14 DAY TRIAL // South-Korean handset manufacturer Samsung has just announced the release of its first traditional flip form factor Android-based smartphone. The device is available in China through China Telecom carrier, but it is unclear if it is released for other countries in the region too.
Samsung "Zhen Zun" W899 is among the first few Android smartphones that features a clamshell form factor and dual touchscreens. The device comes with two 3.3-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen displays, both supporting multitouch and 480 × 800 pixels resolution.
The phone is powered by a 1 Ghz processor and runs on Android 2.2 Froyo platform out-of-the-box.
It boasts a 5-megapixel camera with flash and support for HD video recording, as well as secondary front facing VGA camera.
The W899 packs 512 MB internal memory and microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB, 8GB memory card included).
One of the most interesting traits of the device is the compatibility with both GSM and CDMA bands: 3G CDMA 2000 EVDO Rev.A; 2G CDMA 1X / GSM (GPRS / EDGE) 900/1800/1900 Mhz.
Other connectivity features include: support for WiFi / WAPI networks, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP support and built-in GPS receiver.
Samsung W899 measures 107.5 x 57.4 x 17.55mm and weighs 183g (battery included), which makes it a rather bulky and heavy device.
According to China Telecom, the Samsung W899 will become the carrier's new flagship Android-based smartphone.
An alternative for customers who don't like clamshell handsets may be the Motorola MOTO MT716 “Extreme Smart,” which will be launched soon through the same carrier.
Motorola's device offer users a larger 3.7-inch display, as well as an improved 8-megapixel camera compared to the Samsung W899.
Although the carrier hasn't disclosed any information regarding the W899's price tag, it's almost certain they will need to opt for a contract to be able to claim it.
