A few hours before Samsung's Android-focused event tonight, where we're expecting the Samsung Continuum to be unveiled, the company has gone ahead and made the handset official via Twitter.  As you can see above, @SamsungMobileUS just announced that the Continuum will be launched on November 11th, a full week earlier than a previous leak had guessed.  Pricing is rumored to be set at $199.99 with a two-year contract.  More info will be given at Samsung's event tonight, which kicks off at 6 PM EST.

The Continuum definitely looks like a unique little handset thanks to its secondary display.  I'm interested to see just what the ticker display will be capable of, and how/if third party developers will be able to harness its presence.  Music controls and displaying text seem like pretty obvious things to do, and I'm sure that some talented Android devs could come up with new applications for the ticker that we can't even think of.  I'm sure Samsung will have plenty more to tell us about the Continuum tonight, and our own Adriana will be there covering it all.  Stay tuned!

UPDATE: The event has kicked off and press releases have been sent out.  As expected, the Samsung Continuum will launch on Verizon's website on November 11th for $199.99 with a two-year contract and $100 mail-in rebate.  If you prefer a more physical, brick and mortar experience, Verizon's stores will begin selling the Continuum on November 18th.  When it comes to specs, the Continuum is sporting a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED main display; 1.8-inch Super AMOLED Ticker display; 1GHz Hummingbird processor; 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p HD video capture; grip sensor that shows the weather, notifications, etc. when the bottom sides of the device are touched; 8GB microSD card preinstalled; and Android 2.1 beneath a Samsung skin.  Check out the the Continuum below, followed by the full press release.

VERIZON WIRELESS AND SAMSUNG MOBILE DEBUT
WORLD’S FIRST DEDICATED MOBILE PHONE TICKER DISPLAY
ON THE SAMSUNG CONTINUUM™, A GALAXY S™ SMARTPHONE
 
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS – Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network, and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the number one mobile phone provider in the United States1, today announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Continuum™, a Galaxy S™ smartphone. The Continuum is the world’s first smartphone designed with a dedicated ticker display, which provides users with up-to-the-minute news, sports, finance and social networking updates for maximized multitasking.
The Continuum features two separate but integrated displays: a 3.4-inch touch screen Super AMOLED™ main display and a customizable 1.8-inch Super AMOLED dedicated ticker display that streams customized information in real time.  Additionally, the Continuum is powered by Android™ 2.1, with support for Google Mobile Services, including GmailÔ, YouTube™, Android Market™ and more.  The Continuum also includes a 1GHz Hummingbird Application Processor, 5-megapixel camera, and multiple entertainment and social networking features.
Color: Mirror Black
Key features and specifications:

·         3.4-inch Super AMOLED Main Touch Screen Display – Main display provides user-customizable homescreens and widgets in a brilliant screen display

·         1.8-inch Interactive Super AMOLED Ticker Display – Dedicated ticker display enables zero-click access to news, social networking, sports and entertainment feeds; users can select what content they want on the ticker by selecting from menu on display

·         Grip Sensor – By touching the bottom sides of the device, the ticker display lights up to give users real-time weather, social networking services (SNS), message, IM and e-mail notification updates

·         Super AMOLED Screen Technology – Brilliant screen makes watching movies, viewing videos and playing games come to life like never before, even in bright light and outdoor environments

·         Android 2.1 platform – With support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and Android Market

·         Preloaded with Bing Maps and Bing Search

·         Full HTML Web browsing capabilities

·         3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to transform their phone into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi-enabled devices

·         Advanced touchscreen gestures capabilities, including multi-touch pinch to zoom, double tap to zoom and horizontal swiping, which provides easier and quicker access to many applications, including location-based services, Web browsing and digital photos or videos

·         Multiple file formats supported, including DivX and Xvid support

·         Samsung 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor – Produces amazing graphics, faster upload and download times, and HD-like multimedia content

·         Six-axis sensor that works with the smartphone’s accelerometer to provide a smooth, fluid gaming experience when the user is tilting the device up or down or panning the phone to the left or right

·         Virtual QWERTY Keyboard Featuring Swype Technology – Input text faster and in a more intuitive way with one continuous finger motion across the screen keyboard

·         Full suite of messaging options – Text, picture, video and voice messaging; corporate and personal e-mail accounts supported

·         5.0-megapixel camera/camcorder – Auto-focus and LED flash with HD video recording and playback capabilities to capture photos and videos for playback on your HD television; playback (720p) on the screen display

·         Wi-Fi Connectivity (802.11 b/g/n)

·         Stereo Bluetooth® Technology – Support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, and object push for vCard and vCalendar

·         Corporate Email – Supports Android Éclair Exchange ActiveSync e-mail to synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from office e-mail accounts

·         Music player features lock screen, ticker display and quick side panel controls and 3.5-millimeter headphone jack

·         8 GB microSD™ card preinstalled expandable up to 32 GB

Lifestyle features:

V CAST Music with Rhapsody®, V CAST Video on Demand, V CAST Song ID, Visual Voice Mail, V CAST Tones, VZ Navigator®, Mobile IM, City ID, Bing Search and Maps, and Blockbuster Application
Dedicated ticker displays up-to-the minute news, weather and SNS updates, as well as music player controls and incoming e-mail, IM, and text messages without interrupting the activity on the main display
Samsung’s Social Hub – Built around messaging, contacts and calendar sync, which allows users to send and receive information, whether it is e-mail, social network updates or SMS messages
Integrated Calendar information from portal calendars, on Exchange, Google CalendarÔ and SNS, including Facebook®
Integrated Contacts syncs with Exchange, Google, Twitter and Facebook – Facebook contacts display in four categories, including Info, History (previous calls and messages), Activities (status updates and notifications on social networking sites), and Media (Facebook profile photos and photo gallery)
AllShareÔ – Enables inter-device connectivity through Digital Living Network Alliance® (DLNA®), so users can send multimedia content wirelessly to other DLNA Certified®-enabled devices such as TVs and laptops
Daily Briefing – Instant access to weather, news, stocks and schedules
Write and Go – Quickly jot down an idea and later decide on a format, such as SMS/ MMS, e-mail, calendar or memo, to send or post to popular SNS sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace
Smart Alarm – Natural alarm sound and display automatically illuminates
Weather Clock – Displays current time and weather of the selected city (ability to add and select other cities)
 
Pricing and availability:
The Samsung Continuum will be available for order starting Nov. 11 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com  for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement and data package.  Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.  The device will be available for purchase in stores beginning Nov. 18.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Via @SamsungMobileUS