14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung SGH-L288 (or simply Samsung L288) is the first mobile phone to be launched in China and to feature 3G connectivity, working on TD-SCDMA frequencies. The TD-SCDMA technology is developed by the Chinese Academy of Telecommunications Technology, especially for China and for its 3G needs.
Part of the AnyCall series, the new Samsung comes in a candybar form factor and it looks like a mid-end device, which it actually is. The handset is compatible with the standard GSM networks, as well as with the brand new TD-SCDMA network that China has. Well, not all China, as currently only eight major cities can benefit from it, but in the future a nationwide 3G network will be deployed. With 3G, Chinese users will be able to browse the Web and download / upload content much faster than they currently do, when using only the GSM, GPRS and EDGE standards.
The new L288 phone features a 2.6 inch TFT display with 260K colors and a 240 x 320 pixel resolution, track-ball navigation key, FM radio, Music player (MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ and WMA support), Video player (3 GP and MP4 support), Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0 and video-call front camera. There's also a 2.0 Megapixel photo camera with flash, digital zoom and video recording (no auto focus), which should enable users to take photos at a decent quality.
Other specs of the L288 are a mystery for now, but if they resemble the above mentioned ones and if the battery included in the handset is a good one, then the new Samsung can be really attractive for the Chinese mobile users.
Although Samsung SGH-L288 seems to be available right now, its price is not known, and neither are the locations where it can be bought. Anyway, the phone's price is probably neither too cheap, nor too expensive.