CNET goes hands-on with one of AT&T's newest Windows Phone devices, the Samsung Focus S.
Bonnie Cha
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
The Samsung Focus S is one of two new Windows Phone devices hitting AT&T on November 6. The Focus S is priced at $199.99 with a two-year contract, while the Samsung Focus Flash will go for $49.99 on contract.
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Features
The Focus S offers a 1.4GHz processor, compatibility with AT&T's HSPA+ network, and will ship running Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, the latest version of Microsoft's mobile operating system. To learn more about the new features and enhancements, check out our full review of Windows Phone Mango here.
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Design
At 0.3 inch thick, the Focus S is slightly thinner than its predecessor, the Samsung Focus. It also features a larger and sharper 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touch screen.
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Bottom view
On bottom, you'll find a Micro-USB port. Like the previous generation of Windows Phone devices, the Focus S features the three required hardware buttons just below the screen: back, start, and search.
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Top view
Meanwhile, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack on top, with a volume rocker on the smartphone's left side..
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Right side
On the phone's right spine, there is a power button and dedicated camera key.
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Camera key
The camera button can be used to both activate the camera and capture pictures. Microsoft requires that all smartphone manufacturers include this on their Windows Phone devices, and we're definitely onboard with it.
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Camera
The Samsung Focus S has an 8-megapixel main camera on back, with an LED flash.
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Video calls
There's also a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video calls. Though Microsoft recently closed its acquisition of Skype, the VoIP service isn't integrated into Windows Phone just yet.
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Slight bump
The Focus S has a textured back and a slight bump on the bottom, which should make it less slippery and easier to hold.
