With competing devices for Apple’s iPhone sprouting like spring flowers, Samsung Mobile and Sprint have announced their entry, the Samsung Instinct. Sprint is hoping the new large-screen mobile device and other moves will overcome a string of setbacks.

Featuring a 3.1-inch display, the Instinct was announced Tuesday at the CTIA Wireless 2008 trade show in Las Vegas. The companies said the Instinct “combines touch-screen functionality with fast speeds available on the nation’s largest mobile broadband network.”

Tactile Feedback

The touch screen features what the announcement described as “localized tactile feedback,” enabling the QWERTY keypad and other functions to supply a “sensory experience.” There is additionally a Voice to Action button enabling voice activation for signal, text, picture messaging, traffic, movie, sports, news and search.

Like the iPhone, the Instinct is designed to be easy to use. There are three committed keys — phone, back and home. The home screen has four menus — Favorites, Main, Fun and Web.

additionally like the iPhone, there is Visual Voicemail, so messages can be heard or reorganized by screen tapping.

The Instinct plus offers access to exclusive Sprint services, including Sprint Navigation, which provides audio and video turn-by-turn driving directions using Global Positioning System knowledge, plus one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings.

There is plus live Search for Sprint, a Microsoft-powered service that offers access to info; Sprint TV for live and on-demand programming; and Sprint Exclusive Entertainment, a sports and entertainment video network for mobile devices. A 2GB microSD card can hold up to 2,000 songs from the Sprint Music Store.

Sprint’s First EVDO

The Instinct is Sprint’s first EVDO Rev A device for consumers. The company is promoting that “the huge majority” of its Mobile Broadband Network has been upgraded to EVDO Rev A.

With EVDO Rev A, the carrier said download details rates increase…

Orginal post by Top Tech News