Samsung Wave makes a splash

Samsung grabbed the spotlight on the eve of the 2010 Mobile World Congress with the release of the Wave, the first smartphone based on its fledgling bada platform. Introduced Sunday night during a lavish but interminably long media event complete with dancers and an aerial ballet, the Wave touts features including a 3.3-inch super-AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display promising brighter, clearer videos and photos as well as the push-based Social Hub, which integrates email, IMS and social networking services across all major portals. In addition, the Wave features the third version of Samsung's TouchWiz user interface, integrating messaging, contacts and calendar events.

"Samsung is committed to making the smartphone era available for everyone,regardless of cost, need, lifestyle or geographic location," said JK Shin, head of Samsung's Mobile Communications division. He added that the firm's handset business grew 16 percent in 2009.

First announced in early November and officially unveiled at a London launch event a month later, bada (translating to "ocean" in Korean) promises an open, feature-rich platform for creating enhanced mobile consumer experiences. Based on the TouchWiz UI, bada provides 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.In addition, bada-based applications can integrate with device functions to make phone calls, send messages or access the contact list--various service applications also can share information such as personal profiles, social relations, schedules or contents contingent on user confirmation.

In related Samsung news, the handset maker said its Samsung Apps marketplace--currently up and running in the U.K., France, Italy, Singapore, Germany, Brazil and China--will expand to more than 50 countries over the course of 2010.

For more on the Samsung Wave:
- check out this video
- read this release