Samsung continues to move beyond its ubiquitous clamshell-form handsets, with the release of its latest slide-design GPRS-class mobile phone - the E800.
Combining high technology with high fashion, the E800 camera phone was arguably the most elegant handset model exhibited at the recent CommunicAsia trade show in Singapore.
Who cares if it's not a multiplatform 'world phone'? Once you have tried using it, the E800 instantly becomes an object of desire. It is light, compact and stylish. In fact, it is so pleasing to the eye and touch, it could almost go on display at Tiffany's.
The E800 follows the release of the D410 slide-type phone, which was designed and mainly marketed as a handset for business users. This time, Samsung wants to make its mark in the fashion phone segment of the market.
Improving on the slide-type design that was used before by Nokia, Samsung has devised a new semi-automatic slide mechanism on the E800. Just a touch on the side of the case and the mechanism glides open to make or take calls.
That set-up protects both the keypad and the built-in flash camera, which allows a user to record a video or take consecutive still pictures. For taking self-portraits, the phone has a small mirror on the back of its body to check if you have something stuck between your teeth.
Available this fourth quarter, the E800 is vaunted as the first phone in the world to feature noise cancellation and voice clarity functions. The phone raises the volume and clarity of an incoming call, so a user can hear better in a noisy environment.