AT&T is adding another phone to the increasingly-crowded market for 4G smartphones with the Samsung Infuse, a big-screen device that is the sppediest yet to run on the carrier's HSPA + network.
Price & Availability
The Samsung Infuse 4G will be available on May 15, and will cost $199 when you sign a new two-year service contract.
Design
The Samsung Infuse 4G is an all-touch-screen phone, with no hardware-based QWERTY keyboard. But its touch screen is big. Very big, in fact, at 4.5-inches -- bigger, even, than the mammoth 4.3-inch screen that smartphones like the HTC EVO 4G sport. The touch screen, which uses Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus technology, features a resolution of 800 by 480.
That big screen means that Samsung Infuse 4G isn't exactly a petite smartphone, but it is remarkably thin. Samsung says the Infuse 4G is "the nation's thinnest 4G smartphone," measuring 8.99mm (about .35 inches) at its thinnest point. It weighs 4.7 ounces.
Operating System
The Samsung Infuse 4G ships with version 2.2 of the Android OS.
Adventurous Android users will be happy that AT&T will allow sideloading of apps on the Infuse 4G, something the carrier has not allowed on its other Android phones, such as the Samsung Captivate and Motorola Backflip. Sideloading means installing Android apps that are not yet available in the Android Market (such as a beta app, for example).
Network Support
The Samsung Infuse 4G is AT&T's first smartphone to support HSDPA Category 14, which means that it can deliver speeds up to 21 megabits per second over AT&T's HSPA+ network, which delivers 4G speeds. For more information, see 4G Wireless: Everything You Need to Know.
Camera
The Infuse 4G features two cameras: a front-facing camera for capturing self-portraits or conducting video calls, and a rear-facing, 8-megapixel camera that captures still photos and HD video. The camera includes auto-focus and a flash.
Multimedia and Games
Samsung's Infuse 4G will come with the popular Android game Angry Birds pre-loaded on the device -- and the game will feature an exclusive hidden level for users of the Infuse 4G.
The phone also includes support for the Samsung Media Hub, which allows users access to movies and TV shows that can be viewed on their phone. The Infuse 4G will come with a $25 credit for use there. Media Hub content can be shared among five Media Hub-enabled devices.
Additional multimedia features include support for U-verse Mobile and U-Verse Live TV.
Voice / Data Plans
When purchased on contract, the Samsung Infuse requires a voice and data plan from AT&T. AT&T's smartphone data plans start at $15 per month, while voice plans start at $39.99.
Bottom Line
With its giant screen, the Samsung Infuse blurs the line between smartphone and tablet. It will appeal to anyone who can take advantage of its big screen and high-speeds, whether that's for Web surfing or downloading and watching movies in HD.