Omnia II: Incredible on-screen keyboard
Samsung’s Omnia II is a Windows Mobile smartphone but please don’t hold that against it.
Even though it’s running a mobile OS in great need of catching up with the current competition – the Omnia II has at least one terrific new feature that sets it apart from everything else on the market.
It’s the phone’s virtual keyboard system. I’ll explain in a minute.
First of all, let’s discuss the numbers.
This is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill smartphone. It is loaded with some state-of-the-art features:
A large, 3.7-inch AMOLED WVGA display (like in Google’s Nexus One)…
8GB of built-in memory and microSD card slot (16 GB max)…
5.0 megapixel camera/camcorder (up to 2048 by 1536 pixels)…
Microsoft Office Mobile…
Full HTML web browser…
All sorts of Verizon premium services including V Cast Music, Video on Demand, VZ Navigator, Mobile IM and lots more…
EV-DO/3G connectivity…
Wi-fi, Bluetooth…
FM radio…
and lots more!
There are lots of different ways to control your Omnia II. There is a configurable slide out widget panel to control some applications.
Then there is Samsung’s rotating CUBE interface which, once you look at it needs very little explanation. I’m not exactly sure why it is needed at all. CUBE lets you control a very limited number of applications and the interface doesn’t always rotate when and where you want it. And, the phone also has the standard Windows Mobile screen interface. But, I’m guessing that since they featured CUBE in the Omnia I they included it in the Omnia II as well.
Officially, the handset runs on the latest version of Microsoft’s OS: Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional. It’s beginning to show it’s age. Unofficially, Microsoft is hinting that the next major overhaul of the operating software is due to be released very soon. Nothing new was announced at CES – so expect something to be said at either the GSM Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February or the CTIA show in Las Vegas in March. Might even hear about it at both shows.
Back to the big selling point. It’s the on-screen, virtual keyboard that makes this phone very, very cool.
The system is called SWYPE. It lets you slide your finger over the keys to form words instead of tapping each letter separately like you have to do with every other smartphone on the market.. The software follows your motion and does the rest.
I was amazed at just how quick and accurate SWYPE really was in real-life use. Within minutes I was “typing” faster on this phone than any other in recent memory. The learning curve is nearly instantaneous.
Let’s hope Samsung – and every other smartphone manufacturer – adds a similar sliding finger keyboard feature to their smartphones in the near future.
As for price – Verizon is asking $200 (after their $100 “online discount”) with a two-year service contract. Same as for the Droid.
There are better devices on the market today (Droid, Nexus One, Pre) – and personally would wait to see what Microsoft plans for Windows Mobile 7. But you could do a lot worse. And, that new sliding keyboard input system could make you decide to go with an Omnia II right now. It’s that good.