The Sprint Instinct is a touchscreen phone with high-end features that may finally give the iPhone some real competition. The Sprint Instinct is an EV-DO Rev. A handset with integrated GPS and fast access to Sprint TV, together with a virtual QWERTY keypad, 2-megapixel camera with video recording, Bluetooth 2.0 and microSD storage supporting up to 8GB cards. The user interface deserves some attention because it features haptic feedback, single-touch access to favorite functions and a Voice to Action button that triggers voice activation for call, text, picture messaging, traffic, movie, sports, news and search.
The Sprint Instinct is sleek and stylish, measuring roughly 2.17 x 4.57 x 0.49 inches and weighs less than 4.5 ounces. Towards the bottom of the Instinct are three dedicated keys to make operation of the device very straightforward and easy to navigate – phone, back and home. The phone key always takes you back to essential voice calling and features including speed dial, visual voicemail, contacts and the dial pad. The back key is a consistent way to take a step back in the operation.
The information below was gather in a Q&A conference call with Sprint to discuss the Samsung Instinct.
Does the Sprint Instinct sync with Microsoft Outlook?
The Instinct does offer push e-mail, but it uses Outlook Web Access to get to the mail. Unfortunately, Instinct doesn’t sync with calendar.
Can you sync Outlook contacts with the device?
With network address book you can sync from your Outlook contacts. If you have an existing device, you can move the contacts over in the store or Bluetooth them over. The Instinct uses the network address book to store everything on the network and you can sync it with Outlook.
What’s the battery life on the Instinct?
The Instinct comes with a second battery, because Samsung wants people to feel like the phone is always on. Also included in the box are headphones, a carrying case, a stylus, and a 2GB microSD Card. The 1100-mAh battery offer more than 5 hours of talk time.
What kind of touchscreen technology does the Instinct have?
The iPhone use a capacitive touchscreen technology while the Sprint Instinct uses receptive technology. When you press on something, it registers. The Instinct does feature haptic feedback, a faint vibration to indicate you’ve pushed a button. A QWERTY keypad is available in landscape mode, which offers predictive text. You can touch-scroll through pictures and thumbnail galleries.
What is the price of the Sprint Instinct?
Sprint has yet to announce a price for the device but will soon. Owens said the price should be comparable to similar products.
What external applications will the Instinct support? Is it going to be an open platform?
The platform is BREW with Java applications running on the device; “absolutely an open platform,” Owens said. He added that the Instinct SDK will be out soon if it’s not already. Sprint wants people to develop all kinds of apps for it.
How will the Instinct compare with the iPhone?
Sprint says that when comparing the Instinct with the current iPhone, there are advantages to both products. Unlike the first-gen iPhone, the Instinct has GPS, live-search capability, and Rev. A speed. Sprint is also particularly proud of the phone’s UI and customization capabilities.
Instinct GPS: Is it cached or instant?
The Sprint Instinct will cache your most recent locations, but it’s assisted GPS. It uses GPS and the Sprint network to get a fix.
How does the Sprint Instinct fit in with Palm, Android, and Windows Mobile platforms?
The Instinct was built around a Java/BREW environment. Sprint wanted to go this route because it wants to utilize its many existing applications and third-party developers.
“In terms of being open to things like Android and Linux OS, we’ve been at the forefront of that; we’re embracing them. You’ll see products in Q4 ‘08, Q1 ‘09 in those environments, but this made sense for us now,” Owens said.
How advantageous is the Rev. A speed on the Sprint Instinct?
It’s not as fast as a cable modem, but Sprint claims users will see broadband speeds, with high-quality TV streams and most Web pages loading in 12 to 15 seconds.
What are the Instinct’s video capabilities? How can you use the Instinct with FaceBook and other social networking sites?
The Instinct includes a 2-MP camera and a camcorder and there are buttons that allow you to upload photos and video directly to FaceBook and MySpace.
Is the Instinct’s keypad bigger than on iPhone?
It’s different. The biggest difference being – if you’re actually writing an e-mail or an SMS on the iPhone, it’s in portrait mode. The iPhone has a 3.5-inch screen size and the Instinct’s screen is 3.1 inches. When users are e-mailing or SMSing on the Instinct, it’s in landscape mode, and the keys are bigger. Sprint claims that users will make fewer errors because of the size of the keys and the haptic feedback.
How does the Sprint’s Instinct camera feature work in Web browsing?
If you’re in Web browsing mode and want to move around in a page, the camera allows you to pan. If you hold down the camera key and move up or down, the page will move up or down.
How does Sprint respond to criticisms or allegations that this is just another iPhone clone? How does that come into play with the development process?
“I give Apple the credit for the great job they did,” Owens said. “I know you’ll see more touchscreen devices. If you want to improve the user interface, one of the best ways for carriers and manufacturers to do that is to use touchscreen. I think there are people that are going to say they like features of both. Everyone will use it differently, but there’s something in it for everybody.”
How do you transfer music files from your computer to the Sprint Instinct?
You can use media manager software to transfer through your PC, or you can drag-and drop over the USB cable to the Instinct.
Is the music store different than on other Sprint phones?
“Whether it was our TV or music partner, we challenged them to give somebody the best experience with a Rev. A device and a 3-inch screen,” Owens said. “It’s the same application but much easier to use because they were able to do a lot with the touchscreen’s size.”
Can you lock the phone so it doesn’t make calls?
There’s a power lock key. If you go to Settings > Display, you can set the backlight to never dim, or set it to dim in a set time. Once you go dim, you can’t press a key.
What can you add to the Favorites menu? How specific can you get with customization?
Users can add applications but can’t put phone services because of the phone button already on the handset. Users can also add a music playlist, send an e-mail, store Web bookmarks, TV channels, a radio station, and more.
Samsung Instinct provides easy access to Sprint exclusive multimedia content, business or personal email, GPS navigation, live and on-demand TV content, full song downloads, streaming radio and an impressive HTML Web experience. Samsung Instinct offers localized haptic feedback and a new level of customization by allowing the user to access their favorite applications with a single touch.
Samsung Instinct provides easy access to Sprint exclusive multimedia content, business or personal email, GPS navigation, live and on-demand TV content, full song downloads, streaming radio and an impressive HTML Web experience. Samsung Instinct offers localized haptic feedback and a new level of customization by allowing the user to access their favorite applications with a single touch. Simply an iPhone Killer Device!!!
Does the gps on the instict have text to speach technology? Does it read the directional and turning directions out loud?
can i watch any movie or clips better the sprint 755p ?
I WANT NEED and LONG For this phone…i have been with sprint for many moons now, but I love the iphone … it’s the best phone out there, but now the samsung will give it a run for it’s money, it’s about time …
Will I be ablet to add third party applications for the instinct for the calendar and maybe a today home screen
I’m with Gai…looking for a better scheduler and T9 text screens than what I saw today in the store…how hard to add those or even find them?
as i see it the only flaw about iphone is that it doesn’t have bluetooth,does instict??? if it does i’m buying it!!
THE INSTINCT IS THE COOLEST PHONE IN THE WORLD I WANT IT MORE THAN ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THE INSTINCT <3333333333333333333333333 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WISH I HAD THE MONEY FOR IT THOUGH ):
<333333333333333333333333
I WOULD NEVER TRAD THE SPRINT INSTINCT FOR BLACK BARRY A TREO 650 OR THE IPHONE IT HAS FEATURES THAT THE OTHER PHONES DONT HAVE LIVE TV AND GAMES VOICE COMANDS LIKE STAR TREK COMUNICATORS I USE THE TV AND GAMING PART THE MOST OUT OF MY SPRINT INSTINCT I LIKE ANY FLASHED BASED GAMES I HOPE ONE DAY WE WONT HAVE HARD DRIVES HARD DRIVES ARE WAY TOO SLOW FOR THE HARD CORE GAMERS.
Hi guys, Free twitter client for samsung Instinct is available at http://www.chetu.com/mproducts. so what you all are waiting for Just buzz the world with samsung instinct
I’ve been a sprint user for years and was glad to see an iphone competitor, however now that I have purchased this phone I must say why didn’t samsung go far ahead of the iphone, adding a camera with a flash? a browser that works? a browser that allows you to few the entire page no matter what scale you have it set to? Ability to view attachments? A phone that doesn’t come with two batteries as one batter will not be drained instantly from one email push, navigation, haptic feedback, and a few calls. I feel that this phone was thrown together too fast and that they should have put more work into it and testing a few customers before releasing it to the entire public. Maybe Instinct 2.0 will be where this phone should have been.
Hi,
What I need is a “calender” and “notepad” with the Instinct, Big Time.
That I can synchronize to my PC.
Will third party applications be able to do this??
Nighthawk
I was wondering if the Instinct has T9 text messaging.
I’m not too worried about the Outlook calendar, so long as there is a regular calendar in there.
Is it possible to have 2 email address on your Instinct phone?
just bought a instinct phone and my son lock it with a code and i didnt get achanch to actived how can i remove code he dont remember what numbers he pushed
Big Question now, One feature I like in presenet brand of phone is the ability to lock the message application quite seperately from locking the phone, that is I must have the ability, to password protect my messages separately to the phone, in fact i never lock my phone, but my messages must be protected, Can I get this option on INstinct ?? so that i get away from teh Motorola phones.
How do i install the flash player, so i can watch porn
I forgot my password how do I do a Master reset?
do you have to download T9 on the instinct or is it already on there?
hey how do see videos like on another web i have the instinct and tried to see videos ike on pages but it said something about downloading adobe and wont let mad it sucks im soooo madd wtf…….????
i’ve had an instinct for three months now and it is ok at best the tv and gps are great but the radio never has any good music and the sprint music store is very limited. i’ve just discovered that i can use a form of google maps but unlike phones like the blackberry or a palm you cant use the full version of google maps. one more thing i dont like about the instinct is that when your on a website like myspace you cant listen to the music witch i personally think is bullshit being that cheaper phones like a palm centro can do. if i would have known this i would have saved a hundred dollars and just got a blackberry curve and would have been able to do everything i can do now and more.
r u able to voice record on the instinct ….how do u ????
How can i watch free porn on my samsung instinct and how can i install the flash player???
How can I turn off the favorites menu? That is, when I turn on my phone I want it to go directly to the “main” menu.
I have had my Instinct for 3 days and up until today it worked perfectly. When trying to unlock the phone it was unresponsive, nothing, just black screen. I removed the battery, replaced it and powered up the phone. The indicator bar gets to 98-99% and then stops and hangs there. I’ve tried to power it up w/o the battery while on a/c power and still nothing. I was really enjoying the phone until today. The Instinct does lack in customability compared to other sprint phones I have had, but overall it’s an okay phone for basic email, web browsing etc. One would think with the technology we have today and the cost of the phone it would have more bells and whistles.
can we connect the instinctt prepaidd i have one andd i dnt wanna gett a plan it wass a birthdayyyy present
i have the samsung instinct but i dont like the way that the pictures look when i email them so i can put them on myspace the pictures have white spaces on both sides and i want a full picture without the white spaces on the side
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem?
i want to know how to get the non moble myspace on the instinct so i can view my page fully
Are u even able to download applications to the istinct like the iphone?
does it cost money to watch live tv on instinct
how do i download free porn and a free flash player to my samsung instinct
How do i download the flash player and get free porn, and whats up with youtube costing extra when its an app. on the phone? one more thing on some of my old phones i have been able to download limewire i was wondering if that was the case for the instinct? i’d appreciate it to hear from you.
Very nice information. Thanks for this. I stopped to say that your blog is very well written ..
Lovely information!
I have a lot of pictures on my Instinct phone and ive been searching around the internet all day on how i could download these pictures to my computer. Someone please help me out, my email is a_w7557@yahoo.com.. Thank you
hate to burst you guys’ bubble, but i’ve had an instinct for almost a year now and i can honestly say that the instinct is the worst phone EVER!!!!!! there are many times a DAY that i just want to throw it against a wall and stomp on it for running so horribly. The OS is CRAP and poorly made, i rather enjoy the touchFLo of te HTC phones, and i plan to get a touch PRO as SOON as i possibly can upgrade. take my advice or not, i dont care, but i advise that you not waste your money and invest in a windows based phone that runs smoother. The instinct is like a seriously basic touch screen phone…you dont get to experience the true explorative nature of touch screen interface. do yourself a favor and get a different phone.
how do i unlock my phone if someone put a new code and now i cant get in? .. i dont care if i have to do master reset.. does anybody know?
hi!
ihave aproblem with the bluthooth of my new omnia.
when i want to recive a file with the bluthooth there is any question ” do you want to recive file from …?” my device recives any file which every body send me if the bluthooth is on.and idont understand.in this way i afraid resive some virus.please tell me from where i can active this servise?
I have to tell you folks like a few others have. The instinct is a piece of crap phone. I-phone killer it was touted??? PUHLEASE. The java based os is crap, texting is crap, I have never seen a phone that while your texting it hangs and ends up printing the same char so u have to correct. I agree with scott above there are some days you just wanna smash this phone when your texting. It causes many mistakes cause the stinking buttons for a touch screen are too small.When I get another phone I wont sell this pile to anyone else Im gonna smash and burn it and enjoy doing so. If they dont get an I-phone for sprint by the time my contract is up again, hello at&t. Instinct was only reason I signed this time was for instinct God what a mistake. Sprint has best service and worst freaking phones. Ill take better phones and pay more.
I have an Instinct (rather my husband does) that he has had a week or so) and I have a new Palm Pre (that I am going to return – do NOT like). Anyway, my husband really likes his Instinct (I do, too) and has recorded lots of videos and pics of our 20 month old granddaughter and our children. I was trying to bluetooth ALL of this pictures to my phone but it kept coming up each time “Transfer failed”. I never got the pictures so thought no more about it (just thought it was MY crummy phone) until today – when my husband went to look for ALL his pictures and videos!! They were not there. Everyone of them had vanished! I know they did not go to my phone (or anywhere else) but I did try to bluetooth them. I have searched everywhere on his phone but cannot find them.
I feel like they are floating in cyberspace. Is there ANY way I can retrieve them? He is more than a little upset with me and I don’t blame him. I must have erased them but I really need to know how to fix it.
Someone….PLEASE HELP!
Thanks so much!
I hate this phone with a passion! I have never owned a cell phone that was so frustrating. It is constantly freezing resulting in a reset, when you are scrolling something such as an article and you lift your finger, the page keeps scrolling!
Texting is a nightmare and deserves it’s own novel on how bad it is. You will spend more then half of your time trying to fix the mistakes because of the horrible touch screen and keyboard. The problem though with that is even trying to fix your mistakes doesn’t work. You are better off deleting the whole text and starting over then trying to fix one simple word that has an error in it. That is if you don’t mess up again because if you do, you get frustrated and like me, finally give up.
Another new recent development I discovered is that pressing the button on the top to put it in sleep mode doesn’t always work and you think you turned it off so you place it back in your pocket where buttons are being pressed and people are being phoned without you knowing. Add to this that now when I actually do put it in sleep mode, the light turns back on 20 seconds later. The screen is black still but the light is on and won’t go off! Add all this and the horrible batter life and you are lucky if your phone makes it to noon without having to fully charge it again over and over. Going somewhere with your phone? Better make sure you have your charger with you at all times.
Oh and the so called applications are a joke. This thing couldn’t “kill” technology from 10 years ago let alone a half broken, blenderized, on it’s worst day, iPhone. Your better off with a kids play phone.