Samsung Instinct M800 3G GPS Touchscreen Coming To Sprint [Instinct Becomes Sprint’s First EV-DO Rev A Device]

Whilst its been known for a while that Sprint are due to carry Samsung’s 3G, GPS enable M800 Instinct – which is widely seen as direct competition to Apple’s up and coming 3G iPhone – until now Spirit had remained reasonably tight lipped concerning its availability (though we knew I would be sometime in June) however, Sprint have just announced that, for those interested in availing themselves of Samsung’s Instinct, the 20th June is a date for your diary.

Due to become Sprint’s first EV-DO Rev A device, facilitating high-speed internet access offering peak download data rates of 3.1Mbps, the 3G Instinct, which comes with 240 x 432 resolution 262K colour 3.1” touchscreen offering localized tactile feedback, integrated GPS and a 2.0-megapixel camera with camcorder capabilities, integrated world clock, SMS voice and text messaging with threaded text and, naturally, Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, will sport the following features:

• Sprint TV with live and on-demand programming such as Sprint Exclusive Entertainment (SEE), the industry’s only made-for-mobile sports and entertainment video programming network
• Sprint Music Store allowing users to wirelessly download full-length songs directly to their phone for just 99 cents each
• More than a dozen streaming-radio applications, including Sprint Radio with more than 150 channels
• Sprint Media Manager PC to phone transfer application
• Background music mode allowing the user to play music while text messaging, playing games or surfing the Internet
• Sprint Navigation with GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings
• Live Search for Sprint, powered by Microsoft, provides easy access to directory information, integrated GPS-enabled directions, interactive maps and one-touch click to call access
• Voice to Action button providing many functions using voice activation including call, text, picture messaging, traffic, movie, sports, news and search
• Visual Voicemail allowing users to listen to messages in their order of preference and manage them with a tap of the screen
• 2.0-megapixel camera with 2x digital zoom and video camcorder
• Advanced Stereo Bluetooth Wireless Technology with audio caller ID
• Access to corporate and consumer (POP3) email including AOL, Gmail and Yahoo!
• Threaded text messaging provides a view of the full conversation
• Mobile Sync to restore contact information if the device is lost, stolen or damaged
• Phone as Modem connects the phone with a computer for Internet and email access

‘[The Samsung] Instinct brings customers what they want with the immediacy they want. Every decision during the development process focused on simplifying the user experience,’ said John Garcia, senior vice president of Product Development and chief marketing officer for Sprint. ‘The end result is a great-looking phone that makes the value of Sprint’s fast NOW Network come to life, but most importantly, it is fun and easy to use.’

Supplied with a 2GB microSD card, two standard 1,000 mAmp batteries offering up to 5.75 hours of continuous talk time each, a battery charging sleeve, a travel charger, a USB cable, 3.5mm headphones with built-in microphone, and a leather case and stylus, the Samsung M800 Instinct, which measures 2.17” x 4.57” x 0.49” inches and weighs less than 4.5 ounces, will become available from 20 June though, at the point of release full channel availability will not be guaranteed.

No word as yet concerning unit pricing.

[via press release]