Handsets rain on Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel released a slew of gadget-related news in conjunction with the CTIA Wireless show, an effort that included a Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. device that is perhaps the most overt attempt yet to dig into Apple Inc.’s iPhone.
Samsung’s new sleek, black Instinct device features a touchscreen, graphically rich user interface, visual voicemail and many of the other features pioneered by Apple’s iPhone. Sprint Nextel plans to release the Samsung Instinct this summer; the carrier has not yet released pricing information.
Samsung’s Instinct is the latest attempt by a major cellphone player to cut into Apple’s market; LG currently sells the touchscreen Voyager through Verizon Wireless, and HTC offers the Touch through Sprint Nextel. Indeed, Nokia Corp. too is working on a touchscreen user interface for a forthcoming device.
Aside from the Instinct, Sprint Nextel also announced:
–The Sierra Wireless Compass 597 USB modem
–Two new devices from Sanyo, the Pro-200 and Pro-700, which will make use of Sprint Nextel’s EV-DO Revision A network upgrade to provide push-to-talk service using Qualcomm’s Qchat technology. The Sanyo devices are expected to be available in limited markets later this month.
–New WiMAX devices that will soon be available, including the N810 Internet Tablet WiMAX Edition from Nokia, which will be available during the first half of this year for use within XOHM service areas. Samsung said that around mid-year, it will make available its E100 PC Card, followed by the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium Mobile PC in the fall; both Samsung devices will operate exclusively on Sprint Nextel’s WiMAX network.