If the “S” in “iPhone 3G S” stands for speed, we’re going to wager that the “Q” in “Instinct Q” stands for QWERTY. And if it doesn’t? We don’t really care, because BAM! QWERTY KEYBOARD! After the release of the touch-only myTouch and Hero, we were starting to wonder when we’d see another Android handset with a QWERTY keyboard beyond the G1 – and here it is in all of its glory by way of Phandroid. The Sprint logos adorning the face should come as no surprise; it is an Instinct, after all. We can’t wait to use that keyboard. Helio Ocean-esque keys complete with a full number row? Yes, please. → Read More
What could this be? Spy shots of the new Instinct? It seems a brave forumgoer got his hands on Samsung’s latest and took a few snaps with his Blackberry. He says it’s smaller, more lightweight, and that the interface is the same. Well! How exciting! → Read More
What could this be? Spy shots of the new Instinct? It seems that brave forum-goer Phonetec got his hands on Samsung’s latest and took a few snaps with his Blackberry. He says it’s smaller, more lightweight, and that the interface is the same. Well! How exciting! I certainly like the new look a lot more. We’ll have more info and/or pictures as soon as we get ‘em. Here’s the forum link. Update: Instinct Mini? Probably. → Read More
We already know that these two phones are Sprint-bound in January but BGR is reporting that Best Buy stores will see the Sprint Treo Pro 850 and a pink version of the Samsung Instinct in the near future. A pink version? That’s their answer to everything! → Read More
Word is that Samsung is planning on launching its first Android-powered sometime in the second quarter of ’09 on both Sprint and T-Mobile. → Read More
The Treo Pro is coming to the U.S. via Sprint on January 25 for $549.99, before rebates. Also expect to see a pink Instinct available in early January. I’m curious to see how many pink Instincts they actually sell. My guess is that we’ll see a few of them among the pink-loving teenage girls who text each other every 10 seconds. Maybe this and a new Android phone will help Sprint come back from the 3 million customers it has lost this year. Probably not. via Engadget → Read More
Over the weekend, Instinct owners discovered they had a new patch awaiting them courtesy of Sprint and Samsung. Anxiously awaiting the patch that will bring keyboard support to Java applications on the Instinct? This isn’t it. It does, however, give the browser a bit of much needed love. According to the patch notes (available after the jump), this release (BH29 – catchy name, right?) just about finishes off the UI changes that they began rolling out over the last patch or two, while throwing in a few browser “optimizations” for good measure. For patch notes and more details, head over to MobileCrunch >> → Read More
Starting tomorrow, Radio Shack will be selling the Samsung Instinct to new Sprint customers for $99. If you’re an existing Sprint customer looking to upgrade, it’ll cost you the normal price of $129. The sale is going on through Labor Day, so if you’re going to Radio Shack anyway, why not pick up a new Instinct? What am I saying? Nobody goes to Radio Shack. What I meant to say was if you’re looking to buy a new Instinct, why not drop into Radio Shack for the first time in ten years? Ah, that’s more like it. → Read More
Starting tomorrow, Radio Shack will be selling the Samsung Instinct to new Sprint customers for $99. If you’re an existing Sprint customer looking to upgrade, it’ll cost you the normal price of $129. The sale is going on through Labor Day, so if you’re going to Radio Shack anyway, why not pick up a new Instinct? What am I saying? Nobody goes to Radio Shack. What I meant to say was if you’re looking to buy a new Instinct, why not drop into Radio Shack for the first time in ten years? Ah, that’s more like it. → Read More
AnnieBinns and her haunting touch haiku: Fingertips pushing the hard smooth surface as they explore the new world. Annie wins the Samsung Instinct! Special thanks to the team at Samsung for letting us run this great contest and thanks to all of you for putting up with experiments in new media so we could try a something new and different for this contest. Rest assured future contests won’t require Twittering. Thanks for playing and, as always, thanks for reading. → Read More
Congratulations to officiallyrad for his charming haiku: Black like a Berry although a little more sleek must win you this week To recap: We’ll be giving away a cool Samsung Instinct this week! The final haiku should focus on touch and must be tweeted to UseYourInstinct. We will close entries for this week at noon on Tuesday, July 29. If you entered the previous contest and didn’t win, feel free to re-enter. Here are the rules. → Read More
To recap: Every week we’ll be giving away a cool Samsung phone culminating in the Samsung Instinct! → Read More
We have a first winner! Congratulations Kevin C Marvin for his winning entry: I can almost hear the sound of packaging tape as I win your phone You win the Samsung the M520. To recap: Every week we’ll be giving away a cool Samsung phone culminating in the Samsung Instinct! We begin our contest this week gunning for the Samsung Ace. The haiku should focus on sight and must be tweeted to UseYourInstinct. We will close entries for this week at noon on Tuesday, July 22. If you entered the previous contest and didn’t win, feel free to re-enter. → Read More
In case you didn’t see, Sprint and Samsung are holding a $25,000 contest for Instinct app developers, essentially following Apple’s lead in creating a user-generated app store to help improve the popularity of their already popular device. → Read More
Remember: Every week we’ll be giving away a cool Samsung phone culminating in the Samsung Instinct! We begin our contest this week gunning for the M520. The haiku should focus on hearing and must be tweeted to UseYourInstinct. We will close entries for this week at noon on Tuesday, July 15. What is a haiku? Here’s an example. It’s a short poem of three lines consiting of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. For example: The M520 doesn’t ring. It reminds me that I’m a big nerd. Read on for the rules. → Read More
Apparently plenty of Best Buy shoppers like Sprint’s Samsung Instinct. In a recent press release, Best Buy said that since its June 19th launch, the Instinct has become “the retailer’s best selling handset in the past two years.” Best Buy has also been pushing a service called “Walk Out Working,” which basically entails having your phone set up for you before you leave the store – e-mail, web access, GPS setup, etc. – the program’s apparently been quite well received. It’s available only for new Instinct purchases and will be going until the end of August. → Read More
Just got word from Samsung that we’re good to go on our “Use Your Instinct” Haiku contest. Every week we’ll be giving away a cool Samsung phone culminating in the Samsung Instinct! We begin our contest this week gunning for the M520. The haiku should focus on hearing and must be tweeted to UseYourInstinct. We will close entries for this week at noon on Tuesday, July 15. What is a haiku? Here’s an example. It’s a short poem of three lines consiting of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. For example: The M520 doesn’t ring. It reminds me that I’m a big nerd. Read on for the rules. → Read More
We received the Instinct a few weeks ago and I’ve been meaning to write up my impressions on it after using it for just about a week straight. I’m happy to report that the Instinct on Sprint is a capable and powerful smartphone and, in a way, is a direct competitor to the iPhone generation 1 (iPhone 3G doesn’t fit into this equation, but I suspect I’d say the same thing when we see it). Sadly, there are many caveats to this opinion and it would behoove Sprint and Samsung to quickly update the phone as soon as possible if they wish to have the blockbuster success that this device, in the end, deserves. First the good. The Instinct interface is far superior to the iPhone’s simply because of haptic feedback. Much of the good ideas the iPhone uses – slide to unlock being one of the most important – are partially visible here and special care has clearly been taken to ensure that an apples to apples comparison is difficult if not impossible. Nothing in this phone is a direct knock-off and it is all fresh and slightly disconcerting at the same time. Once you work out the kinks, however, it is very strong interface and eminently usable. We begin by unlocking the phone by holding down a button on the top. This direct physical interaction with the phone also turns it on and off, so care must be taken not to hold the button too long or it will turn off. The sliding metaphor appears quite a bit, however, especially in answering and making calls. For example, when a call comes in you are offered a floating bar. To answer, you slide the bar up to a box marked answer. To ignore, you slide the bar down. Weird, right? Strangely, it works. Another odd UI choice: When you make a call you type in the number and then press the bar that the number shows up in. You wouldn’t know it to look at the screen, but that was their design choice. It works although it does take a moment to figure out what’s going on. Most importantly, the Instinct has haptic feedback. When you press a button or slide through emails or menus the phone buzzes and creates an interesting form of feedback. Haptics are not a must-have but they’re nice. → Read More
