The Omnia is Back (1/4)
Samsung Omnia II i8000 with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
INTRODUCTION
The original Samsung Omnia turned out to be one of the most popular Windows Mobile devices ever. Why? It had everything: a slick form factor, terrific multimedia capabilities, speed, extra memory, terrific photo quality, and an interesting widget interface. Samsung is back with the second iteration of the Omnia, and with many upgrades. The Omnia II i8000 sports a next-generation AMOLED high resolution display, a more deeply integrated custom interface, and a plethora of widget choices that should allow anyone to customize the home screen to their heart's content. The device has a lot to promise, but does it deliver? We've got the full review ahead. Read on for more!
WHAT IS AMOLED?
Since the Omnia II uses an AMOLED display, which is a rarity for a mobile device, it deserves an explanation. Traditional LCD displays require backlighting, which is the single biggest killer of battery in mobile devices. An AMOLED screen actually illuminates active pixels individually. That means anywhere you see black, the pixel is "shut off" thus allowing for a true black color to come through. This not only saves on battery, but also produces deep blacks and very vivid colors.
Now, the Omnia II does have a standard backlight in addition to the invididual pixel lighting. If you turn choose to turn it off, the screen still is very readable, unlike an LCD display that requires a backlighting to be visible. Doing this will save hugely on battery life, but you won't be able to view the device while outdoors if it's sunny.
If you want the technical definition of AMOLED, hit up Wikipedia.
WHAT'S HOT
Let's go through the specs. The Omnia 2 i8000 sports a Samsung S3C6410 processor running at 800MHz. It has 256MB ROM (168MB accessible), 8GB storage memory (7324MB accessible), 256MB RAM (60MB accessible), and has a microSD/HC expansion slot for added memory. The resistive AMOLED touchscreen is 3.7" and is WVGA 480x800 resolution, making for a pixel density of 252ppi (the Touch Diamond's screen is 285ppi, the Touch Diamond2's screen is 292ppi, and the iPhone's screen is 164ppi). It's a quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900) phone with triband UMTS (900/1900/2100) with HSDPA and HSUPA. It also has assisted GPS, WiFi b & g, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, USB 2.0, a proximity sensor, an accelerometer (which works in the web browser, photo gallery, and video player), plus FM radio. For audio, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack, and for syncing and charging, the Omnia II uses microUSB. The rear camera is 5.0MP with auto focus and a dual flash, and the front camera for video calls is VGA resolution. Powering all of this is a 1500mAh battery. For even more specs, check out PDAdb.net.
(all images link to larger versions)
The Omnia II is a slick-looking device that makes use of high quality materials. The device uses Samsung's TouchWiz interface, which we'll cover in detail on page two.
As we'll see later in the review, the on-screen keyboard options on the Omnia II are terrific.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX
Here is the unboxing video for the Omnia II. Included is a charger, sync cable, a set of great in-ear headphones with an extender, a plastic case, the battery, and the device.
The Omnia II includes a plastic case. I wish it were leather!
THE DEVICE
The screen sensitivity on the Omnia II is excellent...very close to capacitive, like on the HTC Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2.
As we'll see on page two, the Omnia II has a variety of program launcher options, including this cube.
Like the original Omnia, the second iteration doesn't have a built-in stylus. Instead, those wanting to use a stylus will have to carry around this annoying extremity.
As you can see, this is the 8GB model. On the top we see the speaker grill, front facing video camera. Also up here is the proximity sensor and light sensor.
On the bottom, we have large call start and end keys surrounded by a nice brushed metal-like texture. In the center is the "cube" which will launch the Omnia II's programs launcher, and can be programmed for a second function with a tap and hold.
On the top we have microUSB for syncing and charging, plus a 3.5mm jack for audio output. Nice!
On the first side, we have the volume up/down rocker.
And on the other side, we have buttons for OK, the camera, and unlock.
The back of the device is painted in glossy back, which is slippery and fingerprint-prone. Towards the top is the 5.0MP camera with dual LED flash. More on photo quality on page three of this review.
Popping off the back battery cover, we reveal the SIM card slot, microSD insert, and 1500mAh battery.
Here is the hardware tour in case you missed it.
COMPARISONS
From left to right we have: the iPhone, Omnia II, Touch Diamond2, and Touch HD.
And here they are again, stacked.
Though it's difficult to tell, the blacks on the Omnia are darker than on the iPhone. Be sure to subscribe to our video channel where we'll post a screen comparison between the Omnia II and many other devices.
Click onto the next page where we'll dive into Samsung's widget-based interface!
