newest Blu-ray players continue the trend of stylish and décor-friendly electronics, with new versions of Samsung’s groundbreaking Touch of Color™ (ToC™) design and touch sensitive controls. The BD-P3600’s traditional set-top form is just over two inches tall, and comes encased in deep black with charcoal gray highlights curving along the outer edges. The wall-mountable BD-P4600 is just 1.5 inches thin with a piano black design infused with ruby highlights, and finished with clear, prism-like edging. If wall-mounting is not an option, an integrated stand lets the BD-P4600 be placed on a table at a 25 degree angle.

Cutting Wires Without Cutting Back on Entertainment
Both the BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 can wirelessly connect to the latest Blu-ray features when the included 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi dongle is connected to one of the players’ two USB 2.0 ports, or via the traditional wired Ethernet connection. The two players can also instantly stream more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix and Pandora music services (subscriptions required), to deliver an ever-expanding library of entertainment into the living room without having to leave the house. And with 1GB internal flash memory, both players can access the latest BD Live™ and Bonus View Blu-ray features out of the box, leaving the USB 2.0 ports for wireless networking and memory expansion duties when needed.

Speedy Control and Upgradeability
Samsung’s newest Blu-ray players improve traditional disc loading time to begin fast playback, and can eject a disc in a single second. The players’ touch sensitive controls help to create a seamless experience that is pleasing to see, hear, and ultimately, use. To keep consumers updated with the latest features and improvements, Samsungs BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 also can easily access upgrades wirelessly via the included 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi dongle, through the wired Ethernet connection, by connecting a USB drive, or with a CD / DVD / BD.

Total Full HD 1080p Video and HD Soundtrack Support
Samsung’s BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 promise Full HD 1080p playback of Blu-ray discs, and crisp upconversion of standard DVDs through the HDMI 1.3 connection. For a true, Hollywood-quality experience, both players can internally decode the latest high-resolution digital multichannel audio soundtracks, including Dolby Digital Plus™, Dolby TrueHD™ and dts-HD HR / MA®. The BD-P3600 can also output any of the soundtracks as a bitstream through its 7.1-Channel analog audio outputs, or as an uncompressed PCM signal, for consumers desiring the best cinematic sound with an older A/V receiver.

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.

Google-Android Samsung Phones Due Later This Year

According to Robert X. Cringely, Samsung is readying not one, but two separate Android-based phones, one of which is due in September, with another model following around Christmas (I'm readying my Android Christmas wrappers ready!). According to sources, these phones will not be labeled Samsung, rather they will be released as Google-branded gPhones. The model released in the Fall will be a "higher-end" model which apparently looks "somewhat like a Blackberry Pearl" but with a screen that flips and "a keyboard for texting" (makes sense, as the Pearl has a keyboard). The second device will be a cheaper model (under $100), and will likely be released after the holidays. Of course, right now this is just speculation -- given the large gap of time between now and September, these plans could be completely rearranged or nixed altogether... even if they are accurate.