Sprint Releases The Samsung Transform
It seems like Samsung have unveiled their latest Android smartphone: the Samsung Transform. Now, you probably wondering what sets the Transform apart from every other smartphone out in today’s competitive market. Well, Samsung plans to push the device at an aggressive price point, but this isn’t just another midrange handset. In a matter of fact, the Samsung Transform is so high-end and featured-rich, that it might redefine this niche. The economy segment of the smartphone market has lagged behind for far too long.
Although Samsung unveiled the Transform during the summer, very little information on this phone was available. That whole unknowing was changed early September when Samsung announced that it was going to have an October release date. At that point, most “in the know” were expecting November, and some were even speculating that Samsung might be late to the holiday rush party. Nevertheless, Samsung began distributing review sets on the 1st as promised and they got one to everyone slated to get one by the 6th. That’s a tight window since the official release date is Sunday, October 10.
Other good news is that the Samsung Transform is going to launch at $249.99, which is cheaper than most have expected, and they’re including a $100 mail-in rebate with any new two-year contract ($149.99 total!). There’s even word that some vendors will cash in that rebate for you on the spot, but don’t expect to find that deal online, and local supplies may be limited depending on the area. For those who want to purchase the transform without any contract at all, the price is $399.99. That price is pretty high, so many costumers might best just wait for the eventual price drop.
So what all does it come with? The Transform boasts a 4-row QWERY keyboard, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, a premium touchscreen, built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), and the Android 2.1 OS. It also has a 3.2 MP rear-facing camera with flash, GPS capabilities, Sprint Zone, an MP3 player with a MicroSD slot, Sprint TV, Visual Voicemail, stereo Bluetooth, and more. It also boasts an 800 MHz CPU, 256/512 MB RAM/ROM, a 3.5-inch TFT touch display (480×320), a 1500 mAH battery, and a slew of Samsung Transform accessories already on the market. Having 2.1 is disappointing, but Samsung promises to add 2.2 in an upcoming update. The resource management of 2.2 will be a great help getting the most out of that limited memory and battery life.
Perhaps the coolest aspect of Samsung’s Transform is the Sprint ID interface. This gives you five home screen profiles, each of which you can customize with wallpapers, widgets, and a wide array of other features. For those who want a stylish selection of Samsung Transform cases, you can design Sprint ID profiles to match each one. The main downside with the Transform is the battery, which promises 6 hours of continuous talking, and that may be accurate if talking is all you do. However, the battery doesn’t last nearly as long when you add apps to the mix, so power users will want to consider keeping one or two extra Samsung Transform batteries on hand.
