Samsung shows off F400, F490, F480

At trade shows such as the GSMA World Congress, Samsung has a tendency to beat us over the head with new cell phones. At the 2008 event, Samsung didn't let us down. The company showed off almost more than 20 handsets, many of which are fresh out of the labs. We already told you about the Samsung Soul, and my UK colleague Andrew Lim rounded up eight other new models including the style-centric Samsung G400. But there's a lot more to tell you, beginning with the company's news conference that it held yesterday. Three highlights from the event were the Samsung F480 and the Samsung F400.

Samsung SGH-F400: The F400 falls under the company's "Multimedia" category, and what a multimedia phone it is. Features include a music player, stereo speakers, an amplifier with Bang & Olufsen technology, an FM radio, music recognition, multiformat audio and video support, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and a 3-megapixel camera. The sleek slider design is eye-catching and it offers a 2.2-inch display. The F400 is triband (GSM 900/1800/1900) and it support European 3G networks.

Samsung SGH-F490: The F490 has a striking design with an expansive (3.2 inches) display. Inside you'll find a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and image stabilization, multiformat audio and video, Google Search support, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and a 3.5mm headset jack (yay!). It supports the same GSM and 3G bands as the F480.

Samsung SGH-F480: The Samsung F480 is of the style category. It also offers a touchcsreen, though it's a bit smaller at 2.8 inches. Though it's certainly attractive the F400 isn't all looks. It has a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and image stabilization, an FM radio, video messaging, mobile blogging, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and e-mail.