((850/900/1800/1900MHz) EDGE, the carrier says.
(Click here for a larger view of the Samsung Propel Pro)
Samsung's Propel Pro
(Click image to enlarge) |
The Samsung-sourced Propel Pro (above and right) continues its manufacturer's recent tradition of offering Windows phones with "optical mice" or other alternative pointing devices. (Other examples include the
Epix, also offered by AT&T, and the
Saga, offered by Verizon.) Claimed to be an AT&T exclusive, the Propel Pro uses a design that, indeed, hasn't appeared previously, as far as we're aware.
According to AT&T, the 3.9 x 2.5 x 0.6 inch Propel Pro combines a joystick that "maneuvers 360 degrees" with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The non-touchscreen device has a 2.55-inch display and runs the Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard operating system, to which the carrier has added
Xpress Mail. Xpress software is said to provide access to email from Microsoft Exchange Server and Lotus Notes enterprise servers, plus POP3 access to Hotmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and other personal e-mail accounts.
The Propel Pro employs an undisclosed, 528MHz processor, 128MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, and has a microSD expansion slot, says AT&T. Wireless capabilities include tri-band (850/1900/2100MHz) HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access), quad-band ((850/900/1800/1900MHz) EDGE, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, and 802.11b/g wireless networking.
AT&T adds that the Propel Pro includes a three megapixel autofocus camera, plus DioOCR character recognition software that lets users take pictures of business cards, then save the information on them in text format. The device's battery is claimed to provide up to 6.5 hours of talk time and up to 12 days of standby.
Features and specifications provided for the Samsung Propel Pro by AT&T include:
- Processor -- n/s, but clocked at 528MHz
- Memory -- 128MB of RAM and 256MB of flash storage
- Display -- 2.55-inch touchscreen with 320 x 320 pixel resolution
- Keys -- QWERTY keyboard, joystick, dedicated calling and menu keys
- Camera -- 3 megapixel, with autofocus
- Wireless:
- WAN -- Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) EDGE and tri-band (850/1900/2100MHz) UMTS/HSDPA
- GPS
- WLAN -- 802.11b/g
- PAN -- Bluetooth with A2DP (stereo music streaming)
- Other I/O -- n/s, but USB port presumed
- Expansion -- microSD slot accepts cards up to 16GB
- Battery life:
- Up to 6.5 hours talk time
- Up to 12 days standby
- Dimensions -- 3.9 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches
- Weight -- 4.83 ounces
According to AT&T, the Propel Pro will be available in April for approximately $150, following the usual two-year contract and a $50 mail-in rebate. More information may be found on the company's website,
here.
Related stories: 
