Samsung’s newest Android Galaxy S phone was announced this week, and by the looks of it, Samsung’s not holding anything back.
The biggest feature that sets the Continuum apart from the rest of the Galaxy S family is the 1.8 inch ticker-screen that sits below a stunning 3.4 inch Super AMOLED primary display. Interestingly, Samsung has noted that the entire front-face of the device is a 4 inch capacitive touch screen, meaning the 4 Android home keys are essentially painted on and backlit. The concept of two screens is basically a marketing gimmick, yet still an impressive idea.
Another great feature tied to the 1.8 inch ‘ticker’ is the inclusion of grip sensors (capacitive touch panels); meaning if you touch the bottom sides of the phone, the ticker comes to life. For someone that’s constantly checking sports scores, getting Twitter updates or playing music, the Grip Sensor technology could be invaluable.
Unfortunately, Samsung didn’t have the decency to load the latest version of Android, 2.2 Froyo, on the Continuum. It opted for 2.1 instead, meaning if you purchase this phone at the projected release date, you’ll have to wait for an OTA update.
The Continuum packs a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, a 5 MP camera that shoots 720p video, and Bing Maps/Search. Other specs include 802.11n Wi-Fi, a six-axis sensor + accelerometer and the inclusion of an 8GB microSD card. The larger 3.4 inch screen has a stunning 480 x 800 res display, and the secondary screen has 480 x 96 resolution.
Samsung has already sold 3 million Galaxy S phones in the U.S, and the Continuum should fit very nicely in a diverse market of smartphones already offered by Verizon. Samsung is billing it the “first phone with a dedicated ticker display,” The Continuum will start shipping on November 11th for $200 with a two year contract.
For more new Android releases, check out First Look at LG’s Optimus S and Dell’s Venus Pro is so Professional
via Engadget
