SlashGear JP
It’s not the first time we’ve played with the Samsung Moment, but today we’ve had the chance to take Sprint’s newest smartphone away and unbox it. The Moment is the carrier’s second Android handset (after the non-QWERTY HTC Hero), packing a slide-out keyboard, 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen and both EVDO Rev.A and WiFi b/g. Check out our hands-on gallery, unboxing video and some first-impressions of the Samsung Moment after the cut.
Like the Motorola CLIQ, the Moment is taking on the mid-range of Android devices. Unlike the CLIQ, however, Samsung have done little to the core OS; there’s no intelligent social media integration like MOTOBLUR, or UI streamlining like HTC Sense. The end result is a somewhat bare feeling, and we miss the well-designed widgets of the rival platforms.
What’s proving more successful is the QWERTY keyboard, which has a better – offset – layout than the CLIQ’s and a key-feel that, while initially coming across as on the snappy side, has led to accurate text entry. We’ll be testing this out more over the next few days to see just how fast we can get. As for the display, while it may not be stuffed with widgets it is bright, crisp and as vivid as we’ve come to expect from AMOLED panels, and the resistive capacitive touchscreen has proved accurate in our short play so far.
Samsung Moment Screen test (capacitive or resistive?) Samsung PR says resistive but in our test, a stylus doesn’t work on it. As a result, Samsung PR had misinformed us – nonetheless I stand corrected.
The Samsung Moment will go on sale generally come November 1st, priced at $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and $50 instant savings, and with a new, two-year contract. We’ll have the full SlashGear review very soon!
23 Responses to “Samsung Moment first-impressions”
Great smartphone, i like Samsumg smartphones!
Neutralmilitaryman October 22, 2009
You say “Resistive” touch screen — I thought it was capacitive…. ?
NeutralVincent Nguyen October 23, 2009
Just got confirmation from Samsung:“Hey Vincent,
The Moment’s display is resistive and is plastic.
Thanks,
-4Brett – MWW PR for Samsung”
Vincent Nguyen October 22, 2009
-9I’ll double check with Samsung/Sprint again, but I’m pretty sure it’s resistive and has a plastic feel to it- unlike the Hero, G1 or myTouch 3G, Moment’s display is AMOLED (which gives it the extra brightness and clarity – esp out in sunlight).baddubbin October 22, 2009
does a stylus work on it? capacitive wont work with stylus. if a stylus works its resistive…..
also I thought AMOLED normally performed worse in the sunslight?
+7If you review cell phones for a living and you do not know how to tell the difference between a capacitive or resistive screen without consulting samsung or sprint then you should be fired. If you did not know for sure then you should not have posted anything in the first place. Then to say the screen is plasticky and not glassy like the other htc phone is nonsense they all feel like plastic!
+4Vincent Nguyen October 23, 2009
You obviously don’t understand the phrase first-impressions. To your point that all phone surfaces feel like plastic – that’s untrue. The iPhone, myTouch 3G among others have capacitive display with glass – and NO they do not feel like plastic. FYI there are also capacitive display technology with plastic surface – so in the case of the Moment I just don’t know. If you cannot appreciate my honesty or don’t like the way we write our coverage, might I suggest you visit other tech sites around the net.
-4BeeQAL October 23, 2009
Well said Vincent. Pete, there was NO justification for you to attack him like that. He is just like you and I, a tech enthusiast and a seemingly nice one. No wonder the world is in such a messed up state because there are some who are so quick to resort to aggression.
Cuz you all that you should start up your own tech blog and shown the rest of us that are beneath your elite level how it’s done. The arrogance and rudeness displayed by you is shocking man. DAMN.
Neutraljonnyjonjon October 23, 2009
Vincent may be a nice guy, and Pete’s comment was too harsh – but his point is still valid. It’s very frustrating to read wrong information. Even Vincent’s followup post is wrong. Yes, the iPhone has a glass display, but NO, the MyTouch is not glass. All of the HTC Android phones (with the exception of the Tattoo and its resistive display) have plastic capacitive screens.
Additionally, the Moment’s display is most assuredly CAPACITIVE and most likely plastic. It is unconfirmed as to whether it’s oleophobic or not.
Pete, tone down the d-baggery and Vincent, please get your facts straight before publishing. That is all.
+6Vincent Nguyen October 23, 2009
First of all, thanks for your constructive feedback. The Moment’s display is 100% confirmed by Samsung – Resistive and is plastic.
As for the G1, myTouch 3G and Hero, we’ve been told that they are all capacitive and glass.
-9mylifeinfiction October 23, 2009
Does anyone know if its possible to make this work with T mobile service???
NeutralVincent Nguyen October 23, 2009
Sprint network is CDMA and T-Mobile is GSM – so no.
Neutralmylifeinfiction October 23, 2009
Damn it :(
Neutraltheiandrake October 23, 2009
Hey Vincent,
Theres a simple test to put this debate to bed once and for all. Bust out a stylus or any object for that matter that isnt your finger and see if the screen reacts.. if it does then its resistive, if it doesnt its capactive. Please report back with the results thanks.
+3Vincent Nguyen October 23, 2009
Post updated with correct info regarding the display technology – it is inf fact capacitive/plastic. Sorry it took so long to run the test – I’ve been playing catchup all day from being in New York this past week. Anyways, the video is up. Now, I need to exchange a few strong words with Samsung PR.
+1Oh so it is indeed capacitive eh? Not only am I disappointed with your defense of bogus info I am saddened by the intelligence of your samsung contact. All in all you stepped up and admitted your mistake. Thanks that I can actually respect.
+1How can I get a gig working for slashgear? I am serious btw.
-5I really appreciate that you took the time to test it. Sorry for being a jerk about it.
Neutralebmac October 23, 2009
Thanks for the info and great pics. I’m pretty excited about this phone and was thinking about getting the HTC Hero but I’m not sure I can live with out the Qwerty keyboard. The thing that keeps looking at the Hero though is the enhanced Android and overall UI. Much sexier and maybe more user friendly than the Samsung. My questions is do you know if I will be able to modify the base Android on the Moment to look and act like the Hero interface with 3rd party apps? Will I be able to modify with any widgets I want as well? Also, have you played with the Hero much- any words of wisdom on which phone you would prefer?
-2Side note- who is the marketing genius at Samsung that decided this ugly orange flower was the perfect wall paper for this phone? Does this bother anybody else as much as it does me? lol. Every photo I see online of this phone has this ridiculous flower. You look at that next to the sexy Hero interface and their is no comparison.
@JonnyJonJon. The HTC Hero screen is glass. http://www.mobilestopic.com/ne.....s-doh.html
NeutralBTimmy27 October 26, 2009
do you know what the difference between android technology 1.5 and 1.6 is?
NeutralKalison November 5, 2009
I own this phone, it is NOT resistive. It feels very much like my iPod Touch so I feel safe saying its glass (gets that cold glass feeling) and capacitive.
It will NOT work with a stylus.
NeutralKalison November 5, 2009
Opps, as a follow up, I just saw that Vince said plastic… however I gotta say its the most scratch resistant plastic I have ever seen if it is, because my callous and dry fingers scratch anything…. so far I have used the snot out of it, and its still pristine.
Neutral