Samsung Impression hits the shelves at AT&T

Samsung promised that the Impression would hit on April 7th – and sure enough, they’re just starting to trickle onto the shelves.

Besides havin’ a nice, roomy QWERTY keyboard, the main sell here is the 3.2″ AMOLED Touchscreen. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and it’s the first AMOLED screen in the US. Not sure what AMOLED is? It’s yet another acronym for you to learn, standing for: Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. Here’s a page of information about them. Don’t want to read all that? Just know: OLEDs do not require a backlight, meaning thinner displays, better looking screens, and longer battery life.

These metallic blue TouchWiz-powered beauties should be hoppin’ off the delivery trucks right this second – if you’re itchin’ for some AMOLED, it’ll set you back $199.99 on a 2-year signer.

Samsung brings UltraTOUCH to India

Samsung on Wednesday launched the 8 MP full-touch slider phone in the market. The UltraTOUCH comes with a 7.1 cm AMOLED screen, has an ultra-slim 12.7mm body, a 3×4 keypad slide and comes in a brushed metal frame.

“We are committed to strengthening our portfolio of full-touch phones by introducing a variety of handsets to suit every lifestyle. Samsung UltraTOUCH leads this portfolio as our most iconic, high-end phone and will further enhance Samsung’s leadership in the premium full-touch market,” said Jung Soo Shin, President and CEO, Samsung India Electronics Ltd.

The UltraTOUCH’s 8 mega pixel camera comes with dual power LED flash and smile shot mode. It is also powered with 3G capability (HSDPA 7.2 Mbps), offering speedy internet access, video telephony, video streaming and DivX video player support.

The phone has mobile widgets that can be dragged from the menu bar and placed anywhere on the screen for one-click access to applications like Music Player, FM, Games, Calendar etc.

The Samsung UltraTOUCH is priced at Rs 27,500

Samsung officially unveils the Instinct s30 for Sprint

Sprint and Samsung have just taken the wraps off the Instinct s30 aka Mini Instinct at CTIA. It launches on Sprint April 19th in two colors – Cobalt Metal or Touch of Copper. The s30 doesn’t deviate too much from the original Instinct, but developers can now jump on the s30 with open access to core Java APIs like, Multimedia, Messaging, Bluetooth, Contacts/Calendar and File Access. The Instinct s30 will cost $130 with a two-year contract extension. You can preregister now at the Sprint Instinct s30 page.

• Expansive touch screen featuring localized haptic feedback giving users a gentle vibration as they use the virtual QWERTY keypad
• Live Search for Sprint, powered by Microsoft, provides easy access to directory information on-the-go, GPS-enabled directions, interactive maps and one-touch click to call access
• Visual Voicemail, allowing users to listen to messages in their order of preference and manage them with a simple tap of the screen
• Sprint TV® with an extensive selection of channels and on-demand programming
• Sprint Music Store allowing users to browse and wirelessly download full-length songs directly to their phone for just 99 cents each
• Advanced stereo Bluetooth® 2.0
• SMS voice and text messaging with threaded text
• True HTML Web experience from both the enhanced embedded browser and the addition of Opera Mini 4.2 with a desktop-like browsing experience
• 2.0 megapixel camera with camcorder

Nokia E71x, Samsung Propel Pro, other stuff coming to AT&T

Good morning and welcome to AT&T’s omnibus launch of multiple phones, including the Nokia E71x and the Samsung Propel Pro. The E71x, essentially one of Nokia’s best QWERTY phones, costs $99 with contract and the QWERTY Propel Pro costs $149.99.

The Impression is also coming out with an AMOLED screen for $199 and two LG lumps, the Xenon and Neon, will be popping off the periodic table and into your pocket for about $99. Fun fact: “The Xenon is also featured in MTV’s upcoming series “The Phone”, executive produced by Justin Timberlake.”

Full release after the jump.

AT&T Unveils New Integrated Devices for Texting, Email and More

New Lineup of Smartphones and Quick Messaging Phones Offer the Latest in Style and Substance for Mobile Messengers

DALLAS, March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Text messaging and email are still the ‘killer app’ for mobile phone data use and AT&T is responding with a great new lineup of phones for the Spring season. AT&T* today announced a fresh new lineup of smartphones and quick messaging phones that make it easier for customers to message with friends and family and manage their business and personal lives on-the-go. Arriving in AT&T stores and online at http://www.wireless.att.com in the coming weeks, these integrated devices add to AT&T’s leading mobile phone portfolio.

In the smartphone category, AT&T debuted the Nokia E71x and the Samsung Propel(TM) Pro, two stylish smartphones that inspire fun, while delivering serious functionality. In addition, the Samsung Impression(TM) and Samsung Magnet(TM), and LG Xenon and Neon emerge to the lead AT&T’s lineup of quick messaging phones and expands the number of full-keyboard mobile phones in AT&T’s lineup to seven. Pictures of the new lineup are available at http://www.att.com/mobilehandsets-news.

“Smartphones and quick messaging phones are no longer for early-adopters and text-happy teens,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “The ability to text often, or check your email from a phone is easy and more customers demand these features. These phones are a great addition to our best-in-class lineup and we can’t wait to get them in our customers’ hands in the coming weeks.”

Nokia E71x

The thinnest smartphone on the market, the Nokia E71x, will be available in the coming weeks for $99.99(1) and features a black steel finish and award-winning design. The Nokia smartphone, based on S60 on Symbian OS(TM) offers the Wi-Fi and the flexibility of many Symbian-based applications, in addition to AT&T’s most popular services, including AT&T Navigator. The Nokia E71x is just 10 millimeters thin and will turn heads when you text friends, or check your corporate or personal email. Customers can learn more at http://www.att.com/nokiaE71x.

Samsung Propel(TM) Pro

The Propel Pro, a full-QWERTY silver and chrome compact slider smartphone with Windows Mobile 6.1 allows users to run full enterprise applications on the same platform they use to text and send photos. Evolving from the popular Samsung Propel(TM), business users and consumers looking for a full-feature smartphone with Wi-Fi will look to the Propel Pro, available in April for $149.99(1).

Samsung Impression(TM)

The nation’s first commercially available AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) screen results in one of the brightest and clearest displays in the U.S. and is paired with a keyboard underneath an amazingly slim, metallic blue quick messaging phone that’s all touch screen on the outside, all buttons on the inside. On sale for $199.99(1), the Impression has an included 3.0 megapixel camcorder-capable camera, 3.2-inch screen and full browser to maximize every pixel of color.

LG Xenon

A quick messaging phone boasting a full keypad for text messaging beneath its vibrant colors and large touch screen display with customizable and intuitive user interface, the 3G-powered LG Xenon snaps 2.0 megapixel photos and offers the full suite of AT&T entertainment services such as AT&T Navigator, Napster Mobile, eMusic Mobile, and more. Xenon will be available in three colors: black, blue and red for $99.99(1). The Xenon is also featured in MTV’s upcoming series “The Phone”, executive produced by Justin Timberlake.

LG Neon

Teens and text-happy adults will enjoy the LG Neon, a low-cost touch screen device available in the coming weeks. The green and white quick messaging phone features a full keyboard, 2.0 megapixel camera, and access to Instant Messaging, Mobile Email, AT&T Music, and the mobile Internet.

Samsung Magnet(TM)

The Magnet is an incredibly slim orange and black bar-shaped device that will appeal to teens who need a low-cost, quick messaging phone. The Magnet features a WAP browser and integrated camera in its sleek package and will be offered at an affordable price in the coming weeks.

All six devices can be paired with messaging bundles offering 200, 1500, and unlimited messages that cost $5, $15 and $20, respectively. Unlimited messaging is available for AT&T FamilyTalk(R) plan customers for all lines for $30. Data plans vary per device.

Samsung Impression and Propel Pro will arrive in AT&T stores on April 7 and 14, respectively, and the LG Xenon will go on sale on April 8. The Nokia e71x, LG Neon and Samsung Magnet will be available in the following weeks.

Samsung’s latest touchscreen phones

Is it coming to this? Are touchscreen phones going to be the new default, the way clamshells have been for years and candybars were before that? If the specs and pricing get much lower, it’ll be easier to get Grandma some low-end Touchmaster than a basic Moto flip phone. In any case, Samsung’s newest touchscreen offerings are pretty much what you’d expect.

Both phones sport Samsung’s TouchWiz interface, and both have a couple drops of internal memories and MicroSD up to 8GB. They’ll play back videos of various formats, but the screens aren’t so hot and you’d burn through your battery. They also both have a 3-megapixel camera with smile recognition, and built-in Shazam support for their music player. Both are quadband and support Bluetooth 2.1. “Full Internet browsing support” is in the same sentence as “mobile Internet experiences,” so I can’t tell you whether it’s got a real browser or not. With a touchscreen phone I should hope so.

The S5600 is the slightly higher-end model in this case. It supports HSPDA, has a little more internal memory (80MB vs 50MB). Its screen is slightly smaller, though, at 2.8″ and 240×320 vs. the S5230’s 3″ 240×400. Pricing isn’t available yet, nor carrier information.

They also both have a feature I haven’t heard about called “Gesture Lock,” which allows you to wake the phone and go directly to a menu or other item depending on the gesture you draw. Sounds like a great idea to me, I wish I had it on my G1.