01-11-2005, 04:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Samsung i730: Finalist In CNET's "Next Big Thing" From CES
"We came, we saw, we liked. Samsung has packed the i730 with so many goodies that we don't know where to start. How about the slick slider design that opens to reveal a QWERTY keyboard? This Windows Mobile 2003 smart phone also rocks a 65,000-color, 2.8-inch display; 128MB of flash memory; 64MB of SDRAM; and integrated Bluetooth. Operating on a CDMA (800/1,900MHz) network, the i730 supports EVDO for faster download speeds."
I've got to agree with CNET; the i730 is mighty impressive-looking. And even though the picture on the linked page makes the device look big, I think it's distorted; watch the video on the side as Brian Cooley handles the device, and I think you'll agree with me that it's really quite compact. (Incidentally, you can see all of the CNET "Next Big Thing" finalists and their overall winner here.)
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01-11-2005, 04:07 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 172
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Looks like a brick my man. Lots of features though...wake me up when they come out with a GSM version with UMTS support in a package half as thin. Probably CES 2006. Off to slumber...
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01-11-2005, 04:38 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 75
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I thought the i730 was also to include Wifi as well as Bluetooth? Or am I just confusing it with the BenQP50?
JD
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iPhone GS 16 Gb
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01-11-2005, 04:40 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 32
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no WIFI?
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01-11-2005, 05:17 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 49
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Um.... Did I miss something? What does the Samsung phone have that the HTC Harrier (Audiovox PPC6600/6601 I forget the verizon numbers)? That's been out for a little while now and the Samsung phone isn't even available. How come it gets to be the next big thing?
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01-11-2005, 05:41 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by jeasher
Looks like a brick my man. Lots of features though...wake me up when they come out with a GSM version with UMTS support in a package half as thin.
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And how are you going to get a sliding keyboard underneath?
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Originally Posted by DarrenS
no WIFI?
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Apparently the prototype has it, but Samsung isn't making a lot of noise about it because the carriers aren't sure they want it. If it's not there, then the unit will indeed be a lot closer to the HTC Harrier. I'm hoping against hope that the carriers won't be so shortsighted and that WiFi will be in there when it ships.
--janak
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01-11-2005, 05:48 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 172
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
Quote:
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Originally Posted by jeasher
Looks like a brick my man. Lots of features though...wake me up when they come out with a GSM version with UMTS support in a package half as thin.
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And how are you going to get a sliding keyboard underneath? |
That's why they pay the engineers the big bucks.  From the video the device looks to be over 1" thick. The Blue Angel models are all 0.7"-0.8" thick. I'm sure they could eventually get to a form factor of 0.5" thick.
Besides, I don't think a slider is the best form factor. The MpX has it right but we know that device sucks. The irony is that the best form factor yet IMO was my 256k Wizard back in the 90's. Where did all the clamshells go? Maybe Nokia has the best form factor now with their new Communicators. The Siemens SK65 is pretty sweet too.
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01-11-2005, 06:01 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 368
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I know the time hasn't come yet, but do you think when EVDO or even faster data network is available widely, will Wifi be a still required feature?
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01-11-2005, 06:27 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 652
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by DarrenS
no WIFI?
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I think carriers don't like WiFi because they can't charge you for it. Why sign up for a data plan if you can log on to your PC, check your email, read news headlines, surf the web, etc. for free. What they probable don't see is you wanting to do this to when you're away from the PC. :duh: But we can hope.
__________________
Making use of mobile tech like no other.
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01-11-2005, 08:03 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 797
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Having been someone who was actually at the show and held the i730 in his hands, I can truthfully say it's one of the slickest handhelds I've ever seen. It's nowhere near a "brick" at all, and the sliding keyboard is more than serviceable. Samsung packed a great unit into a smaaaaaaaaaall package.
Frankly, I liked the P50 better, but either one of these phones (GSM users will love the P50, CDMA folks will get the 730) should make any power user a happy camper. I was thoroughly impressed with both, and think either one of them could have been best of show. The only other thing I saw that was even close as far as the "wowee" factor was the OQO, and having played with that also, I can truthfully say that this is going to be a flat-out-awesome year for the pocketable digital world.
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