14 DAY TRIAL // In the last few days, all news regarding Samsung's new releases covered slightly different, but, most importantly, cheaper devices than before. The SCH-W690 makes no exception, being a mid-end phone, well-built, of course, since we're talking about Samsung, but packed with less top of the line technologies.
Considering these Samsung releases, it would seem that the Korean company has chosen its strategy and marketing plan for next year and it has already started implementing them. This may be just a supposition for now, but many agree that, knowing the bad financial “weather” announced for next year, Samsung has taken the safe road, which may not offer great profits but it will probably keep the company from losing money through these low-end and mid-end mobiles.
The W690 includes a 2.6'' internal AMOLED (240x320 pixels) 262K color display, which has already been evaluated and found victorious in a comparison with the screen of the N85. Moreover, this GSM phone offers HSDPA connectivity, being also equipped with an MP3 player, an 800 mAh battery and Bluetooth support.
Refocusing on the most impressive features, the SCH comes with a 2 Megapixel camera and a GPS system, which may be regarded as a pretty pleasant surprise Samsung is offering. Next, the phone has a pretty chic feeling about it since it comes with an elegant and refined look. The 101x51.6x16.95 mm measurements are not bad either, offering users a comfortable pocketing experience. Moreover, weighing only 123g, this clamshell, which comes only in black and white, will probably not go unnoticed.
The handset may not feature those very advanced keypads, but its alphanumeric one does the job quite well, being easily managed thanks to those large keys. The same goes for the phone itself, for it does not pack very intriguing and advanced features, but it has been designed so that it won't disappoint.
For now, the W690 device is to be available only in Korea and there is no information regarding its price, but it is said it might reach other continents as well soon after its release.