We knew it was coming. After all, how long could Samsung keep the U.S. waiting for the release of its first Windows Phone 8 device stateside? The Verizon exclusive Ativ Odyssey has finally been unveiled, but it's not the big and beautiful phone we were expecting.
We're glad it's finally out in the open, but after seeing its international comrade, the Ativ S, we can't help but be a little bit disappointed. What happened to that big, beautiful 4.8-inch 720 x 1280 display?
The Ativ Odyssey is a more compact phone, with dimensions more like the HTC 8X than the Samsung's Ativ S - which has the biggest display of any Windows Phone. The Odyssey has a rather average 4-inch screen at 480 x 800.
Samsung reps on hand described the Ativ Odyssey as an entry-level device, but had no comment as to when we could expect a premium Windows Phone 8 handset from the company.
Ok, we're being awfully harsh, aren't we? The Ativ Odyssey does have one major advantage over its brother, and that's 4G LTE. The Ativ S was a 3G device, and the Odyssey hitched its wagon to Verizon's impressive nationwide data network.
While it's being released exclusively for Verizon in the States, it's Global Ready, which will let it operate in more than 220 countries worldwide.
It also comes packing a few Verizon apps, like Photo Editor, Mini Diary and My Verizon Mobile, which collects weather, stock and news tickers in one place.
The phone's physical construction should be familiar to Samsung fans. It's that same shiny faux metal, aka plastic, that has proven to be so divisive among consumers.
Just like with the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Ativ S, the Odyssey has a thin, removable backplate. In fact, it's so thin that we're surprised how well it stands up to our prying and bending.
Beneath that cover is a 2100 mAh battery, and SIM card slot.
Also on the back is a 5-megapixel camera and LED flash, as well as a bit of branding for the big red carrier.
Internal storage is just 8GB, but that's offset by support for an additional 64GB via MicroSD. There's also a respectable 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM.
Admittedly, we were disappointed to see that Samsung's first Windows Phone 8 offering for the U.S. is pared down budget device. However, we're glad to see electronics giant moving forward into Live Tile territory, albeit slowly.
No exact pricing or release date information was available, but we look forward to giving the Ativ Odyssey a full review whenever we're able.
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