Verizon recently picked up the Samsung Omnia to add to their line-up of smart phones. The Omnia measures 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.5 inches. It features a slick metallic border along its entire exterior. The front is dominated by a large 3.2-inch, 400 x 200-pixel touchscreen. Unlike most smart phones, the Omnia does not have any slot for the stylus. Instead, it is tied to a lanyard that can easily hit the user when the phone is brought up to the face too fast. The reviewer noted that the screen is very bright and is visible even under direct sunlight. The touchscreen features a localized haptic feedback. Above the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional is Samsung’s TouchWiz widget-based interface that can be quite confusing to use. Users can access the Web via Verizon’s EV-DO Rev. A network or through Omnia’s Wi-Fi connection. At the back of the unit is a 5-megapixel camera that is quick, though it produced dull photos. On the other hand, VGA movies at 15 fps were bright with few digital artifacts. Included also is Verizon’s precise voice-prompted VZ Navigation GPS service. Call quality is almost landline-like and battery is rated at 5.8 hours of talk time. If you don’t mind using the stylus or you can adeptly move around Windows Mobile with your fingertips, there is a lot to like in Samsung’s Omnia.

Samsung decided to go ultra-high-end with the new Samsung Omnia. The Omnia looked reminiscent of the Instinct, only classier and more stylish. It has a slick metallic border along its entire exterior. The front is dominated by the 3.2-inch, 400 x 200-pixel capacitive touchscreen display. The reviewer noted that the touchscreen is just a notch below the iPhone in terms of quality. The Omnia has seven options to input text, including a transcriber that recognizes written sentences. On top of the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional is Samsung’s proprietary TouchWiz UI. The reviewer stated that the TouchWiz is a refreshing and colorful change compared to the stock Windows Mobile Today screen. It supports multiple formats for multimedia playback and sports a microSD slot for memory expansion. The 5-MP camera produced clear and colorful shots thanks to the built-in image stabilizer and the auto focus. Users can also record videos in 640 x 480-pixel resolution at 15 frames per second. The Omnia can connect to the web via EDGE or Wi-Fi. The reviewer noted that call quality with the Omnia is excellent, with conversations clear and crisp. The Samsung Omnia is one sharp looking device that, once picked up by a domestic carrier, will give the iPhone a run for its money.