Enterprise Mobility: Samsung Continuum Android Smartphone Gains Dual Screen, Eclair Browser
Email
Print
The Samsung Continuum Android smartphone on the Verizon network takes a radical approach to extending battery life by adding a second, very small 1.8" x .5" front facing screen. The second screen can display the time and a scrolling ticker with news, sports and social media feeds without lighting up the main display. I would prefer to see Samsung and Google—the power behind the Android throne—work on battery management schemes that extended battery life while providing a satisfying user experience but the dual-screen gimmick is a decent work around. Both displays use Super AMOLED screen technology and yield a clear and bright viewing experience. The Samsung Continuum runs Android 2.1 and started became available on November 11. The smartphone has a full retail price of $549. With contracts and rebates the price drops to $199. The Continuum is built around a high performance hardware platform. The device is equipped with a 1 GHz Hummingbird application processor and a 5-megapixel camera with a LED flash. The camera is also capable of HD video capture. The phone uses a virtual keyboard that can be used with Swype fingertip movements although I prefer the virtual keyboard. I got good reception on the street and in my office in downtown San Francisco. Otherwise, the Continuum uses a 3.5mm headphone jack, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity and can act as a 3G mobile tether for up to five compatible Wi-Fi devices. Read eWEEK Labs' review of Samsung Continuum here. If you have experience with Samsung Continuum, share your thoughts at http://labs.eweek.com.
Cameron Sturdevant is the executive editor of Enterprise Networking Planet. Prior to ENP, Cameron was technical analyst at PCWeek Labs, starting in 1997. Cameron finished up as the eWEEK Labs Technical Director in 2012. Before his extensive labs tenure Cameron paid his IT dues working in technical support and sales engineering at a software publishing firm . Cameron also spent two years with a database development firm, integrating applications with mainframe legacy programs. Cameron's areas of expertise include virtual and physical IT infrastructure, cloud computing, enterprise networking and mobility. In addition to reviews, Cameron has covered monolithic enterprise management systems throughout their lifecycles, providing the eWEEK reader with all-important history and context. Cameron takes special care in cultivating his IT manager contacts, to ensure that his analysis is grounded in real-world concern. Follow Cameron on Twitter at csturdevant, or reach him by email at cameron.sturdevant@quinstreet.com.
