News.com Says Verizon Smartphone Coming Monday

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/2100-1039_3-5104394.html?tag=nefd_top' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2100-1039_3-5104394.html?tag=nefd_top</a><br /><br /></div>"Cellular carrier Verizon Wireless on Monday plans to begin offering a Samsung smart phone that uses an Intel processor and Microsoft software. The clamshell-style Samsung SCH-i600 will cost about $300, according to sources familiar with Verizon's plans. The combination cell phone and organizer includes a 200MHz Intel XScale PXA255 processor, at least 32MB of memory, a color screen, and runs on Verizon's CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) cellular network. <br /><br />The handset uses Microsoft's Windows Mobile Smartphone operating system. Samsung is the second major phone maker in the United States to use Microsoft's software. AT&T Wireless announced late last month that it would sell a Motorola phone that uses the Smartphone operating system. Bedminster, N.J.-based Verizon Wireless is a joint venture between Verizon Communications and European carrier Vodafone. Verizon Wireless and Microsoft representatives declined to comment. Samsung representatives did not return calls seeking comment."

[trachy]

Anyone know if the OS is 2002 or 2003? Haven't been able to find any info on the Samsung site, and everywhere else they just say it's MS Smartphone OS.

[encece]

Definitely...2002

[kaps]

The price in the article is wrong. The price with a one year contract is $599 and with a two year contract it is $499.

[Dan]

The price in the article is wrong. The price with a one year contract is $599 and with a two year contract it is $499.

Are you serious?! That would suck and I wouldn't buy one :evil:

[stephenlabuda]

and if you are just upgrading from another verizon phone the price is 649$

[ShivShanks]

The price in the article is wrong. The price with a one year contract is $599 and with a two year contract it is $499.

Are you serious?! That would suck and I wouldn't buy one :evil:

Well at that price, AT&T with its MPx200 will walk all over it and then trample the remains for good measure :) Well Verizon has always had somewhat overpriced phones but this is a bit too much. Samsung and/or Verizon need to get real. $649 for a smartphone? You can get a laptop these days for $800. Whats more unlike the Palm based smartphones these do not have a touch screen and a web browser capable of visiting any site (like the nice Blazer browser on Palm which can do this using a back end retranscoding of pages with a smart proxy server). So therefore as a browsing and email device it is inferior in some respects IMHO. From what I've heard, the incremental cost of an MS Smartphone isn't really that great on top of a decent colour phone. So I wonder just what it is that makes Samsung/Verizon sell it for so much? Well I do like Samsung a lot but perhaps Samsung is also getting arrogant now that it feels its a top level brand. Will the next Samsung like company please stand up and give Samsung a run for its money? You never know, the Taiwanese mfrs might just do that provided they can improve marketing and branding.

[aristoBrat]

So I wonder just what it is that makes Samsung/Verizon sell it for so much?
I'm sure a good part of it is "just because they can".

If you look at the Verzion forum at HoFo, ... going back two weeks you'll see about everyone there (that was interested in a i600) pissing and moaning about the ridiculous pricing, ... and now that the i600's been released, the majority of those folks (including me) are ordering it today. I think VZW knows they can get away with this price for awhile with us geeks. :D

One thought is that since AT&T's GSM/GPRS network is so weak they HAVE to price their phones so low. There's more than a few comments about people returning their MPx's because of "the lack of AT&T signal". :(

Even the best priced phone doesn't do you any good if it's on a crappy network.