Samsung Rogue and Intensity get official on Verizon

Verizon has officially launched two new Samsung messaging devices, the SCH-U960 Rogue and the SCH-U450 Intensity.  The two handsets each have slide-out QWERTY keyboards, but where the Rogue has a 3.1-inch WVGA AMOLED touchscreen, the Intensity makes do with a standard 2.1-inch LCD display.

The Rogue also packs a 3-megapixel camera with flash, various formats of email, shortcuts to social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter, and a microSD slot good with cards up to 16GB in capacity.  There's also an Office file viewer, full messaging suite, on-device video editing capabilities and support for Verizon's VCAST video on demand service.

As for the Intensity, that too has a web browser, IM and messaging, though lacks the enterprise email support of the Rogue.  It has a 1.3-megapixel camera, microSD slot, VCAST Music download support and VZ Navigator support.  Both offer voice commands and picture messaging.

The Samsung Rogue will be available today in bronze/black for $99.99 (after a $100 mail-in rebate and with a two-year agreement); Verizon have also added some new data packages, which offer 25MB per month for $9.99 or 75MB for $19.99.  Meanwhile the Samsung Intensity is on sale today for $29.99 (after a $50 mail-in rebate) in charcoal grey in-store or "flamingo red" online.

Press Release:

VERIZON WIRELESS ANNOUNCES TWO NEW MESSAGING PHONES – SAMSUNG ROGUE(tm) AND SAMSUNG INTENSITY(tm)

Samsung Rogue Debuts as Verizon Wireless' Flagship Phone for New Data Pricing Option

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the availability of two new messaging phones – the Samsung Rogue(tm) and the Samsung Intensity(tm).

Samsung Rogue

The Samsung Rogue is a sleek messaging phone with a full touch display that provides an optimized messaging experience with a horizontal slide-out, four-row QWERTY keyboard, threaded messaging and one-touch access to popular social networking widgets, including Facebook(r), MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and Photobucket. The Samsung Rogue also features innovative speech capabilities powered by Nuance that allow customers to launch and control a variety of applications and services with simple voice commands as well as dictate text messages.

The Samsung Rogue will serve as the flagship phone for the company's new data pricing option available to customers beginning today. The new data pricing gives Verizon Wireless customers more freedom to select how much data and the type of data they want to use. Samsung Rogue customers who want to check e-mail; surf the Web; and download applications, games or ringtones will be able to select either a 25 MB for $9.99 monthly access option or a 75 MB for $19.99 monthly access option to couple with their Nationwide plan.

Customers who want to watch full-length TV shows plus news, sports, weather and live entertainment video clips can also add Verizon Wireless' new V CAST Video on Demand plan that gives customers access to unlimited basic video clips, ESPN MVP and unlimited megabytes for their V CAST Video usage for $10.00 monthly. The new V CAST Video on Demand plan replaces the $15.00 V CAST VPak. These changes will not impact existing customers.

Following are additional key features and specifications for the Samsung Rogue.

* Available in bronze/black color

* 3.1-inch ultra-brilliant touch screen

o Widescreen WVGA AMOLED (Wide Video Graphics Array Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) responsive touch screen results in one of the brightest and clearest displays on a mobile phone in the United States

o Slide out horizontally to reveal a four-row QWERTY keypad

* Full HTML Web browsing capabilities with one-touch access to social networking sites via shortcut widgets

* Full messaging suite including SMS, MMS, Mobile IM, Mobile Email and Corporate Email

* 3.0 megapixel camera with flash and video capture and on-device editing capabilities

* Supports Verizon Wireless services including V CAST Music with Rhapsody, V CAST Video, and Visual Voice Mail

* Media Center-capable – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services, such as VZ NavigatorSM and Chaperone(r), and more

* Pre-loaded games including "NEED FOR SPEED(tm) Undercover," "Resident Evil: Degeneration," and "Tetris(r) and Dice"

* microSD(tm) card slot with support for up to 16 GB (card purchased separately)

* File Viewer can view Microsoft(r) Word, Microsoft(r) Excel(r), Microsoft(r) PowerPoint(r) and Adobe(r) PDF documents stored on a memory card

Samsung Intensity

The Samsung Intensity is a feature-packed phone that offers customers a convenient way to stay connected to family, friends, and anyone else their thumbs can get a hold of through its full line of advanced messaging capabilities such as Mobile IM; text, picture and voice messaging with threaded messaging feature; Mobile Email; and the Mobile Web browser.

Following are additional key features and specifications for the Samsung Intensity.

* Available in a Charcoal Grey color in all sales channels and available in Flamingo Red online only at www.verizonwireless.com

* 2.1-inch display with horizontal slide-out four-row QWERTY keypad with dedicated Messaging key and Favorites key for easily texting and calling friends and family

* Mobile Web browser for Internet access

* Music player

* Full messaging capabilities including Mobile IM; Mobile Email; Chat; and text, picture, and voice messaging

* 1.3 megapixel camera with Night Shot, Self Timer, Multishot and Shutter Sound selection

* Compatible with PC client for V CAST Music with Rhapsody (over-the-air downloads are not supported on the Samsung Intensity)

* Voice commands such as Voice Dial, Menu Readout, Digital Dial Readout, TXT Message Readout, Call Announcement, My Verizon, and Help

* Media Center-capable – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services, such as VZ NavigatorSM, and more

* microSD(tm) card slot with support for up to 16 GB (card purchased separately)

Price and availability:

* The Samsung Rogue is available today for $99.99 after a $100.00 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement, and the Samsung Intensity in Charcoal Grey is available today for $29.99 after a $50.00 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. The Samsung Intensity in Flamingo Red is available beginning today exclusively online at no charge with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate as a debit card that can be used anywhere debit cards are accepted.

* Customers can purchase the Samsung Rogue and Samsung Intensity in Charcoal Grey beginning today at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores or online at www.verizonwireless.com. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungmobileusa.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 164,600 people in 179 offices across 61 countries, the company consists of two business units: Digital Media & Communications and Device Solutions. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Samsung Mobile is proud to provide ENERGY STAR-qualified power adapters with its mobile phones and accessories. ENERGY STAR qualified products use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment. Products that have earned the ENERGY STAR meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy.