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Announced just Tuesday, the Samsung Epix is new on the AT&T network.  The 3G phone appears to be the torch bearer for the BlackJack family as it continues on in the same tradition: a smartphone that gets the job done.  I’ve had the phone for a few hours and have my initial impression to report.  I’ll report back in an couple of weeks with an in-depth look.

In short, this is one good looking business phone.  Its understated gray exterior screams, “I make way more than you think I do” and the classy chrome-like band around the phone is retained from the BlackJack 2.  The phone feels good in the hand, not heavy but solid.  I just feel more important using it.

Hit the jump to see what else I found to like in this phone.

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E-mail, messaging, Internet, touchscreen all for under $100.  That is what Samsung has been bringing to AT&T now for about 2 years under the BlackJack name.  Today, Samsung changes things up and rolls out the Epix name for what looks to be the 3rd installment in the BlackJack family.  Thankfully, its got two big additions its supposed siblings were sorely missing.

Namely: touchscreen and voice dialing.  Oh, thank the higher powers!  For those of us on corporate phones, the BlackJack was a safe bet.  It did most of the things you needed, though none too well.  We all missed voice dialing.  This version finally brings it all home.

The Epix runs Windows Mobile 6.1, features a 2 mp camera and runs on the 3G network.  The phone is on AT&T’s site now for just $99; $20 more than the BlackJack 2.  Sounds like a pretty good deal.  I’ll have one to play with soon, so expect an update on how it really performs.

Product page [AT&T]

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AT&T is giving some love to all Samsung BlackJack II fans with the announcement of two new colors of the already popular handset. Aside from its previously released black and red colors, the BlackJack II will soon be donning the new Ocean Blue and Romantic Pink colors. Aside from these seemingly attractive colors, the BlackJack’s face will be white while its back portion will have various decorative designs.

Hot on the heels of the increase in sales of the Palm Centro with its new two-tone colors and white face, AT&T and Samsung are hoping to achieve the same with the Samsung BlackJack II. Along with these two new colors, the mobile handset will also get an upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.1 hopefully during the later part of the year.

The Ocean Blue and Romantic Pink BlackJack II will be available soon and will set you back $99, which comes after mail-in-rebates and along with a 2-year AT&T contract.

Via [IntoMobile]

• Rogers now offering the Nokia E71 for $49
• Verizon lowers Samsung Omnia pricing, now at $199.99
• Sprint’s Cyber Monday deals: free Centro and 5 others

Rogers has just announced the availability of the Jack, or what is more commonly known as the Samsung Blackjack II. The Jack will offer the same features as the formally named Blackjack II which include a 2.4-inch 320 x 240 display, 2.0-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, front jog wheel, full QWERTY keyboard and integrated GPS.

The Jack is currently available and will retail for $199.99 along with a 3-year agreement. For those looking for a shorter contract option you can opt for the 2-year price of $374.99 or the 1-year price of $399.99.

Product [Rogers] Via [WirelessInfo.com]

• Sprint’s Cyber Monday deals: free Centro and 5 others
• Rogers now offering the Nokia E71 for $49
• Verizon lowers Samsung Omnia pricing, now at $199.99

AT&T currently has a special $99 promotion on the red LG Shine, BlackJack II and the BlackBerry Curve 8310. The promotion is valid through Valentines Day, which for those that may need a reminder is February 14 and they all require a 2-year agreement with purchase.

“Chocolates and flowers are standby gifts for Valentine’s Day, but this year we’re spicing things up by offering terrific deals for those who want to go with something different,“ said Andy Wilson, vice president of National Marketing for AT&T’s wireless unit.

A nice offer for those looking to make a switch to AT&T, all three phones (personally I would prefer the Curve) would make a great primary phone, especially for only $99.

Via [SlashPhone] Image [Boy Genius Report]

• The disruptive spectre of a $99 Wal-Mart iPhone
• Easy Wi-Fi for AT&T temporarily free
• RIM announces re-launch of Mobile BlackBerry website

Products: Samsung Blackjack II; Pantech Duo
Price: $99 from AT&T with contract
Ratings: Blackjack II 8/10; Pantech Duo 7/10
Pros: Blackjack II: Decent update to a good phone.  Lavish new finishes, wider and brighter screen.  Internal GPS.
      Duo: Smaller LxW form factor, double sliding keypad and QWERTY is just plain fun.  Gaming is fun on wide screen
Cons: Blackjack II: Software bug turns backlight on, led flasher added to front is uncontrollable.
      Duo: Slow to type on wide QWERTY slider, Can’t get to messages sometimes?
Overall: Two decent phones for different folk.  I couldn’t get typing fast on the Duo, and that hurt its performance for me.  The Samsung would be the phone I’d reach for first between these two.

For the past month, I’ve had the privilege to get some quality hands-on time with the Samsung Blackjack II and the Pantech Duo, both offered by AT&T right now for just $99 (terms, conditions, first-born rules apply).  It is one thing to play with a phone for a minute in the store, it is yet another to live with and rely on one.  For me and my usage style, this test comes down to 3 big things: input, battery, livability.  The rest, again to me, is all wants - not needs.  So how did these two big guns fair?

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As an unloyal Blackjack (BJ1) user, I was extremely eager to get my hands on the new version.  For my BJ1, countless supposed release dates for Windows Mobile 6 update had come and gone leaving the only hope of upgrade to getting a new phone.  Thankfully, Samsung dropped the Blackjack II (BJ2) phone late last month.

First Impression:

This new phone is way more

upscale then the original.  The first thing I noticed was the band of chromed metal surround the phone like the frosting of an Oreo cookie.  My review unit came in the Wine color which is quite nice.  Not red, definitely not purple and comes no where near insulting my man hood.  The Blackjack 2 feels like a phone you spent lots of money on.

Where did that go?

Clever Samsung made some changes that are a bit odd: they’ve made the BJ2 wider than the original by a very small margin (it fits in my holder but only by forcing it), they shifted the keys around, and took away my beloved jog wheel. Creating yet another battery size (the original came with two sizes)  just doesn’t make sense to me but then again, I don’t sell replacements as I am sure Samsung does.

The oddest change I’ve noted so far is the change in quick commands in lists.  Instead of hitting <menu> then “1” to delete an email, you hit “a”.  But it is not consistent, some menus use the Windows method of underscoring the letter in the command you desire; other times you get A, B, C.  The original had numbers to choose from which I found it easier to locate the “3” instead of where the “c” is.

Other annoyances include changing hotkeys and special secret functions like holding down “b” to turn on Bluetooth.  Many of those are things that just must be relearned, but I’ll grouse anyhow.  This would bug no one but a former BJ1 owner.  Still no WiFi…

Highlights so far:

As I said up on top, this phone just feels better in the hand.  The internal GPS and the newest version of TeleNav GPS has me all excited.  Windows Mobile 6 gets an, “I don’t know yet” mark from me as beside seeing the icons for Mobile Office, I don’t seem able to do much with them yet.  The small indicator light on the front of the unit in the upper left-hand side is a nice new addition, letting me know when new mail is in.  The bigger screen is very nice looking as is the textured back surface, like a cars dash, provides a nice grip on what can otherwise be a slippery surface.

I have high hopes for the Blackjack II and will have a full worked-over/beat-down review up soon.

• BlackJack 3?  Samsung brings out Epix to AT&T
• Gadgetell hands-on: Samsung Epix
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