Verizon Debuts Samsung Saga

Verizon Wireless has just launched the Samsung Saga, a Windows Mobile worldphone with a small keyboard, Wi-Fi, and EV-DO.

This device has a tablet shape, with a small QWERTY keyboard below its 2.6-inch, 320-by-320-pixel touchscreen. Between these two is a something a bit unusual for a smartphone: an optical mouse controlling an on-screen pointer.

The Saga is both a CDMA phone with EV-DO Rev. A as well as a quad-band GSM phone for use internationally. It  also has Wi-Fi b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 with .

Other features of the Saga include a microSD/SDHC card slot and a 2 MPx camera with NightShot to enhance its capabilities in dark environments.

Saga vs. i760

The Samsung Saga is expected to take the place of the Samsung i760 in Verizon's lineup. That doesn't mean it uses the same form-factor as its predecessor, though.

The i760 has both a numberpad on its front and a sliding keyboard that can be hidden behind its screen. Its successor, on the other hand, combines these into a single keyboard located on the front. This change will allow the Saga to be considerably thinner (see a comparison).

Other Details

This smartphone runs Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system, which is bundled with a suite of productivity and personal information management software.

It has 256 MB of RAM and 128 MB of ROM.

The Saga includes a 1300 mAh rechargeable battery that offers up to 300 minutes of talk time or up to 325 hours of standby time.

Overall, this product is 4.9 inches tall, 2.4 inches wide, and 0.53 inches thick. It weighs 4.6 oz.

Pricing and Availability

The Saga costs $200 with a two-year contract and $70 mail-in rebate.

It is available now on Verizon's website.

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