Samsung updates TouchWiz UI for bada smartphone

Samsung announced it will include the latest version of its TouchWiz customizable user interface in its forthcoming bada smartphone, which the handset maker plans to introduce later this month at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona. First introduced in 2008, TouchWiz boasts specially designed widgets enabling one-touch access to users' favorite applications. The UI organizes widgets within a tray located on the left side of the phone's homescreen; users drag and drop widgets onto the homescreen to instantly access a desired function or service, with preinstalled icons spotlighting the mobile Web, music, messaging services, games, search, navigation services and account updates. According to Samsung, the updated TouchWiz for bada introduces new touch interaction features and components created to further simplify the user experience.

Samsung officially unveiled the bada platform in December. bada (which translates to "ocean" in Korean) promises an open, feature-rich platform for creating enhanced mobile consumer experiences, providing developers with Flash control, Web control, motion sensing, fine-tuned vibration control and face detection tools, complete with support for context-aware applications incorporating accelerometers, tilt, weather, proximity and activity sensors. Samsung notes that bada will support a host of service-centric features like social networking, device synchronization, content management, location-based services and commerce services, all enabled by back-end servers. In addition, bada-based applications can integrate with device functions to make phone calls, send messages or access a user's contact list--various service applications also can share information such as personal profiles, social relations, schedules or personal media content, all contingent on user confirmation.

For more on TouchWiz for bada:
- read this bada Blog entry

Related Articles:
Sprint and Samsung to launch free mobile DTV trial
Samsung Application Store launching Sept. 14