Friday, June 20,2008 @ 7:35am
Sprint ships Samsung Instinct
Sprint today began shipping the Samsung Instinct, the carrier's primary challenge to the iPhone 3G. The close cousin of the Europe-oriented F490 is now known to be launching with a number of the same features as the Apple device due three weeks later, including full 3G Internet access (here through Sprint's EVDO Revision A network), true GPS navigation, and the last-minute addition of Exchange mail support despite using a non-smartphone operating system.
The touchscreen device also supplies a two-megapixel camera, voice dialing, and uses a microSD slot for storage; in Sprint form, the Samsung phone comes with a 2GB microSD card to give it basic room for media but also has access to Internet streaming TV and the carrier's online music store for over-the-air purchases.
Sprint deliberately undercuts iPhone pricing with the Instinct and sells it for $130 when paired with a rebate as well as a Sprint Everything plan of $70 per month or more, which includes 450 minutes of calling time plus unlimited access to data and all the navigation and other Internet services available to the phone. A contract-free Instinct sells for $450.
