For those eagerly awaiting Samsung's latest QWERTY-equipped featurephone, the Samsung Reality is about to be a reality (pun intended).  Featuring a 3.0-inch WQVGA touchscreen, it's a step down from the Rogue's 3.1-inch AMOLED display, though it offers a 3.2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, full QWERTY keyboard, a microSD card slot, and a minor design revamp to mesh with Samsung's current offerings.  The phone will be available in "Piano Black" and "City Red."

The Reality will be available on Thursday for $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and new two-year customer agreement.  What's more, since the device is a 3G "multimedia" device, it will require a $9.99 (or higher) data plan at the time of purchase.  The full press release is below for your viewing pleasure.  So, in light of the new device, I have to ask you: are you going to go Rogue, push through the Intensity, Sway your friends to join you, and make your new phone purchase a Reality? 

(Ok, ok - that's the last Samsung pun.  I promise.)

SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY GETS REAL WITH THE SAMSUNG REALITY™ FROM VERIZON WIRELESS
 
Touch Screen Display, QWERTY Keyboard, Next-Generation Messaging and Social Networking Features Keep Customers Connected On the Go
 
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), today announced the Samsung Reality™ will be available on April 22.  The sleek and stylish Samsung Reality, available in two color options – Piano Black and City Red – sports a three-inch touch screen display, full horizontal slide-out QWERTY keyboard, customizable widgets, and multiple messaging options.
 
The Samsung Reality supports Samsung’s unique TouchWiz interface, which offers specially designed widgets that allow customers to customize and personalize their phones.  The Communities widget allows customers to update social networking sites, post pictures and upload videos to YouTube™ and other Web sites instantly.  The Samsung Reality also features one-touch widgets, which provide instant access to favorite Web sites on the phone’s full HTML Web browser.
 
Key features and specifications:          

• 3 inch WQVGA (240 x 400) full touch screen
• Horizontal slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Full suite of messaging options, including text, picture, video and voice messaging; Mobile IM; Mobile Chat; Mobile Email; and Mobile Web Email
• 3.2 megapixel camera with Night Shot Mode; single, multi, panorama, mosaic and frame shot modes; and video capture capabilities
• Photo editing features, including Dynamic Canvas, which supports flash animations in pictures
• Bluetooth® technology with support for headset, hands-free, Dial Up Networking, stereo, phonebook access, basic print, basic imaging, object push for vCard and vCalendar, File Transfer and serial port
• Corporate Email (formerly RemoSync) support for Microsoft Office Exchange so customers can synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from their office e-mail
• microSD™ card slot with support for up to 16 GB (card purchased separately)

 
Lifestyle features:

• Access to social networking services
• VZ Navigator® capable – Receive audible turn-by-turn directions to more than 15 million points of interest and share the directions with others
• Visual Voice Mail – Delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions
• Media Center – Access downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more
• Personal organizer and tools with calendar, calculator with currency converter, notepad, alarm clock, world clock and stop watch

 
Price and availability:

• The Samsung Reality will be available on April 22 at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.  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.
• To get the most from the Samsung Reality, customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide Talk or Nationwide Talk & Text plan, as well as purchase a data package that begins at $9.99 per month for 25 megabytes with Mobile Email.
• 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.

 
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images of the Samsung Reality in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)
 
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.