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Sprint and Samsung Telecommunications America today announced nationwide availability of a new PCS Phone by Samsung, the SPH-i330 ($499.99). This device combines a phone with a color screen and Palm OS organizer. The device is similar to its predecessor, the PCS Phone by Samsung SPH-i300, but features a more slender, refined handheld form factor.

The i330 has a 160 x 240 pixel, 256-color touch screen panel display that allows customers to navigate pop-up screen menus and view HTML Web sites with the Handspring Blazer multi-mode browser. The companies said users can take advantage of the i330's fast, always-on data connection to access personal and corporate email, and browse the Web via the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. Introduced nationwide in August 2002, the CDMA2000 network supports data speeds averaging 50 to 70 Kbps, with peak speeds of 144 Kbps. The device also has 16 MB of memory and supports nearly all of the 15,00 Palm OS applications currently available.

The companies claim the i330 fits comfortably in a users' hand. It weighs less than six ounces with the standard battery, and offers is a dual-band/tri-mode pone. The smartphone has a digital talk time of 170 minutes, with a standby time of 174 hours. With hot keys featured on the side of the device, the i330 is designed for one-handed dialing, allowing users to dial numbers from their phonebook without using the stylus. In addition to a categorized phonebook, permitting several phone entries for one contact, the i330 offers speakerphone capabilities with the option to mute conversations during calls. Additional timesaving features on the i330 include voice-activated dialing, voice memo, speed dial and call logs. Users can also input data using the Graffiti writing area on the touch screen panel display.

The i330 comes standard with a CD that includes Palm OS Desktop software, PocketMirror conduit software for Microsoft Outlook, Palm OS Game Pack and Phone Off Images, as well as a Weblink to PCS Business Connection Personal Edition. Additional Palm OS software and applications -- including ringers, screensavers, images and icons, as well as business productivity suites -- are available on the PCS Software Store. The device is also packaged with a standard and extended battery, a dual-slot charger and sync cradle, leather case and travel charger.