Touchwiz -- Engadget Mobile

touchwiz posts

Samsung Omnia II gets broken down, screenshot by screenshot

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 27th 2009 @ 6:23PM

The overwhelming mediocrity of Windows Mobile 6.5 gives us pause before saying something sensational like "it's a great time to be a WinMo fan," but we've got to admit, manufacturers are really stepping up their game to deliver these days -- one need look no further than the mighty HD2 to see that. The Omnia II's looking pretty solid, too, especially if you like your phones served up keyboard-free, and ai.rs blog has compiled a comprehensive screenshot gallery showing just how deep the TouchWiz integration really goes. Build quality is said to be top-notch, and it's pretty hard to argue with a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display -- so as we go into 2010, it looks like we might be gearing up for an epic TouchFLO / TouchWiz showdown in the WinMo octagon. Who doesn't like a good fight?

[Thanks, msav]

Samsung F488 relaunched with new TouchWiz cut, 'i' suffix

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 15th 2009 @ 3:16PM

We would've expected the F480 to fade away quietly into the night, considering that it was the very first device Samsung launched to run TouchWiz back in the day -- but instead, they're taking a different approach by reloading it with the latest and greatest build and launching it anew. The F488i is a variant of the F488i for the Asian market that's been tweaked for an Asian market -- Hong Kong, in this case -- and that "i" on the end means that it's been hooked up with a so-called "3X TouchWiz user interface" (in other words, three pages of widgets on the home screen, not unlike Android), new social networking features, and photo contacts. The F480's still a pretty smart-looking phone even by 2009 standards, so we've got no problem with Sammy's tactic here -- not to say it much matters in the States.

[Via Unwired View]

Samsung Behold II marries Android, TouchWiz for T-Mobile

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 5th 2009 @ 12:20AM

The Behold is all grow'd up with its second rendition, moving up in the world from a mere featurephone to an authentic Android-powered contender. T-Mobile's latest Android set is a full-touch model backed by a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash, and video recording, a 3.2-inch AMOLED display, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and microSD expansion up to 16GB. Like virtually all Samsung smartphones (and many of its featurephones), the Behold II features an adaptation of the company's TouchWiz UI and has a 3D "cube menu" for rotating among common features like web browsing and YouTube access. Neither pricing nor availability are being announced right now, but we're being promised it'll be around "in time for the holidays."

Gallery: Samsung Behold II marries Android, TouchWiz for T-Mobile

Samsung launches TouchWiz SDK for cross-platform bliss

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 17th 2009 @ 2:03PM

Now that Samsung's standardized on the TouchWiz interface across its entire touchscreen line -- dumbphone and smartphone alike -- they've created a fertile playground that offers developers the opportunity to reach a good chunk of the world's second largest phone manufacturer's devices. A dedicated software development kit for TouchWiz is now available direct from Samsung, and since your average code monkey doesn't necessarily have access to fifteen different phones running multiple versions of every platform Sammy supports, they're also offering up their Virtual Device Lab that'll let devs test their wares on everything the company has on tap. For distribution, Samsung will have a number of channels available: its Application Store, a new Widget Gallery that'll premiere on Verizon's Omnia II launching later this year, and -- perhaps most tantalizingly for developers -- the possibility of inclusion right in the frickin' ROM if Samsung really loves what you've done. Considering that you're targeting S60, WinMo, and a wealth of proprietary OS devices in one fell swoop, this could end up being a huge distribution channel.

Samsung's retail Omnia II smartphone gets hands-on treatment

by Darren Murph posted Aug 3rd 2009 @ 6:28AM

Oh sure, we've seen Samsung's WinMo-powered Omnia II a time or two before, but this looks to be the first instance of it waltzing in front of a camera after leaving its retail packaging. Not much seems to have changed from those pre-release versions we peeked, and we have to say, that 3.7-inch AMOLED display looks awfully inviting. Of course, you'll have a hard time procuring one of these critters here in North America without a solid importer over in Singapore, but if you can somehow steal some patience from underneath that couch cushion, you'll be just fine. Give the read link some love for a few more high-res shots.

Samsung's Solstice touchscreen phone bounds onto AT&T

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jul 30th 2009 @ 10:52AM

The age of the touchscreen dumbphone is definitely upon us, is it not? Today AT&T and Samsung announced the availability of the Solstice, a phone featuring a 3-inch (presumably resistive) touchscreen, TouchWiz, and lots of funky social networking tie-ins. Still, one gets the overwhelming impression that phones of this ilk are simply trying to cash in on the buzz of like-minded devices, while not bringing anything particularly notable to the table. This 3G-equipped number comes loaded with a 2 megapixel camera, microSD support up to 16GB, and... not much else. The phone will be available August 2nd for $99.99 with a two-year contract. Call us crazy, but for that kind of money, aren't there superior touchscreen devices on this network?

Vodafone doesn't waste any time, offers Samsung Jet free on contract

by Donald Melanson posted Jun 16th 2009 @ 11:56AM

Samsung may have only just officially taken the wraps off its Jet touchscreen phone yesterday, but it looks like folks in the UK can now already get their hands on one courtesy of Vodafone -- and for free, no less. Of course, that's if you're willing to sign a two-year contract and grab a minimum £20 per month plan, which actually isn't too bad a deal as far as these things go. In case you missed it, or understandably have it confused with one of Samsung's other new phones, the Jet packs a 3.1-inch AMOLED display, along with a 5-megapixel camera, built-in GPS, a speedy 800MHz processor, a WebKit-based browser and, last but not least, Samsung's un-smartphone TouchWiz 2.0 interface.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Samsung's Omnia family hands-on, Samsung Jet and Pixon 12 come along for the ride

by Paul Miller posted Jun 15th 2009 @ 1:28PM

Samsung just pulled a bit of a "Samsung" and completely blew out its Omnia lineup. We just got some face time with the new Omnia II, Omnia Pro, Omnia Lite and the Omnia-inspired Jet, along with the Pixon 12 -- which runs the same in-house Samsung OS as the Jet, but packs a 12 megapixel camera. It's hard not to notice the stunning AMOLED screens on these phones, especially up against the dull-by-comparison Omnia Lite with its petty LCD. Unfortunately, while the build quality is good and the specs are certainly all there, all the phones were fairly slow in regular operation. The Jet and Pixon were passable (and the Jet certainly ought to be, with an 800MHz "application processor"), but we can't imagine anybody finding any pleasure in the molasses Windows Mobile 6.1 experiences on the Omnia trio. The Jet has a fun little 3D UI "cube" gimmick, which involves the pointless spinning of a cube to access different media apps, but most of what we saw was pretty standard TouchWiz. We did like the speed of Pixon's camera, which does a Pre-style trick of sending photo processing duties to the background so you can snap another photo with little delay in between -- it's also pretty good at auto focus and color accuracy for a phone, but we won't be trading in our regular point and shoot in the near term. None of the phones we looked at had network access, so we weren't able to test out the WebKit browsers, but it sounds like a major win for the Jet and Pixon. Let's just work on that Omnia responsiveness a bit, yeah Samsung? Perhaps Windows Mobile 6.5 (the Omnia II and Omnia Pro are 6.5-ready) will help.

Gallery: Samsung's Omnia family hands-on, Samsung Jet and Pixon 12 come along for the ride

Samsung Jet packs an 800MHz processor, AMOLED display, featurephone OS

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 15th 2009 @ 11:56AM

Samsung's busy launching a bunch of handsets across even more timezones right now, and in addition to all the Omnia updates, there's also the Jet, which is an interesting hybrid: it's got an 800MHz processor, five megapixel camera, 3.1-inch AMOLED screen, WebKit-based Dolfin browser and a host of media features including DivX support, but it's running TouchWiz 2.0, so it's not a proper smartphone. Yeah, it's weird, but we're sort of into it -- we'll see what's it's like in person.

Samsung i8910 HD comes to Orange UK

by Chris Ziegler posted May 19th 2009 @ 7:57PM

Say what you will about S60 5th Edition, but here's the thing -- of the smartphones in the news today, only one has a massive AMOLED display. Samsung's i8910 HD is almost irrefutably the baddest-ass S60 device ever produced and one of the most heavily-spec'd smartphones ever made for any platform, featuring the aforementioned 3.7-inch 640 x 360 capacitive touchscreen, an 8 megapixel camera, an S60-specific implementation of TouchWiz with 3D enhancements, and HSUPA. Bottom line is that if this phone can't get you worked into a lather, S60 definitely isn't for you -- and lucky Brits now have the opportunity to make that gut check thanks to Orange's retail launch. You can grab it for a totally reasonable £97.50 (about $151) on a £35 per month plan, which seems like a pittance to pay for one of the monster handsets of 2009.

[Via All About Symbian]

Samsung S8000 "Cubic" details start to come together, Android in the mix?

by Chris Ziegler posted Apr 14th 2009 @ 8:29PM

It's easy to pass off the rumored Cubic as just another of the seemingly countless Sammy full-touch dumbphones and Windows Mobile smartphones, but hold up a second, there, partner -- rumor has it that this might end up being one of the company's first Android devices. If you're wondering how the S8000 model number morphed into Cubic, the answer lies not in the cutely cubic d-pad (at least, we hope it doesn't) but rather in the interface, which could sport the usual TouchWiz with 3D enhancements like we've seen on the OmniaHD. Add in HSDPA, WiFi, AGPS, FM with RDS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 2GB of internal storage with microSDHC expansion, and a WVGA AMOLED display clocking in at 3.1 inches, and you've got yourself a bona fide superphone here -- only questions are when it'll launch, and how much brutally excessive financial stress we'll need to endure to get it.

Lenovo's Android-powered OPhone gets hands-on video treatment

by Ross Miller posted Apr 8th 2009 @ 9:17PM

It's always nice to get an update on one of our favorite KIRFs as of late. Lenvo's Android-powered OPhone has popped up in a hands-on video, showing off its mock-iPhone OS interface and all the doppelganger apps / features -- weather, stock, calculator and even a near-identical push notification window. Surprisingly, it's actually pretty well put together and includes some things we wish our legit Apple phone would do, like on-screen widgets and an option to change backgrounds. It'll be a cold day in Hell before we see this serial patent infringer outside of China, so for now you'll have to get your OPhone kicks by checking out the video after the break.

[Thanks, Neerhaj]

Continue reading Lenovo's Android-powered OPhone gets hands-on video treatment

MetroPCS' Samsung Finesse spotted in the wild

by Darren Murph posted Apr 1st 2009 @ 5:56AM

Not even two days after getting official on MetroPCS, Samsung's Finesse has already been captured in the wild. As expected, there's nothing here too shocking for those that have laid eyes upon the Samsung Behold, but the branding is definitely hard to miss. Hit the read link for a few more low-grade shots -- just go in with low expectations and you'll be fine.

Samsung's S5600 put through its paces, pre-production style

by Chris Ziegler posted Mar 16th 2009 @ 9:07AM

It'll be a little while yet before Samsung's latest touchphone for the masses hits the streets, but in the meantime, GSMArena's gone ahead and hooked itself up with an early preproduction unit for a hands-on preview. Some features -- most notably the camera -- weren't working, but what was functional seemed pretty well-equipped to take the midrange market head-on this year; the reviewers admit that the handset's pretty plain-looking, but the ergonomics work pretty well and the plastic seems to be of high quality. Interestingly, they found that the S5600's secretly equipped with GPS, despite Samsung's failure to make mention of it at the device's launch, so that's a nice little surprise -- and if you're into TouchWiz, you'll be delighted to know that the phone's equipped with the very latest incarnation. The site thinks that the S5600's media player is good enough to take on full-time duty, too, and the micro-USB port is a breath of fresh air coming from a company notorious for its proprietary connectors. Final verdict? If it can slide in under €250 (about $323), Sammy's got a winner.

Samsung UltraTouch hands-on

by Nilay Patel posted Feb 16th 2009 @ 10:16AM

The hits keep coming at MWC 09, and while we're racing around from liveblog to liveblog, the crew at Engadget Spanish managed to snag some quality time with Samsung's Ultra Touch S8300 slider. The refined Touch Wiz interface does a good job of transcending its terrible name -- it's not the prettiest thing we've ever seen, but it's fast, reasonably intuitive, and seems to get the job done. Spanish-language video after the break -- trust us, you'll know what's going on without subtitles.