By The Samsung Epic 4G is officially coming August 31st, and if any of Sprint’s past high-profile launches are anything to go by, then they’ll be shipping some phones to stores early for their “advocates” (employees that will extensively use the device to get familiar with it and train the rest of their team) to sink their teeth into. It appears that may have already happened as a tipster of TalkAndroid‘s sent them first shots of what appears to be the Epic’s retail packaging.
It doesn’t look like the cheap-feeling and looking egg carton box that their HTC EVO 4G sat inside of (before you ruthlessly ripped it from its resting place), but perhaps that was just an HTC thing. August 31st is just under two weeks away. Are you all set to pick up your Epic 4G?
That keyboard looks niiice. Speaking as one of the unfortunate CLIQ owners, I always gawk and stare at other smartphones’ keyboards.
the happen to love the cliq keyboard and wish other makers would consider something similar in future designs.
of course, i do love gaming on my phone so maybe that’s why…
Samsung, you NEED a GSM version of this phone for sale outside the US!
@Tom, they have one, the Galaxy S. if it’s the keyboard you’re fretting about i would gladly trade that. i prefer NOT to have one myself.
@john the lesser, yes it’s the keyboard.
If you prefer not to have one – good for you, there is a vast choice of great Android handsets outside the US with no keyboard. Unfortunately, there is very little choice if you do want a keyboard outside the US. I already have a Motorola Milestone and it looks like Motorola is dropping support for that, so I’m after something new.
Any phone with no keyboard looks like an iphone clone. They all compete for the same space. A phone with a keyboard is distinct and when one pops up, it gets ALL the keyboard fans.
@Tom, be the first to get both phones and try swapping some hardware around :)
I had the Cliq, and liked the keyboard (didn’t like the phone). I switched to the EVO and doubt I’ll ever go back to a physical keyboard.
Does this mean that it may be sold earlier as well? May be to premium or business customers?
Cool display box. That must explain why Sprint charges more for it than any other Android out there!
So this translates to in store models soon? I want to hold the thing in my hand before I buy it.
that keyboard, as good as it sounds – and YAY – 5 rows!!! – just looks SO ANCIENT… like an old calculator from the 80s… Samsung needs to industrial designers on their team ASAP!
I played with the one the Sprint rep brought in today. The keyboard push is very springy. And its pretty thin.
Man…really want this phone, got the evo now but always been a fan of the physical keyboard. Wish they were offering some sort of trade-in program from the evo to the epic.
Bring this one to Europe now!! Gsm version then of course…
@Waltz, my friend went to Sams Club and they have a trade-in program she is going to pay I think like $20 which is the difference.
This phone is amazing. I have a rooted Moment now but when I saw this phone coming out my whole mindset changed. I want this phone!!