Monday, June 30, 2008

Tips - More tips for your Samsung Omnia

http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/wp-content/phoneimages/2008/06/samsung-i900-omnia-pic-6.jpg

for lock screen after call established setting go to POWER/CALLING to config
Screen will be lock when call is made, 10sec later it will off LCD

by default the front panel buttons will wake up the device but u can set at BUTTONS/WAKE UP for any button or just power button
U can also set to lock when the device is woken up

Flashlight option is off by default, go to setting BUTTONS/FLASH LIGHT to enable it
Press and Hold Volume UP for ZOOM IN/OUT at any application
Press and Hold Volume DOWN for FLASH LIGHT
Press and Hold Reject Button for LOCK DEVICE

by default the device is set to AUTO ADJUST BRIGHTNESS u can set to manual instead.

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Info - List of Widgets for your Samsung Omnia

http://www.itechnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/samsung-anycall-haptic-phone.jpg


- Alarm. Display as an analog clock
- Digital Clock to access time settings. Display as a digital clock
- World Time. Display time for 2 different countries.
- Shortcut to Game folder. Display as a game controller.
- Shortcut to Photo Gallery. Display Photo and can click previous and next.
- Library. Display what songs are in the library and can click on play, stop, etc.
- FM Radio. Display what frequency and can click on previous or next channel.
- Missed Event. Display what has been missed. Phone call, tasks, etc. Can click on up and down button for the next item.
- Telco Logo!. Display the Telco Logo and that's it. Nothing useful!
- Profile. Only three types, Vibrate, Volume On and Volume Off. Display as a checkbox so that you can choose from the three profiles.
- Notepad. Display as a notepad, you need to click on it to write notes. No notes will be displayed on the screen.

That's it! I tried to squeeze as much on the screen and I only manage to squeeze about 4 at most but of course you can drag and drop whichever you would need. I think what is lack is a communication widget where I can switch on and off bluetooth, wifi, etc.



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How To - How to set the Router Firewall for your Samsung Omnia (to enable streaming player)

To enable streaming player...

http://www.itproportal.com/podcasts/i900-samsung-windows-mobile-smartphone.jpg

First, in the router dhcp server, i used static dhcp to assign the same ip address to the phone mac address. This is to ensure that the firewall rule always apply to the phone.

Then in the router firewall setting, create a rule with the following:
- allow traffic from passing through the router
- source select WAN, ip range start enter *, ip range end leave blank
-destination select LAN, ip range start enter the phone ip adress, ip range end leave blank
-protocol udp
-port range 1024 to 65534, 65535 is invalid
-schedule is always

in the streaming player option, the transport select udp or automatic.

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Accessories - Leather Case for your Samsung Omnia



Specification (Note: This is author's recommendation and we do not gain any profit from this referral)



Manufacturer : Beyza

Material : Leather

Color : Flo orange

  • Your device is now in perfect fit with your Beyza Pocket Type Ultra Slim Case to protect, to look more elegant & handy
  • Elegant case conceived in top quality handcrafted leather
  • Slim and padded design
  • Protects the device in an optimal manner
  • Velvet lining
  • No belt clip Pocket use only



  • Visit site here.

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    How To - Transferring your old SMSes from your old WM5/6 to your Samsung Omnia



    For a safe transistion over, I would recommend you Jeyo Mobile Extender for Outlook...first you use the software to port it over to your Microsoft Outlook and then you can port it over to your Omnia.


    Jeyo Mobile Extender adds mobile text messaging capabilities to Microsoft Outlook through your Windows Mobile, Symbian, or Featurephone-based Smartphone. With the Extender installed, you can exchange SMS messages with other mobile phone users anywhere around the world directly from Outlook as well as automatically synchronize all of the text messages stored on your phone for easy offline browsing, printing, and searching. Jeyo Mobile Extender makes text messaging as simple and easy as email.

    In fact, Jeyo Mobile Extender offers you better ways to send, receive, manage, and archive your mobile text messages, all using a PC application interface you are already familiar with. It also lets you do what is impossible from your mobile phone - you can compose and view messages written in a language that your phone does not support. When you use Jeyo Mobile Extender, you can "text message" from any place, at any time, and in any language.

    New in Version 2.5

    • Outlook 2007 and Windows Vista compatibility
    • Synchronization of text message inbox sub-folders
    • Printing
    • Texting to distribution lists
    • Outlook-style new message notification
    • Support for Symbian S60/UIQ
    • Support for feature phones including popular Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung phones
    visit site
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    Application - LCMinutes for your LG KU990 Viewty

    pocket pc LCMinutes freeware

    Summary: LCMinutes keeps track of phone calls and text messages (SMS), calculates their charge based on user defined rate plan.

    Requirements:
    Windows Mobile 5 / 6 Pocket PC UPDATED !

    Version 1.38:

    * Feature change: Monitoring balance info in service messages from Kuwait Zain and T-Mobile USA is supported, along with Canadian Rogers and Fido.
    * Feature change: used data display format changed: now decimal places or fractional digits is changed to 2 or 1 or 0 based on the size of the used data.
    * Feature change: add more traces for debugging.
    * Bug fix: currency symbol with multiple characters supported.

    NOW COMPATIBLE WITH Windows Mobile 5 or higher

    LCMinutes keeps track of phone calls and text messages (SMS), calculates their charge based on user defined rate plan, and thus keep user informed of the up-to-date balance information: like current charges, used free minutes, used free messages, expire date for prepaid plans, etc.

    Main features:

    * Monitoring all phone call and text messages: all incoming and outgoing calls and messages are traced;

    * Calculating every phone call or text message charge: depend on rate plan, this could mean real charge, reduction of free minutes or free messages, or nothing;

    * Support time based monthly charge and daily surcharge, and reset of counter for free minutes and free messages;

    * Support user manually adjusting of balance, expire date;

    * Provide today plugin for easy checking of balance;

    * Support very flexible rate plan: prepaid or not, different rates for weekday, weekend, evening, different rate for starting minutes every day, different rates for incoming and outgoing messages, etc;

    * Support importing existing phone call logs and text messages;

    * Support deleting single call/message/balance record and deleting all the records.

    * For Canadian Rogers prepaid plan user, it can monitor service message from Rogers too get the exact balance information.

    Installation

    To try LCMinutes:

    1. Click the Download link to get the software
    2. After download, copy it to the target pocket pc phone and click the downloaded file to install it;

    3. After installation, reboot the phone;

    4. After phone is rebooted, the LCMinutes today plugin should be displayed on the today screen, click on it to start LCMinutes main application;

    5. Choose Menu -> Setting to setup the rate plan;

    6. Choose Balance setting to setup an initial balance;

    7. Done.






    more info at the developer blog

    Download
    the LCMinutes free for Pocket PC

    Arrived: Feb 28, 2008
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    Tips - Useful Info for your Samsung Omnia or Samsung Instinct


    You can press and hold the volume up hardware button and the screen will zoom in. Then you can scroll around the screen. Useful for surfing the Internet!

    Then there's an option in settings that you can check. Then you can simply go to the Today screen, and press the volume down hardware button to turn on the flash (to use as flashlight).

    Something strange happened to my Omnia/ Instinct too. I received the battery low notification, then later I realised that my phone was turned off, but the power was on. So I turned on the phone from the Wireless Manager but later it automatically turned off again.
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    Software - Map Software for Omnia


    I do not have a translated version of this chinese website, but if you're looking for a good mapping software for your Omnia, this site is probably worth a visit, as it was recommended by many posters at a few online forums on Omnia.

    Check it out here.


    Mapking 2007 will work on Omnia, but you need Port Splitter software (free utility) to make it work.
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    News - Samsung enters the touchscreen race

    omnia1

    Samsung enters the touchscreen race


    New Omnia is a ‘smartphone with the lot’ – including several features which Apple left off the iPhone.

    The venue for the launch of the new Samsung Omnia during last week’s CommunicAsia 2008 phonefest in Singapore was impressively chic, the background soundtrack suitably modern. But the tune that kept bobbing along in this writer’s mind was Irving Berlin’s “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better” (from the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun, if you must know).

    You don’t need to be familiar with the lyrics to get the gist of this duet – the title says it all. So does a glance at the spec sheet of the Omnia, which is due to hit the streets in late August.

    While the Omnia and iPhone are almost identical in their shape and key attributes such as the touchscreen, A-GPS (Assisted GPS), a 624MHz processor and the customer’s choice between an 8GB and 16GB flash drive, Samsung ups the ante in just about every other department (except, arguably, the slickness of their software platform -- it's based on Windows Mobile 6.1.)

    An externally-accessible MicroSD card slot provides for up to 16GB of additional storage – perfect for quickly loading up a slew of movies or TV shows before your next long trip. And that video content can be in DiVx, XviD or even WMV if you so choose, along with MP4 and H.264.

    On the musical side of the equation the Omnia goes beyond the de facto MP3/AAC combo to include WMA and the open-standard OGG, while adding an FM radio for a quick shot of news or some totally random variety in your listening.

    Apple’s latest iPhone hits 3.6Mbps on 3G, while the Omnia rockets along at 7.2Mbps on the 2.1GHz 3G band, although on the 850MHz band used by Telstra’s Next G network it’s currently stuck at the more yawnful EDGE and GPRS rates. (The iPhone, by comparison, supports 3.6Mbps on 850MHz because of AT&T’s 850MHz HSDPA services in the US).

    Of course, both have 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0, as if you needed to ask. But the Omnia lets you enjoy stereo Bluetooth, which is one of the iPhone’s most idiotic omissions. Another is MMS, which the Omnia also puts a tick against (the iPhone seems to assume that everyone you're sending a picture or video to has an email capable phone... an obviously flawed assumption).

    The new iPhone still sports the same 2.0 megapixel camera as its predecessor, while Samsung slaps on a 5.0 megapixel sensor and not only adds face detection technology but a novel ‘smile shot’ that detects when the subject is smiling and can automatically take the shot at that moment. (We tried all manner of toothless grins, teeth-baring snarls and assorted angry grimaces but our efforts failed to fool the Omnia, although they amused nearby media and Samsung reps).

    One area where the iPhone retains the lead is the screen, which is not only slightly larger – 3.5 inches against the Omnia’s 3.2in panel – but enjoys a richer half-VGA resolution of 320 x 480 pixels compared to the 240 x 400 ‘widescreen QVGA’ of the Omnia. Samsung tells us this is a limitation of the Omnia’s Windows Mobile 6.1 OS rather than the hardware itself.

    However, we were pleasantly surprised by Samsung’s own addition to the OS in the form of a widget-based overlay called ‘TouchWiz’. This mimics Vista’s gadget-friendly sidebar and desktop by parking a sidebar onto the left of the screen which can hold up to 14 handy widgets – you can see around six at any time, and scroll the sidebar up or down to view the rest. Drag the icon for any widget off the sidebar and onto the phone’s home screen and you’ve got information at a glance.

    And if you really want to replicate the desktop experience, a tiny optical trackpad perched between the Send and End keys – the only physical controls on the Omnia’s front panel – lets you nudge the controller around as if it were a mouse.

    Samsung has also crafted a colourful iconic iPhone-like main menu, which is all the better for hiding Windows Mobile until you have no choice but to be confronted by it. There’s one more trait which we filed into the ‘unexpected’ basket, and this is the inclusion of the Opera Mobile browser alongside Microsoft’s pocket edition of Internet Explorer -- well, at least Samsung is being realistic: Pocket IE blows.
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    Saturday, June 28, 2008

    VS - Apple iPhone 3G Vs Samsung i900 Omnia Vs HTC Touch Diamond: Your Choice Is?

    apple-iphone-3g-vs-samsung-i900-omnia-vs-htc-touch-diamond-your-choice-isI know this is a debate, and we know they are 3 different brands, but we want to know do you go for brand or features and this is why we have the debate called “Apple iPhone 3G Vs Samsung i900 Omnia Vs HTC Touch Diamond: Your Choice Is?

    All we are going to do is give you the 3 mobile phones specifications and you can comment from there, be interesting to see which one comes out on top. Personally we prefer the Apple iPhone 3G because we use them at the moment and no what to expect from them, we do prefer the look of the HTC Touch Diamond and the Samsung i900 Omnia looks like a great competitor to both of the other handsets, let the specs talk for themselves, please do comment in the area provided below, go on scroll down and have your say.

    Apple iPhone 3G Specifications:
    2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 – 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm - 133 grams in weight, 3.5 Inch Touchscreen (16M colors, 320 x 480 pixels) - Multi-touch input method - Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate - Proximity sensor for auto turn-off - Ambient light sensor - MP3 & Polyphonic Ringtones - Vibration – Flush 3.5 mm headset jack – Near Enough unlimited entries and fields, Photocall - 100 received, dialed and missed calls (Call records) – 8 & 16GB built in memory – No card slot - GPRS - EDGE - 3G HSDPA - WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11b/g - Bluetooth v2.0 - USB v2.0 - Mac OS X v10.4.10 - SMS, Email - HTML (Safari) Browser - Black(8/16 GB), White (16 GB) - 2 MP Camera, 1600×1200 pixels - A-GPS function - Built-in GPS receiver - Widgets support - Google Maps - PIM including calendar, to-do list - iPod audio/video player - TV output - Photo browser/editor - Voice memo - Integrated handsfree - Standard battery, Li-Ion - Up to 300 Hours Stand-by - Up to 10 Hours Talk time.

    Apple iPhone 3G Image:

    apple-3g-iphone

    Samsung i900 Omnia Specifications:
    2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - 112 x 56.9 x 12.5 mm - 127 grams in weight - 3.2 Inch TFT touchscreen (65K colors, 240 x 400 pixels) - Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate - Handwriting recognition - MP3 & Polyphonic Ringtones - Vibration – Near enough unlimited entries and fields, Photocall (Phonebook) - Call records Near enough unlimited - 8 GB/16 GB internal memory plus microSD (TransFlash) Card slot up to 16GB - 128 MB RAM, 256 MB ROM - 624MHz Marvell PXA312 processor - GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps - EDGE Class 10, 236.8 kbps - 3G HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps - WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11b/g - Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP - USB v2.0 - Microsoft Window Mobile 6.1 Professional OS - WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS feeds - SMS, EMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging - Games + Java downloadable - 5 MP Camera (2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, image stabiliser, video, flash; secondary videocall camera) - Built-in GPS receiver - MP3/AAC/AAC+/WMA/OGG/AMR player - Java MIDP 2.0 - FM Radio with RDS - DivX/XviD/WMV/MP4 player – MS Office document viewer - Voice memo - TV Out - Built-in handsfree - Standard battery, Li-Ion 1440 mAh

    Samsung i900 Omnia Image:

    samsung-i900-omnia

    HTC Touch Diamond Specifications:
    2G Network GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 for Europe/Asia (GSM 850 / 1800 / 1900 for Americas) - 3G Network HSDPA 2100 / 900 for Europe/Asia (HSDPA 850 / 1900 for Americas) - 102 x 51 x 11.5 mm - 110 grams in weight - 2.8 Inch TFT touchscreen (65K colors, 480 x 640 pixels) - Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate - TouchFLO 3D finger swipe navigation - Touch-sensitive navigation controls - Handwriting recognition - Polyphonic (40 channels), MP3, WAV, WMA Ringtones - Vibration - Phonebook near enough unlimited entries and fields, Photocall - Call records near enough unlimited - 4 GB built in memory - NO card slot - 192 MB DDR SDRAM, 256 MB ROM - Qualcomm MSM7201A 528 Mhz processor - GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps - EDGE Class 10, 236.8 kbps - 3G HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps - WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g - Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP – miniUSB - Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS - SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging - WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML Browser - Games – 3.2 MP Camera (2048×1536 pixels, autofocus, video; secondary VGA videocall camera) - Built-in GPS with A-GPS - Stereo FM radio with RDS - Java MIDP 2.0 - Voice memo - Pocket Office(Word, Excel, Outlook, PDF viewer) - MP3 player - Built-in handsfree - Standard battery, Li-Ion 900 mAh - Up to 285 hours standby - Up to 5 hours 30 minutes talk time.

    HTC Touch Diamond Image:

    htc-touch-diamond

    So with all the main specs for each of the handsets, what do you think is the best, and what one are you planning on getting?
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    Review: Samsung Omnia (LetsGoDigital)

    Samsung Omnia i900 mobile phone : The newly launched Samsung Omnia SGH-i900 mobile phone brings together high performance business content, top of the range style and a fun, dynamic multi-media experience, to ensure consumers are always connected both at home and at work. Omnia, meaning ‘everything’ in Latin and ‘wish’ in Arabic, goes beyond the current top-of-the-line features available in today’s mobile phones. The new Samsung Omnia allows users to switch seamlessly between Microsoft Outlook email and productivity applications that replicate the look and feel of their PC - with a stroke of their finger. The Samsung Omnia i900 will be available to the market from June 2008.
    Samsung Omnia

    Stay connected with the Samsung Omnia
    Geesung Choi, President of Samsung Telecommunication Business, said: “I am very excited to introduce Samsung Omnia, a mobile device that truly delivers the best possible features for today’s busy, connected consumer. Samsung Omnia demonstrates our vision for the Samsung mobile business, which is to provide premium phones for users who desire functionality, style, usability and entertainment in one innovative device. The Omnia mobile range will help users to be at the forefront of work and play and at the same time, to stay connected anytime, anywhere.”

    Samsung Omnia mobile phone design
    The Samsung Omnia presents Samsung’s leadership in design. With maxi-phone capabilities, it boasts a slender, chic form, so users can step out in style. It features an ultra-slim 12.5-mm profile and a platinum-look finish that fits snugly in the palm of the user’s hand. The elegant hairline patterns on the back of the phone bring the perfection in style.

    samsung omnia

    Samsung Omnia uses Microsoft Mobile 6.1
    Based on the most up to date Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system, Samsung Omnia i900 gives users a mobile extension to their PC experience, with access to MS Office documents such as PowerPoint, Excel and Word. Users can also send and receive email and manage their appointments in Outlook while on the go. The Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system means users can download additional programs as they would on their PC and customize it for their individual needs. For ease of navigation an optical mouse similar to those on laptop computers offers improved usability and one-handed control.

    Samsung Omnia i900

    Samsung Omnia i900 digital camera & GPS
    Samsung Omnia also comes with a 5 megapixel CMOS camera with the latest value-added features, which include auto-focus (AF), face and smile detection and auto-panorama shot. The handset’s generous internal memory (available in 8GB or 16 GB capacity options and extendable slot for additions) ensures ample storage space for digital assets. Rounding out the fully comprehensive feature set, Samsung Omnia also offers GPS, including navigation and geo-tagging capabilities, so users can get their bearings wherever work or life takes them.

    View high resolution videos on the Samsung Omnia
    Samsung Omnia delivers the ultimate in digital entertainment thanks to a wide 3.2-inch WQVGA LCD screen for viewing videos and slide shows in high-resolution and advanced audio capabilities. MultiCodec support for DivX, Xvid and other video formats eliminates the hassle of file format conversions. Users also have the assurance of a long-life detachable battery for extended playback.

    Omnia Samsung

    Omnia Samsung features a touch sensitive screen
    Samsung’s patented TouchWiz user interface makes entering data and text simple. With unique widgets, users can customise and personalise the way they use their phone. The Samsung Omnia's high resolution touch-sensitive screen uses intuitive tap, sweep, drag and drop operations as well as an on-screen qwerty keyboard. It also facilitates easy and convenient calling and texting with a dedicated dome key for controlling communications.

    Samsung Omnia i900 mobile phone launch
    The Samsung Omnia will be unveiled at CommunicAsia, Singapore from June 17 to 20 and commercially launched in the Southeast Asian market starting from the same week. The phone will be available in the European market from July.
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    Review: Samsung Omnia



    The Samsung OMNIA is powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and comes packed with MS Office (PowerPoint, Excel, and Word). Even though the OMNIA is 100% touch screen, Samsung included an optical mouse for ease of navigation - the optical mouse is similar to what you’d find on laptops. Samsung OMNIA is possibly the best ever smartphone that Samsung has ever built. OMNIA is definitely a better name than SGH-i900, which means ‘everything’ in Latin and ‘wish’ in Arabic. The OMNIA is essentially everything that you can possibly wish for on a Windows Mobile 6.1 smart phone. It brings together high performance business content, high-end design mixed with a full bag of dynamic multimedia rich experience. The OMNIA is the first ever Windows Mobile smart phone featuring Capacitive technology touchscreen from Synaptics! Sorry folks, Samsung representative mispsoke earlier, and just now clarified that OMNIA DOES NOT HAVE CAPACITIVE technology. I repeat, it DOES NOT HAVE CAPACITIVE technology. Unfortunately, it’s the same old resistive touchscreen on every other smartphone on the market today.

    Samsung OMNIA

    The OMNIA also has a 5-megapixel CMOS camera with auto-focus (AF), face and smile detection and auto-panorama shot. OMNIA comes in 8 or 16GB memory configuration and additional storage can be added via extendable slot. Of course, a smart phone called OMNIA can’t go without having a GPS, including navigation and geo-tagging capabilities, so you’d never get lost wherever you are.

    According to CNET Asia, “an orientation sensor is built into the OMNIA i900. When rotated, it does this fancy transition whereby the display shrinks and expands back to fill the screen in a different orientation. The 240 x 400 display does seem a little weird, but is not unheard of–we’ve seen it in the ASUS M930’s internal display. It makes sense, too, if you are to use it as a media player because the aspect ratio is much closer to the 16:9 aspect ratio commonly seen in movie files. To that end, the i900 also comes with a media application that supports DivX and Xvid out of the box.

    Samsung OMNIAAs I mentioned earlier, the OMNIA is primarily touch-based so it makes perfect sense for Samsung to include its patented TouchWiz user interface. The OMNIA is Samsung’s first ever Windows Mobile smart phone to feature TouchWiz. TouchWiz lets you personalize the home window with unique widgets. The high-resolution touch-sensitive screen uses intuitive tap, sweep, drag and drop operations as well as an on-screen QWERTY keyboard. It also facilitates easy and convenient calling and texting with a dedicated dome key for controlling communications.

    The Samsung OMNIA is ultra-slim measuring 12.5mm and has a platinum look finish. Samsung added details such as elegant hairline patterns on the back of the phone to bring the “perfection in style.”

    Geesung Choi, President of Samsung Telecommunication Business, said: “I am very excited to introduce Samsung , a mobile device that truly delivers the best possible features for today’s busy, connected consumer. Samsung demonstrates our vision for the Samsung mobile business, which is to provide premium phones for users who desire functionality, style, usability and entertainment in one innovative device. The mobile range will help users to be at the forefront of work and play and at the same time, to stay connected anytime, anywhere.”

    The Samsung OMNIA will be unveiled at CommunicAsia, Singapore from June 17 to 20 and commercially launched in the Southeast Asian market starting from the same week. The phone will be available in the European market from July.


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    News - CommunicAsia 2008 Preview - Samsung Omnia Revealed!

    The Samsung i900 Omnia Revealed

    As we draw closer to the annual CommunicAsia 2008 where the biggest names in communication devices gather to showcase their latest lineup, join us as we unveil the Samsung i900 Omnia in this CommunicAsia preview article, leading up to our full coverage for the 18th CommunicAsia in Singapore!

    Over at Theatreworks on the 16th of June, we were treated to the unveiling of Samsung's latest all-in-one Windows Mobile device, the Samsung i900 Omnia. Just a few months after the launch of the Samsung i780, this brand new Windows Mobile device caught our attention and rightly so in the busy month of June where competitors worldwide gear up to showcase their latest entries.

    We were one with the crowd, as we awaited for the official unveiling of the Samsung i900 Omnia over at Theatreworks on a Monday afternoon.


    Right after the introduction of the Omnia, Ms Lee Younghee, Vice President, Global Marketing Group, Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics, gave us a brief introduction on Samsung's direction for an all-in-one device for the consumers.






    Presenting the Samsung i900 Omnia, the first Windows Mobile 6.1 device under Samsung's wings.

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    Specifications: Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone

    Detailed technical specifications for the Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone, the fashion icon touchscreen mobile designed for style-conscious mobile users

    Giorgio Armani-Samsung P520

    UK Launch Q4 2007
    Network All
    Price 0-£365
    Frequency Tri-band
    Phone Style

    Touchscreen candybar

    Thickness 10.5mm
    Length 87.5mm
    Width 54.5mm
    Weight

    85g

    Built-in Memory 60MB
    Additional Memory Yes, MicroSD (up to 2GB)
    High-speed Data GPRS, EDGE
    Connectivity Bluetooth, USB
    Screen Size 2.6-inch 320x240 pixels
    Secondary Screen Size N/a
    Screen Colours 262,000
    Camera Yes
    Designer Lens No
    Camera Resolution 3.0 megapixels
    Zoom 4x Digital
    Flash Yes, LED
    Video Resolution 352x288 pixels
    Ringtones

    Polyphonic, MIDI, MP3, AAC, AAC , eAAC , WMA

    Music Player Yes
    Music Formats MIDI, MP3, AAC, AAC , eAAC , WMA
    Song Storage Up to approx 50 (internal memory), 750 with supplled 1GB memory card, 1,500 with optional 2GB MicroSD card
    Radio No
    Speaker Yes
    Video Calling No
    Internet Yes
    Browser XHTML Access NetFront Browser v3.4
    Games Java downloadable
    Battery Standby 220 hours
    Talktime 360 minutes






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    Review: Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone camera

    Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone camera samples

    How does the camera on the Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone perform? We select examples of digital photos taken with its 3-megapixel camera

    The Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone may be an ultra-slim, highly compact touchscreen device, but Samsung has still managed to cram a 3-megapixel camera, with a flash, into the back of the phone. This can capture video too. The lens is a fixed focus type, with no autofocus control or macro shooting mode for precision close-up shooting.

    As it's not a 3G-enabled phone, there's no need for a secondary video calling camera on this device - all shooting's done with the 3-megapixel main snapper.

    The phone's large 2.6-inch, 262K-colour QVGA display is an able platform for framing snaps as the viewfinder. In fact, touchscreen operation means that most of the controls - and all the settings adjustments - are carried out by pressing the screen.

    A camera button on the side of the phone gives you a quick access route into the camera from standby, although you can also activate it from the main menu grid. Switching on the camera, the phone automatically re-orientates itself into landscape mode, like a standalone digital camera, with the camera button now acting as the snap-capture button.

    Moving finger operation includes zoom control and brightness level adjustments. The phone has a 10-step 4x digital zoom, available on all resolutions; moving your finger across to the right increases the zoom, to the left decreases it. Similarly, brightness is adjusted by moving up and down the screen.

    There are a series of icons displayed on the left of the screen to indicate the camera's current status and settings; these aren't tappable; the column of four icons on the right of the screen are the virtual control buttons.

    The bottom two allow you to quickly set a shot timer, for 3, 5 or 10 seconds, and turn the flash on or off by tapping. The top two take care of other settings. The top button allows you into a carousel to select the operation mode (camera, camcorder, settings adjustments and so on), while the second one allows you to alter the main settings groups for the camera or camcorder.

    The main settings allow you to change white balance from automatic to one of four settings for varying indoors and outdoors lighting conditions (incandescent, fluorescent, cloudy and daylight). You can add colour effets (black and white, negative, or sepia) and add fun frames to pictures. You can also take multiple shots or mosaic shots together, while you adjust resolution in six steps, from 320x240 pixels up to maximum 2048x1536 pixels resolution.

    Other camera settings can be adjusted; you can set quality levels, ISO levels, and exposure metering, plus default image storage - memory card or phone memory (this is significant if the onboard memory becomes full - you won't be able to shoot high res if the phone memory can't accommodate large files). Camera sounds can also be changed or switched off.

    This control system generally works adequately. With any touchscreen, you have to be careful where you put your fingers. With such a small phone, we found our large fingers occasionally straying on to a button when we were framing shots, but generally it's fine. A lot relies on you working it out, with little guidance about functions to help you. Zooming isn't as smooth an operation as we'd like; a rocker is preferable to the touch control, which demonstrates the touchscreen, but doesn't add anything to usability.

    Although we were recently impressed by Samsung's 5-megapixel camera-packing G800 (which has a fine 3x optical zoom), the performance of the Giorgio Armani Samsung's camera is not up with Samsung's best.

    The cameraphone can produce some reasonably detailed shots in bright lighting conditions, and mid-range shooting performance is acceptable. But there are limitations to its performance. The lack of autofocus can become apparent in mid-to-close range shots where it's difficult to ensure sharp images (you can't always tell from the view on the screen).

    We found colour rendition generally good, even when dull outdoor conditions prevailed. There were some issues with exposure and contrast however, with the sensor burning out high contrast elements of pictures against moderately lit white sky. Some slight artifacts were also apparent where high contrast elements were adjacent.

    Indoors, low-light shots lacked precision and were a touch soft, even with the flash engaged. The LED flash certainly brings some light to proceedings, but doesn't fill in as well as a Xenon, with quite limited illumination across images.

    As we said, you can comfortably reproduce your best images as standard photo prints. However, the performance is below the best quality 3-megapixel cameraphones available.

    Another element worth noting about the imaging performance is that getting images displayed from your memory card and making adjustments to these takes a frustratingly long time - much moreso than if you're accessing them from the phone's onboard memory.


    Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone camera sample

    With good lighting conditions you can capture memorable images in printable quality

    Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone camera sample

    You can achieve reasonable mid- and long-range shots if there's sufficient illumination and the camera is kept steady

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    It's possible to compose some pleasant shots you'll be happy to print. There's enough detail to print them as standard sized photos

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    You can take typical tourist shots with the Armani Phone's camera. Mid shots such as these of telephone boxes are reasonably well detailed. There is some exposure issues, with some burn out of the tree against a cloudy white sky

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    In dull light conditions, the 3-megapixel camera is able to capture a good range of detail in this mid shot. Colours are also well-rendered

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    Again, in this mid-range shot colours there's some good detaiing, but at the top of the picture there are some contrast issues with branches and lamposts against the white clouds

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    Colours here are bright and vivid. However, with no autofocus, it can be tricky to ensure subjects are in focus. Here, the guitar, which looked fine on the phone's display, is slightly soft, with the amp behind looking sharper

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    Without an autofocus and macro facility, it's not possible to get sharp close-up shots; here the background is detailed but the flowers in the foreground half a metre away from the camera are blurred

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    Indoors, with the flash on, the image is brighter but it's not evenly illuminated. The subject is soft too

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    This indoors, with black and white piano keys contrasting was taken indoors without a flash. Colours are not precisely rendered, there's a bit of noise and the top right of the picture is overexposed by a small amount of outside lighting

    Giorgio Armani Samsung P520 camera samples

    The flash improves contrast and colur rendition, and the image is sharper. There's still an exposure issue in the top of the image, however

    Giorgio Armani Samsung Phone camera sample

    There are a selection of colouring effects you can add, such as this sepia tint.



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