AT&T Eternity live and in the flesh
Sure, the timing might be a little delayed according to the internal AT&T email we showed you last month, but sure enough the Samsung A867 aka Eternity is alive and well. Thanks to one of our trusty ninjas, we’ve got a bunch of live photos for you to soak in along with all the info you need to decide whether or not this puppy will make it to your holiday shopping list. First off, we already know the price is set at $99 after a $50 mail-in rebate thanks to the email linked above. We also know that the target release date was November 4th, which of course has passed. Our ninja gave word that AT&T stores have the green light to start selling the Eternity as soon as shipments come in, which should be very soon. As far as spec highlights are concerned, you’re looking at 3G, MediaFLO for some full screen TV love, GPS nav via AT&T Navigator, and a 3 megapixel camera as opposed to the rumored 5 megapixel shooter. The Eternity also comes packing the TouchWiz UI we know and love, and the display is nice and crisp. There’s even a great little auto-rotation feature for messaging that presents you with a nice big full screen QWERTY. You listening, Cupertino? If you’re in the market for a multimedia-crunching touchscreen handset on the cheap, look no further. Hit the jump for more shots including the retails packaging and a nice little side-by-side with the iPhone.
Iphone knockoff? Don’t u mean the iphone is another knockoff of LG Parade? get a freaking clue..Iphone is a knockoff of Parade…
This phone does not support flash for the camera. I am not happy about that.
So if I was in the market for a new phone, what do I get? I currently own a Sony W810i.
I will not be needing internet or a “business” use.
I’ve been waiting for this one to be release to check it out.
But I’ve narrowed my choices to Bold, Fuze and Eternity.
This phone is nice but, it’s in two different realms than the iPhone. Anybody buying apps to prepare for it? You know so you can just download and install them when you get it. I am a iPhone 3G user and not really a fan boy.
When it boils down to OS’s though, the iPhone is king at this point. Sorry, I used to love WinMo myself but, they got complacent at the top alone. Now microsoft runs around at the last minute trying to spruce up a decade old OS. The upgrades are actually downgrades that cause your device to become slower, freeze up, and even restart without warning.
At least Apple and Nokia can make true upgrades to their devices OS software. The area that Symbian loses to the iPhone is Nokia’s world domination to keep pumping out different cosmetic versions of the same device with a few different features. They have milked that cow. Samsung is trying to follow their example it seems, as of late. The tired UI of Symbian falls short compared to the functionality of the iPhone also. I am a long time Symbian fan boy for all of you snarlers. The 5800 might be a great attempt to stay at the top by Nokia but, the iPod softwares’ clarity in the iPhone, iTunes (with its’ease of sync, along with the vast content selection, and ability to share it with other iPod devices unlike N-Gage.
Apple has great features on its’ handset to make up for the lack of mms, video recording, cut/paste, and no flash. How many people actually send more new mms than plain texting anyways? How many ‘clear’ cell vids do you record a week? How crippling is it not to have cut and paste? Name one device that does all the things the iPhone does and all other handsets in one. Let’s face it. It’s not going to happen. Manufacturers wouldn’t be able to leech our wallets.
As a phone/take along multimedia device the iPhone is king. Now as far as making your own media buy a Nokia N series. What’s that? No comparable WinMo devices to the two? LOL
On the price of this Eternity.
I just called my local AT&T Store and they haven’t gotten their shipment yet, but the price will be $219.99 – $50 MIR. And if you sign up for a data plan with it, you will get $20 more off instantly so it would be $199.99 – $50 MIR.
So I’m not sure if it will be $99…
This is not a WINMO phone, or an iPhone. Steve Jobs is not the second coming. Get over yourselves.
Now… to get back on topic. I called my local AT&T rep and they advised they have the Eternity in stock and are selling it today. It is $220 with 2 year contract, and a additional $50 mail in rebate brining it down to $170 total for all you math fans.
Hope this actually helps some of you looking to get it (instead of talking about the storm or how cool the iphone is). Not all of the stores have received shipments, so you may have to call around if you want one today.
so basically this report is not right as far as the pricing goes? Does anyone know if it is wrong about any of the specs possibly too?
AJC –
The “dumb @ss” talk has more to do with AT&T wondering what else this person leaked rather than what he’s done today. Even if this is their first time, its an opportunity for the company to make an example out of someone as a warning to the rest of thr field. I’m not saying its right or wrong, it was just an unnessary risk to take just to see your hand on the internet.
IN STOCK and available in ALbuquerque, New Mexico.
From the pictures, the eternity does not seem to have the 3.5mm audio jack
Can anyone confirm this?
@ Nick: LG Parade? I think you mean LG Prada.
Iphone has an unbeatable touch UI. Buuuuuuuut the BOLD screen is KING. Wait, Samsung is korean?
It’s on the other side that isn’t pictured.
If you go to Samsungs website you can view the manual for it. Just search A867
Touch Flo IS NOT A SMARTPHONE interface. Its a dumbphone.
Example Smartphone UI:
Blackberry
Palm (Access Powered)
Windows Mobile
Mac OSX mobile
Example Dumbphone UI:
Dare UI
LG VU UI
Samsung Glyde UI
Samsung Eternity UI
Just because it has a touch screen doesnt make it a smart phone
@ David A: How is Touch Flo not a smartphone UI? It is designed specifically for Windows Mobile. I think you’re confused. Maybe you mean Touch Wiz, which is what the Eternity uses (though the Omnia also uses TOuch WIz and it IS a smartphone).
the omnia uses a touchwiz skin over winmo.
the eternity’s os is TRUE & COMPLETE touch wiz
This does compete with the iphone in a lot of ways and does way better in most of the ways. It has a way better touch screen believe it or not. It is the most responsive touch screen I’ve ever used and since I work for AT&T I’ve used them all. It has a great UI a big step up from ATT other Samsungs. It has stereo bluetooth something the iphone has lacked from day one and is the second biggest oversight apple has ever made. The other big thing that the eternity has (and the thing that is apple’s biggest lack on the iphone) is the ability to text in landscape mode…and it’s freakin awesome. You can also use a handwriting feature to manually write your text. And with a 3 MP camera and the ability to use a 16 GB micro sd, this phone totally competes with the iphone and dominates in some key ways.
Can someone who has the phone (the att employees, who someone lucky enough to already get it) post the spec sheet on the box? Mostly I’d like to know the rated talk and standbye times. Thanks
Hey, so a few things are wrong in this post. The eternity is actually $149 after a $50 mail in rebate. The rebate is actually a visa gift card, which is pretty nice. It is a 3mp camera with no flash instead of a 5mp on the Behold, but it does have att mobile tv and CV, a cool video clip program, a lot of cool iphone-esque apps preloaded and a much better texting interface than any other touch screen I’ve used. I happen to know all this because I bought one tonight. It inexplicably showed up at my local ATT store and they had one unit. The rep was nice enough to show it to me and I was blown away.
just wondering how much bigger is the eternity than the VU? anyone have the dimensions?
Does this have an accelerometer?
Yes, when you move the screen and it auto rotates that means there is a accelerometer. I’m not sure what all it works in, probly looking at pictures and the browser more than likely.
Just a little side note here…This phone does not have a full HTML browser, just a WAP one, probably because it doesn’t support WiFi and doesn’t have a true OS on it. Other than that the phone does look very nice.
I’m still waiting to see what comes of the LG Incite too, as this looks like the only full-face touchscreen smartphone coming to ATT in the immediate future. Apple has ATT wrapped around their finger and the second any phone comes out that even looks like the iPhone Apple tugs on the leash and tells ATT, “That’s not a good idea.”
Oh, and there is a YouTube video out (albeit an annoying one) that shows the phone in use by a couple of guys who claim to be ATT employees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVaPCpX8Sqo
is the screen pressure or heat sensitive?
threaded/IM texting?