phoneArena.com Reviews the Samsung OMNIA

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Samsung-OMNIA-Review-review-r_1981.html' target='_blank'>http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Sam...iew-r_1981.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Translated from Greek, the name of Samsung's new model means "everything" and its main purpose is to fully satisfy the needs of the modern cell phone user. This is a phone with a unique combination of characteristics such as 5-megapixel camera, large touch display and GPS, taking advantage of the Windows Mobile 6.1 platform. In addition, this is the first device with a built-in support of not only DivX, but XviD video. The logical question "Can it cook?" comes to mind..."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/spt/auto/1216919028.usr1.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>When these phoneArena guys review a phone, they really go to town - a 360 degree view of the phone? Wow. <a href="http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Samsung-OMNIA-Review-review-r_1981.html" target="_blank">Reading through the review</a>, you realize that Samsung excels in some areas, and falls short in others. For instance, their efforts on the custom user interface elements seem to be lacking - look at the photo above and the tiny scroll-bar in the lower right corner of the screen - that's just sad. On the other hand, the hardware design of the device seems quite excellent, and the overall performance of the device is snappy and lag-free. So is the OMNIA on anyone's techno-lust list? Expansys has the OMNIA for pre-order over on our affiliate store, but the price for the <a href="http://www.expansys-usa.com/p.aspx?i=170141&amp;partner=pthoughts" target="_blank">16 GB version</a> is nearly the same as the <a href="http://www.expansys-usa.com/p.aspx?i=170140&amp;partner=pthoughts" target="_blank">8 GB version</a>, so I suspect those prices fall into the "really rough guess" category. Still, you can pre-order one today if your desire to own this phone overrides your concern about the price.</p>

[virain]

Hopefully, some one come up with idea how to cook this ROM, or make it to be able to work on T-Mobile USA 3G network! After all HTC diamond was "cooked to work on all 4 bands, including 850 mHZ! http://www.wmexperts.com/articles/new_diamond_rom_enables_850_ed.html

[wmm]

This is the only non-VGA phone that is on my short list for upgrading this fall, although its lack of screen resolution puts it at the bottom of the list. There are persistent rumors that AT&T will pick this up; if they do, and they don't offer the Xperia X1 or one of the other new phones with at least VGA resolution, I'll probably end up getting one of these when I'm eligible this fall for a subsidized upgrade.

[Jason Dunn]

Hopefully, some one come up with idea how to cook this ROM, or make it to be able to work on T-Mobile USA 3G network! After all HTC diamond was "cooked to work on all 4 bands, including 850 mHZ!

That's only for voice/EDGE though, not HSDPA - the Diamond still isn't a 3G data phone after that update. :(

[Gerard]

Funny, but 'can it cook' isn't the first question coming to my mind. More like 'can the screen be seen in sunlight... or even bright indoor light?'

Every picture I've seen so far of the Omnia, including the one heading this article, shows a milky, low-contrast blue-ish screen. Some reviews/comparisons have taken the bold step of photographing it alongside the iPhone. Bad mistake, at least for Samsung, as it's like comparing a crisp newly printed photograph to a faded old newspaper photo that's spent some time in the rain. And every shot I've seen so far has been indoors, in flourescent light and in one case apparently incandescent studio light. All bad.

So I'm wondering why, with a multi-media device such as this obviously is (DivX support is native!), the screen stinks on ice? Or does it? If the review linked to here says something about this, perhaps someone could post it here, as Pocket IE takes me to a mostly blank phonearena page and no way shown to the article. Combined with lower resolution it does really seem that the single most important element of any Pocket PC is the weakest bit of hardware with this model.

[curcioj]

OK - I'm confused. As stated in the review:

"Samsung OMNIA is a quad-band GSM, which makes it a global phone, but regrettably, because of the single band UMTS, it is not suitable for high-speed Internet. It supports GPRS, EDGE and HSDPA speeds with the last one getting up to 7.2Mbit/s."

If it supports HSDPA and can transfer 7.2MBit/s, what about it does not make it suitable for high speed internet?

Appreciate any comments.

[smelrond]

This device got awesome specs, BUT... Lets face it, all devices coming out are awesome, some have keyboards, some have GPS, NOW...why on a device with a screen so big, they have decided to go QVGA?
I am a proud owner of an axim x51v...and still didnt find anything to let me leave it in the drawer...shame..
Cheers
Smelrons

[SHC]

OK - I'm confused. As stated in the review:

"Samsung OMNIA is a quad-band GSM, which makes it a global phone, but regrettably, because of the single band UMTS, it is not suitable for high-speed Internet. It supports GPRS, EDGE and HSDPA speeds with the last one getting up to 7.2Mbit/s."

If it supports HSDPA and can transfer 7.2MBit/s, what about it does not make it suitable for high speed internet?

Appreciate any comments.

I picked that up too. I thought parts of the review read like they had been translated from another language - I don't know much about phone-arena or where it's based. Certainly other reviews confirm its HSDPA status.

[Phillip Dyson]

If it supports HSDPA and can transfer 7.2MBit/s, what about it does not make it suitable for high speed internet?


They may be making a US-centric statement here in that it does not have US 3G support.

[kanzlr]

and the tiny scroll-bar in the lower right corner of the screen - that's just sad.

well thats just because they are displayed on the today screen, so the space for "real" today screen plugins get narrowed down. and if you look, whats down there are all regular today screen plugins. so i wouldn't say that this is a fault or a bad choice made by samsung. its just the fact that you get scrollbars on the today screen if you display more stuff than you have space for.

[Scottwood2]

It seems like a good phone and there seems to be a bunch coming out that look good. I just can not beleve that preorders are just under $1 K. I just can't see me carrying a phone that expensive no matter what it does. One drop and it could all be over.

[Gerard]

I hear ya. The other night I was running up an escalator and my Atom jumped out of a cargo pocket I'd forgotten to snap shut. Guy I'd just passed handed it to me... and it still worked. Tough little phone! I've dropped it a few times, but not a scratch on it so far and it's always run well. Slippery little thing though.

[SHC]

Funnily enough my HTC P3600 took a leap out of my hand just today. Some slight cosmetic damage but it cannot "see" the MiniSD card any more.:(
I think I will have to insure my Omnia when I get it.

[Jason Dunn]

I just can not beleve that preorders are just under $1 K.

Take those prices with a grain of salt...we'll have to see what it really comes in at.

[Hx4700]

I posted some thoughts on my recently received Omnia at another thread - <table class="tborder" id="threadslist" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tbody id="threadbits_forum_355"><tr><td class="alt2">
</td> <td class="alt1" id="td_threadtitle_90080" title="<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theunwired.net/?item=review-samsung-sgh-i900-omnia-windows-mobile-6-1-professional-smartphone'..."> the::unwired Reviews the Samsung Omnia (http://forums.thoughtsmedia.com/f355/unwired-reviews-samsung-omnia-90080.html)
</td></tr></tbody></table>
so I won't double post here.
Ron...
<table style="width: 524px; height: 1px;" class="tborder" id="threadslist" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="1"><tbody id="threadbits_forum_355"><tr><td class="alt2">
</td><td class="alt1" id="td_threadtitle_90080" title="<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theunwired.net/?item=review-samsung-sgh-i900-omnia-windows-mobile-6-1-professional-smartphone'...">
</td></tr></tbody></table>