On the first day of the show, Samsung and AT&T officially introduced the successor to the BlackJack. Meet the Samsung BlackJack II.
Updated:Caption:CNET Reviews staffPhoto:Samsung
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A majority of the changes are on the hardware side. The Samsung BlackJack II now has a slightly larger 2.4-inch QVGA display (previously 2.25 inches), the scroll wheel on the right side has also been removed in favor of a front jog wheel, and the bottom row of the QWERTY keyboard now includes more shortcut buttons to the smartphone's various apps.
Updated:Caption:CNET Reviews staffPhoto:Samsung
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Though the companies did not give a specific release date other than "later this year," we do know that the BlackJack II will be available in two colors--burgundy and black--and will sell for $149.99 with a two-year contract and after rebates. The Windows Mobile 6 smartphone also has an upgraded 2-megapixel camera, built-in GPS, Bluetooth, and HSDPA, but no Wi-Fi.
The BlackJack II is slightly (and we mean slight; this is still very much a sleek phone) thicker than the original model, but for good reason. The extra room was needed to store a higher-capacity 1,700mAh lithium ion battery. We know battery life was an issue with the original BlackJack, so we really hope the issue has been resolved in this iteration.
We've seen and drooled over the Samsung Ultra Smart F700 at previous shows, but this is the first time we've actually seen a working model. Still no word yet on whether this cool smartphone will make its way to the States, though.
Some have compared the F700 with the Apple iPhone because of its touch screen. However, the F700's display features a technology that causes the phone to vibrate slightly to let you know it registered the command. The screen also slides up to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard for easier text entry.
I-mate introduced its Ultimate line of four handhelds at the fall CTIA 2007 show. Here is the Ultimate 6150, which sports a traditional PDA-like design with a 2.8-inch, 65,000-color touch screen, integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and a 2-megapixel camera. The quad-band GSM smartphone also has an XGA-out port so you can connect it to your monitor, TV, or projector.
Updated:Caption:CNET Reviews staffPhoto:I-mate
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The phone-centric 8150 has more of a traditional candy-bar-style design with an external dialpad and a 2.6-inch touch screen. It also features integrated Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, and an XGA output. All models in the Ultimate series runs Windows Mobile 6.
Updated:Caption:CNET Reviews staffPhoto:I-mate
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With a full QWERTY keyboard, the I-mate Ultimate 8502 has messaging on the brain. Aside from the other wireless options, this model will also have built-in GPS, a 2.6-inch touch screen, and 256MB ROM/128MB RAM.
Updated:Caption:CNET Reviews staffPhoto:I-mate
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Last but not least, the 9502 has a slider design that opens up to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. Kind of reminds you of the T-Mobile Sidekick, no? As the flagship model, it also boasts a 2.8-inch, 262,000-color touch screen, a 3-megapixel camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
