SAN FRANCISCO A U.S. subsidiary of South Korean electronics powerhouse Samsung Electronics Co.
Ltd. has introduced a two-faced cellular handset that offers cell phone functionality on one side and an player on the other. UpStage, announced Monday (March 26) at the CTIA show in Orlando, Fla.
, offers users the ability to play music in background while also using the phone for text messaging, playing games or surfing the Internet, according to Samsung. The phone will operate on the Sprint Mobile network and offer access to Sprint's exclusive content, including Sprint Music Store with over-the-air music downloads, Samsung said. "UpStage is packed with high-profile music access, messaging and capabilities, in an ultra-slim, unique design with a very reasonable price point," said Peter Skarzynski, senior vice president of strategy at (Dallas).
The screen on the phone side of the UpStage by Samsung is dedicated to making calls, text messaging and contacts management. The MP3 player side of the device accessed through the push of a "flip" button offers a large screen designed for navigating the music and enabling access to products and services. UpStage features touch-sensitive navigation keys on the music side and a built-in tutorial to guide users through navigating, Samsung said.
Five sensitivity settings are available for user customization, according to the company. UpStage measures 4.07" x 1.
73" x 0.37" and weighs 2.57 ounces, Samsung said.
Additional features include a 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder, MicroSD card slot for up to 2 Gbytes of external memory, a keyguard to prevent accidental dialing, and wireless to restore contact information if the phone is lost or stolen, Samsung said. UpStage includes an extended battery wallet that increases talk time up to 6.
3 hours or 16 hours of music listening, Samsung said. Dual battery gauges show remaining battery life in the extended battery wallet and the internal battery, the company said. The device will be priced at $149 with a two-year Sprint service agreement, Samsung said.
A $50 service credit will be available with new activations and a two-year agreement when the phone is purchased on It was the haves versus the have-nots for top 25 IC suppliers in 2006, according to IC Insights, which said six of last year's top 25 chip firms saw revenue growth of better than 35 percent while nearly one-third did not. The EE Times 60 Emerging Startups list, first published in April 2004, has been updated to version 5.1 to reflect the latest corporate, commercial and technological conditions.
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