Sprint announces second WiMAX phone, the Samsung Epic 4G

Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) introduced its second 3G/WiMAX-capable smartphone, this time from Samsung. And the Android device comes with a long list of features.

samsung epic 4g for sprint nextelThe Samsung Epic 4G Galaxy S smartphone is part of Samsung's Galaxy S lineup and features a front-facing camera for video conferencing, a full, slide-out Qwerty keyboard and a 4-inch "Super" AMOLED touchscreen display. The back of the device features a 5-megapixel camera with auto focus and the ability to record video at 720 p.

Powered by the Android 2.1 platform, which the companies said will be updated to Android 2.2 in the near future, the Samsung Epic 4G also supports a series of advanced touchscreen gestures including multi-touch pinch, long tap and zoom and vertical and horizontal swiping. Users have access to three different ways they can input text: via the slide-out keyboard, a virtual keyboard and Swype technology, which allows users to input text with one continuous finger motion across the virtual keyboard (Swype is a Fierce 15 2010 winner).

Other features include Samsung's 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor and mobile hotspot capability. On the entertainment side, the Samsung Epic features Samsung's new Media Hub that enables users to rent or purchase movies and TV shows. The device also features Samsung's AllShare service to wirelessly share stored music, pictures and HD video to other Digital Living Network Alliance-certified home electronics. 

Sprint and Samsung have yet to announce when the Samsung Epic will go on sale or the price of the device. The gadget is Sprint's second WiMAX smartphone, after the recently announced HTC Evo 4G. The Epic also represents Samsung's effort to blanket the U.S. market with its Galaxy S line of phones; already carriers including T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) have announced plans to sell iterations of Samsung's Galaxy S.

In related news, Sprint announced it rolled out mobile WiMAX service in Richmond, Va., Salt Lake City and St. Louis.

For more:
- see this Sprint release 
- read this Samsung Epic fact sheet

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