Nearly a week after Samsung released the Russian XEII1 firmware update, the company has released a new XXII1 update for Italian handsets. The similarities between both code names is not a coincidence – from what I can tell this new update (dated 7th September) is near enough identical to the Russian firmware.

I upgraded to this new firmware from IG2 yesterday and am enjoying it so far. You end up with a new 3D Task Switcher (a carousel showing opening apps) – it’s certainly not needed, but it sure looks fancy. There is also a Grid View of open apps if you prefer it to remain simple.

Other changes include a new zoom icon for the browser. You can also now zoom in/out of pictures in MediaBrowser. It’s good to know that the frustrating stop bug in the browser has also been fixed. The dial pad also sports ‘abc’, ‘def’ lettering on numbers now too.

From what I can tell, the update has made no change to the frame rate of HD video recording (you still get AAC audio though). There is also no App Store icon, despite the store launching shortly (Monday 14th September). A quick video tour of the new firmware is attached after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Finding a decent case for the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD can be a tough task. As one of the tallest phones around, the last thing you need is extra bulk. There are a number of very good cases around, but I was looking for something that provided solid protection if the handset fell, in a minimalist design.

The guys over at MobileFun sent over the ToughGuard Shell case to review, which seemed to answer that criteria. The case is well designed, it hardly weighs anything but provides durable protection against knocks & scrapes. It comes in two parts (front & back) with a matte finish so you don’t need to worry about fingerprint marks. It is made out of tough polycarbonate, so it should last a long time.

Once fitted onto your phone, you have access to all of the camera features and all of the ports. There was no problem in gaining access to ports with flaps either. The manufacturers have provided enough room for easy access to all parts of your phone. It can be a bit tricky to remove once on, but that shows how strong it is.

Overall it’s thoroughly recommended. You can purchase it from MobileFun for £9.95 + p&p. Mobile Fun is one of the largest UK retailers dedicated to mobile phone accessories. They deliver across Europe too. Check out our hands-on video after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD has finally found its way into reviewer’s arms, it looks like we may finally start to see some final reviews of Samsung’s wonder handset. Following two preview articles on the i8910, GSMArena has finally released its full review.

They confirmed that the delay was due to the fact that Samsung froze production of the i8910 shortly after its release on carriers at the end of May due to software problems. It claims that the handset is now available worldwide with “all bugs fixed”.

Their overall verdict was certainly a positive one, calling it “one of the best equipped handsets we’ve ever had the chance to review.” It refers to the AMOLED screen as “one of the top units in the touchscreen realm.” They were pleased with the HD camcorder output (given the improvement in audio), although they felt there was room for improvement with the framerate.

The review includes a number of camera and video samples. I couldn’t see exactly what firmware was being used, but it would be interesting to know. You can check out their full review here.

Okay, so I know that a lot of you have the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD already and I know that many of you have seen quite a few i8910 unboxing videos too, but I couldn’t resist throwing mine into the ring too! We put together a quick video that shows us unboxing the handset and we’ve also included some pictures of the whole thing too.

The i8910 HD we were sent was the Italian version, so the box included a European plug and Italian manuals, but this is not too much of an issue. I was a bit upset not to find the key-ring phone stand in the box, this was included in the Orange UK boxes. Initial impressions of the phone are very positive and it’s certainly not as tall as we’d come to believe. We’re still at the very early stages of playing around with the handset, so expect some more useful updates going forward. In the mean time check out our unboxing video and pictures after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

After a longer than expected wait, the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD handset has finally arrived at SOHD HQ. It has been a frustrating time watching everyone get hands-on with the phone, whilst we have sat patiently on the sidelines rearing to get involved. However, bygones are bygones and we can’t wait to get up to speed with all that the phone can do and give you our impressions.

It’s worth noting that some sites have suggested that the UK sim-free units should now be available. However, our unit, along with all of the other Ambassador’s ones, are the Italian versions. The box is in English but it boots up initially in Italian and also has a European charger. I don’t know whether this means that the proper UK units are still delayed or not, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Read the rest of this entry »

There has been a lot of confusion this week as rumours fired up that suggested Samsung were dropping the ‘Omnia HD’ name due to possible customer confusion with the original Omnia phone. Other rumours suggested that the name was being dropped as the ‘Omnia’ brand would concentrate on Windows Mobile devices, we of course know that the Omnia HD is a Symbian smartphone.

However, GSM Arena was contacted by Samsung who clarified the matter. Apparently, the phone will still be known as the ‘Omnia HD’ in most countries although there will be some regions where it will simply be known as the ‘i8910 HD’. As to which regions this will be is unknown right now, also how Samsung determines which branding to use in which country is also unknown. This is likely to do with commercial issues with selling the device under the originally announced name.

I’m certainly glad that they have stuck with Omnia HD for the most part. After all, Samsung would already have invested much marketing dollars on the Omnia HD brand already. To change the name now could be suicidal for sales. Also, I didn’t particularly want to have to redesign this website just to accommodate a new name!