Samsung M600 Windows Mobile Smartphone for the Korean Market

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2005/07/samsung_m600_sm.html' target='_blank'>http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2005/07/samsung_m600_sm.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Samsung will introduce its Windows Mobile 2003 SE-powered M600 model in Korea this August. Designed to challenge Korea’s first Microsoft based smartphone in Korea, <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8814">Pantech’s PH-S8000T,</a> it is claimed to be more advanced than the PH-S8000T; with its stereo Bluetooth function being the tip of the iceberg. The M600 is a slide-type handset, enabled with CDMA2000 1x EV-DO service. Equipped with a Bulverde PXA272 and 2 mega-pixel built-in camera, the Korean cell phone scene should light up this fall as competition becomes keen."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-Aug05-SamsungM600.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />The Samsung M600 has some very impressive specifications like 520 MHz processor, 2 Megapixel camera, QVGA screen and dual speakers with support for <a href="http://www.srslabs.com/ConsumerTechHeadphone.asp#WOW">SRS WOW.</a> 8O The only flip side is that it will not be sporting the latest Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. Slashphone.com has a good <a href="http://www.slashphone.com/71/2262.html">picture gallery</a> for this model. I wonder if Verizon or Sprint PCS will pick this model for the US market?

[Jerry Raia]

Whay are all these clowns coming out with new phones and and older OS? :roll:

[Kirkaiya]

It's been a long time since I was a regular poster over at PPC thoughts (where I had the same monikor, I think - Kirkaiya), and I don't think I was ever the source for a story there.

So it's pretty cool that my first post here after registering is the source for an announcement!!

As for the choice of Windows Mobile 2003 SE - I was wondering about that too. Maybe it's because MSFT didn't release the new OS to hardware makers until too late for (most of) them to ship units made for it, until later (I know the Moto Q has WM2005, but that won't be shipping for awhile).

My trusty iPaq 1610 is getting long in the tooth, and I'm starting to tire of carrying 2 gadgets - hence my decision to go with some sort of smartphone, and my recent extensive readings here.

I don't really care about whether it's the SmartPhone OS or PocketPC phone edition - Microsoft seems to be merging the two of these anyway, and as much as I love using my stylus, I've admitted to myself finally that mostly I use my iPaq as "read only", since I'm around my laptop most of the day. So for me, the question is this: Do I buy a current-gen smartphone with the 176 x 220 resolution, like the O2 Xphone IIm, or wait for one of these newer phones like the Samsung with QVGA to be available?

I have a feeling that the O2 Xphones won't be upgradable to WM2005 (i have no evidence, just my gut), but I'm hoping Samsung will offer/allow upgrades for phones like the m600, since WM2005 is already out and the hardware (520 Mhz, QVGA) seems 2005-ready....

*sigh*

In other news, since I'm now living in Bangkok, I see all kinds of other brands of smartphones/PPC-phones about. I saw a new PPC-phone from Lenovo yesterday (they bought IBM's PC business), and some other brands I've never even heard of.

So should I wait or should I buy.... the constant conundrum of mobile gadgets.



Hmm... this m600 looks pretty good, though a bit hefty.[/b]

[Kris Kumar]

It's been a long time since I was a regular poster over at PPC thoughts (where I had the same monikor, I think - Kirkaiya), and I don't think I was ever the source for a story there.

Welcome to Smartphone Thoughts...we take care of our readers unlike those folks over at Pocket PC Thoughts. ;-) :lol:


As for the choice of Windows Mobile 2003 SE - I was wondering about that too. Maybe it's because MSFT didn't release the new OS to hardware makers until too late for (most of) them to ship units made for it, until later (I know the Moto Q has WM2005, but that won't be shipping for awhile).

I believe that is the reason. :-( The sad part is that most likely it will not have an upgrade path either.

... I've admitted to myself finally that mostly I use my iPaq as "read only", since I'm around my laptop most of the day.

Once you have made that observation, it is very easy to swing over to the Smartphone side. :-)

So for me, the question is this: [b]Do I buy a current-gen smartphone with the 176 x 220 resolution, ...

And QVGA screen is worth waiting for. More screen area, more text, more stuff to read.

In other news, since I'm now living in Bangkok, I see all kinds of other brands of smartphones/PPC-phones about.

Keep us posted.

Hmm... this m600 looks pretty good, though a bit hefty.

I noticed that too. Samsung I believe is not known for styling.

[Mike Temporale]

It's been a long time since I was a regular poster over at PPC thoughts (where I had the same monikor, I think - Kirkaiya), and I don't think I was ever the source for a story there.

So it's pretty cool that my first post here after registering is the source for an announcement!!

I would say that's a pretty good achievement. Congrats, and welcome to the site!

[Kirkaiya]

Thanx!

Now if only Samsung (or somebody) would release something that looks like the m600, but only .75" thick (instead of 1"), and 100 grams (instead of 167, ugh).

Oh - and running Windows Mobile 2005. And that's it - that would be my nearly-perfect-phone! When on Earth are all the promised wonder-displays we talked about on PPC thoughts 2 years ago (OLED, or any of the other exotic, thin and light technologies) going to FINALLY show up in force?

Man, I wish somebody would invent a super-thin color hi-rez display that bends, and is no thicker than a credit-card....

[HailStorm]

heck! We're still waiting for the i640/5!! I'm not gonna get worked up about the M600...it is a year away at least given the past history on this stuff.

[TimeHunter]

Looks a lot like the i730.