SlashGear Japan
The Instinct is a device that Sprint partnered with Samsung to come up with. It has a 3.1-inch touchscreen with haptic feedback and there are also three hard keys below the screen, one for home, one for back, and one for phone functionality.
The phone has EV-DO Rev. A, GPS, and a Sprint/Samsung customized UI for near iPhone-like ease of use. There are other iPhone similarities including the Sprint Music Store, Navigation, TV, Visual Voicemail and a full HTML web browser, all of which, save for the a la carte music downloads, included in Sprint’s new Simply Everything $100 a month plan.
The home screen is customizable, kind of like the iPhone, it also has Bluetooth, with audible caller ID, expandable memory up to 8GB, a 2MP camera/camcorder, voice activated functions galore, threaded text messages, Mobile Sync, and the ability to operate as a modem. The dimensions of the device are a slim 2.17×4.57x.49 inches with a weight of 4.4 ounces, it also has a Li-Ion battery that provides up to 5.75 hours of continuous talk time. More pics after the jump!
Sprint’s going to be spending around $100 million on parading this little guy around, and with good reason too. This has all of the features, save for the integrated flash storage and OS X OS, that the iPhone has, and then some, that’s to say that it truly bests the iPhone and might actually be a serious competitor to the ATT exclusive device. The only part where I could see the Instinct being outdone by the iPhone is in the battery life department, but 5.75 hours of doing one of the most battery intensive functions a mobile device can do is still pretty respectable. More to come as we get it.
[via Sprint]
31 Responses to “Sprint Instinct – when backed into a corner Sprint unleashes their primal Instincts”
Brian April 1, 2008
Another gratuitous rip-off of the iPhone. Does anyone have original ideas anymore?
-18Imelda April 1, 2008
It’s great that we have options… The Iphone is not available with any other carriers so it’s great that Sprint is accomodating its customers with new options!!!!! If only all carriers would do the same.
+18Ajay April 1, 2008
[quote comment="39075"]Another gratuitous rip-off of the iPhone. Does anyone have original ideas anymore?[/quote]
If apple wasnt so stupid and allowed other carriers to sell it maybe people of free markets would have thought of building a better version of the phone. Dont be bitter cause you waited in line for 3 days to get your phone
+13DJ April 1, 2008
[quote comment="39075"]Another gratuitous rip-off of the iPhone. Does anyone have original ideas anymore?[/quote]
You might be interested to know that the Prada phone came out prior to the iPhone and it uses the same type of interface…… Lets not point fingers on who did what first, it is called business – get over it
+15Joe April 1, 2008
Apple rules. Plain and simple. And I would use Sprint if someone else paid the bill!
-19Dr Sam April 2, 2008
I mentioned this phone to my college class today and I was surprised that some students that work for Sprint said that they tried it already and that it was too slow over-all. Lets see. I was hoping for a serious contender to the I-Phone.
+4Gaines April 3, 2008
Ripoff? Oh, come on. People were using fingers on Windows Mobile before they heard of an iPhone. Apple has made some great innovations, but how about we don’t just give them credit for the entire touch phone market. I don’t see the iPhone navigating by the user tilting it.
+2Sean April 3, 2008
Why do they even waste there time?? No one is going to come close to making anything like the iphone. The next thing to come out that will be worth buying is the new 3G iphone when it arrives in June or July. Just looking at this phone you can tell it is worthless. it is half as wide as the iphone and 3 times as thick. Whatever carrier has the iphone will be successful. If they all end up with it then they all will be great. Also by the time anyone else does get something comparable Apple will have built something else 10 yrs in front of whatever they have. Everyone just jump on the Apple train because it is going to the end of the track and the others will always be left behind. ALWAYS!!!
-11Jay April 4, 2008
Apple asked other carriers if they were interested in carrying the iPhone before its release, they said NO. So Apple is not the stupid one here but all the other carriers who thought the iPhone was not worth their time. I bet they are kicking themselves now.
+1James Allan Brady April 5, 2008
the other carriers said no, not because they thought the phone was crap, i mean anyone can pick one up and see that its not, they said no because of all the extra conditions and bullshit that Apple was to impose on the single carrier that agreed to carry the iPhone
+7williambraski April 7, 2008
Yes, yes, another iPhone rip. Just like all the rips on the first ever flip phone that fill cellphone stores today. Won’t someone ever think up something original!
Come on, the iPhone is cool, but Apple is the Blizzard of hardware. Take a bunch of ideas that have been implemented in a half assed fashion by a dozen others (Win Mobile is shite, Palm also shite) and make one slick as hell offering.
Apple is good at refining ideas, not inventing the wheel.
+5THE ONE April 10, 2008
WHY IS EVERYBODY HATEING ON THIS PHONE FOR, SO WHAT IS ITS A SIMILAR MODEL TO THE IPHONE. APPLE DOESNT OWN “TOUCH”, I MEAN C’MON ITS A NICE FONE, PEOPLE LIKE IT SO WHAT S THE BIG DAEL
+8Jerry April 12, 2008
PEOPLE, could I have your attention PLEASE! What if the guy that came up with the idea of the wheel still owned exclusive rights? Or if Henry Ford had the same lock on cars? We would all be driving Ford cars or walking! If anyone can improve a useful product, then we can all benefit. I looked at the iphone when it was first released, NO GPS, NO high speed network. The Instinct sounds like what I have been waiting for. Let’s let free enterprise work.
+5Jae April 16, 2008
For those of you who think Apple rules, you are seriously diluted. Please, get a clue. The only reason Apple is selling its iPhones is because it appealed to clueless, non-technical people who is attracted by visual design and not technical specifications. Just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best. It just means most people don’t know any better.
+8Razorback April 22, 2008
If you think SAMSUNG ripped of IPHONE then you are a moron. Do you eve know what kind of MOBILE PHONES are out there in Korea? Go to samsung.co.kr and check out their phones, it’s probably 3 years ahead of world’s technology. The only reason why Samsung decided to bring out INSTINCT was because Sprint needed to gain a share in the mobile market. Sprint is tired of losing customers to AT&T because their I-PHONE. I personally like the Iphone but can’t wait for other devices to come up. Trust me, Samsung and LG phones are the best in it’s class.
+8Chris April 29, 2008
[quote comment="39075"]Another gratuitous rip-off of the iPhone. Does anyone have original ideas anymore?[/quote]
Original! How else could u invent another iphone? Dumb ass!
+3baseballhombre May 12, 2008
i agree with Chris, how else could you make a better phone without a touch screen????????????????? I think it’s immpossible and guess what this phone is going to cost about $200-$250 dollars.
+1afoulsmell May 13, 2008
I am really eager to try this Instinct out. I have wanted an Iphone for the longest, but I couldn’t justify the cost. I have been with Sprint for two years now, and I was seriously thinking about jumping ship for ATT. It’s funny- I worked for ATT for a year, but never took their employee rate plan. I just hope this phone is as good as it should be. I can get past the whole ‘no two digit zoom’ bit. I will enjoy the navigation since I drive a truck. Mainly though, I just want a touch screen. I think I will lock myself in a closet for the first weekend. Visual voicemail will be a welcome improvement over my cheesy LG setup.
+1afoulsmell May 13, 2008
Oh, and I imagine my 7 and 4 year olds will dig it. They will probably know how to use it better and quicker than me.
-1Jay May 15, 2008
I can’t wait. I got the everything package just for this
+1w1z May 17, 2008
[quote comment="39141"]I mentioned this phone to my college class today and I was surprised that some students that work for Sprint said that they tried it already and that it was too slow over-all. Lets see. I was hoping for a serious contender to the I-Phone.[/quote]
Have to say that surprises me as well, since it isn’t even going to be available to Sprint’s own representatives until the first week of June for testing. Also, it should be noted that even if someone who works for Samsung’s development division is one of the “students” that you mentioned, its still in its final stages of tweaking, so any issues that it may have had, should, for the most part be worked out by its release date.
And fyi to people who think that similarities between devices make it a rip off… Just because items share similar traits doesn’t make it a rip off. If that were the case, then everybody after Ford is ripping off the design of the automobile… or wait, maybe Ford ripped off Cugnot & Brezins 1769 vehicle…
+1w1z May 17, 2008
[quote comment="39626"]PEOPLE, could I have your attention PLEASE! What if the guy that came up with the idea of the wheel still owned exclusive rights? Or if Henry Ford had the same lock on cars? We would all be driving Ford cars or walking! If anyone can improve a useful product, then we can all benefit. I looked at the iphone when it was first released, NO GPS, NO high speed network. The Instinct sounds like what I have been waiting for. Let’s let free enterprise work.[/quote]
Lol, I didn’t see your post before my last one. Ditto to what you said ;)
+2Frank Bank May 21, 2008
Just so you guys know, Ford did not invent the automobile. Assembly line was his big thing when he created Ford.
Benz was the first actually vehicle to be considered a automobile.
NeutralHUEY P NEWTON May 22, 2008
THERES NO NEED TO TALK NEGATIVE ABOUT THE PHONE.ITS QUITE OBIVIOUS THAT SPRINT TOOK
+1THERE TIME WITH THIS PROJECT. MIND YOU THEY ALREADY HAVE A TOUCH SCREEN PHONE WHICH
IS A GOOD DEVICE. THE INSTINCT IS BETTER THAN THE TOUCH PHONE THEY CURRENTLY OFFER,AND ITS BETTER THAN THE IPHONE AND THE GLYDE. FACE IT SPRINT HAS ALWAYS HAD THE BEST PHONES AND THATS THE REALITY OF IT!
Versed May 23, 2008
Honestly, I haven’t touched this phone, but it does seem decent. I own an iPhone, and don’t feel there’s a problem with phones such as this. I’m no fan of Sprint, nor do I hate them. Outside of CS issues, they seem fine. Calling it a copycat, or knock off isn’t really true, because all phones makers, no matter the brand copy off of each other.
To me, phones like this help innovation, buy it or not, it pushes competition.
Biggest issue with the Instinct and Sprint is the $100 monthly fee they plan to sell it with.
NeutralYDLAFAMS May 27, 2008
Lame…when can I get an updated, better version of the Sprint Treo 700wx though?
NeutralShane June 3, 2008
[quote comment="39141"]I mentioned this phone to my college class today and I was surprised that some students that work for Sprint said that they tried it already and that it was too slow over-all. Lets see. I was hoping for a serious contender to the I-Phone.[/quote]
Basically, they are lying. :)
NeutralSSK June 18, 2008
Today Sprint announced instint will be available 06/20 for 129.99 instant price(no waiting for mail in rebate). Can’t wait to get my hands on it this weekend…
Neutraljose rodriguez July 6, 2008
apple had to do an innovative reconstruction of their primal gear to at par with the world of the htc tilt, iphone go suck it up cause now apple know about geotagging, gps, emulate, finger scrolling, oh video calling, video share ummm do I need to keep it up or you already know that the iphone in fact its the copy of all devices and ideas that in fact htc has been giving as default for a long time duh iphone now you are going to be the contender not mentioning the htc diamond and the upcoming nuvifone. thnx
Neutralmiles July 30, 2008
Existing Sprint customers pay a premium for Instinct. It’ll cost you $229 if you’re over 2 years on your existing contract, not $129 as a new customer. What a damn rip off? As for the iPhone, just having OS X rather than a Windows based Instinct makes it a better product. The GPS on either the Instinct or iPhone doesn’t use Global Positioning Satellites, they both use cell towers to triangulate position. If you’re out of cell phone tower range, you won’t have this faux GPS feature on your cell phone. Best get a “real” GPS navigator if you’re going hiking in the mountains. Bottom line, if you’re already an Apple computer user, buy the iPhone since it integrates with multiple Apple applications. As for those who use Windows based products, whenever you get out of denial as to how pitifully unfriendly that virus trapping operating system is, you’ll discover the user friendly world of Apple products and its operating system.
NeutralJuan August 30, 2008
I bet half of you don’t even know that AT&T has to pay Apple up to $325 for every Iphone they sell. All the other carriers just felt they could do better without that crap.
Neutral