Besides the oddly included resistive touchscreen, the Samsung Omnia 2 looks to become a formidable smartphone foe when it launches on Verizon Wireless December 2nd for $200. It seems we might be learning the reason for that “resistance” now – a feature called Genius Texting developed for Samsung by a company called Swype. Instead of pressing on individual keys, you drag from one key to the next and it predicts what you’re about to type in along the way.

To me it sounds like more trouble than its worth, although other gestures are included that could be time savers. I’m just not sold and personally it seems like this method would take LONGER. Sure the quickest path between two points is a straight line, but if you’ve got two thumbs and can just press the buttons almost simultaneously – BAM BAM – how is drawing a line between the two any quicker than that?

Here is a video of Swype in action at TechCrunch 50 with Q&A afterwards:

In any case – whether this new method is Genius, pointless or idiotic – here is the Press Release so you can learn more about the phone itself. Push comes to shove you can still text the tried and true method anyways:

Verizon Wireless Announces the Availability of the Samsung Omnia II
–Full Touch Screen Phone Features Windows Mobile 6.5, Swype Technology and One-Touch Access to Social Networking and Entertainment Features

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS, Nov 23, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the availability of the Samsung Omnia(R) II(TM), a full-touch all-in-one smartphone powered by Windows Mobile(R) 6.5 to keep customers connected to their corporate and personal e-mail accounts and synchronized with their schedules and contacts.

Available Colors: Black with red accents on the battery cover

Key features:
• 3.7-inch ultra-brilliant (Wide Video Graphics Array Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) responsive touch screen
• Virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype technology: input text faster and easier with one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard
• Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional, which keeps customers connected with corporate and personal e-mail and synchronization of schedules and contacts
• Microsoft Office Mobile: manage Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents
• Enhanced 3D cube user interface
• Full HTML Web browsing capabilities with Opera 9.5 enhanced browser
• One-touch access to social networking sites via shortcut widgets
• Supports Verizon Wireless services, including V CAST Music with Rhapsody, V CAST Video on Demand, V CAST Song ID, Visual Voice Mail, VZW Tones, VZ NavigatorSM, Mobile IM and Mobile Email

Additional specifications:
• Full messaging suite, including SMS, MMS, Mobile IM, Mobile Email and Corporate Email
• Access to social networking applications, including YouTube, Facebook and MySpace, with Samsung’s TouchWiz 2.0 user interface
• 5-megapixel camera with flash and auto-focus and camcorder and decoder with DNSe technology and on-device editing capabilities
• 802.11b/g Wi-Fi (no N)
• Support for Divx and Xvid movie files
• 8 GB internal memory and expandable memory of up to 16 GB with microSD memory card (card sold separately)
• Bluetooth® profiles supported: headset (mono and stereo), hands-free (car kits), object push for vCard, basic imaging, phonebook access profiles. Also supports serial port, dial-up networking, object push for vCalendar, file transfer, basic printing and human interface device profiles
Pricing and availability:

www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning Dec. 2 for
$199.99 after a $100 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.
– For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services,
visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or
www.verizonwireless.com