Verizon to get Samsung Alias 2

Verizon have announced that they have launched the Samsung Alias 2. The Alias 2 is a dual hinged clamshell phone which has a unique keyboard that is actually E-Ink. The keyboard is QWERTY and with each key using E-Ink it can quickly transform in to a different layout. The overall effect is actually quite good and because e-ink doesn’t require much power to work (ie, only when changing the state) it doesn’t provide any major impact to the phones battery life.

Back to the Verizon announcement. Verizon are launching the phone at $79.99 after a $50 online discount. The $50 discount will be provided as a debit card which can be used like a debit card in any shop (not restricted to Verizon goods or Samsung goods).

Samsung Alias 2 Key features:

– Dual-hinge form factor with E Ink keyboard that changes based on what the user needs
– Open it vertically as a flip phone and it has a traditional numeric keypad and can change to an alpha-only keypad
– In landscape, the phone features a QWERTY keypad that can change to numeric with symbols
– Supports RemoSync, so customers can synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from their office PCs
– 2.0 megapixel camera and video capture capabilities
– Bluetooth® technology with support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, basic print, basic imaging, object push for vCard and vCalendar and serial port

Lifestyle features:

– VZ NavigatorSM
– Visual Voice Mail
– Media Center-capable – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more
– Mobile Web
– Mobile Email; Mobile IM; and text, picture and video messaging
– microSDTM card slot with support for up to 16 GB (card purchased separately)
– Personal organizer with calendar, calculator with currency converter, notepad, alarm clock, world clock and stop watch

Not a bad phone although it will be interesting to see if the interface can work as well as Android or iPhone.