Samsung returns with a new projector phone

Samsung has launched the Beam, an Android 2.3-based smartphone that comes with an integrated projector that can project a 50-inch high-definition image, the company said on Sunday.

This isn't the first time that Samsung has tried to convince consumers that putting a projector in a smartphone is a good idea. A similar product, which was also called the Beam, was launched in 2010.

The technology has now matured to the point where it makes sense to announce a new model, a spokesman at Samsung said.

The smartphone has a projector-dedicated application which is used to select content and activate projection in a few steps, according to Samsung.

Besides the projector, the Beam has a very ordinary hardware specification. The device is powered by a dual-core processor at 1GHz and it has 8 GB of storage plus a MicroSD slot. The screen measures 4 inches and has an 800-by-480 pixels resolution.

One part of the specification that does stand out is the Beam's 6 GB of RAM.

For users that want to project their own content there is a 5-megapixel camera that can shoot movies at 720p, according to Samsung.

The phone weighs 145 grams and is 12.5 millimeters thick.

In Sweden, the phone will start shipping in July and cost about 3,760 Swedish kronor (US$570) without taxes and possible subsidies. The company didn't immediately provide availability or cost information for other parts of the world.

Send news tips and comments to mikael_ricknas@idg.com

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