Introducing the E100 from Samsung: A Feature Phone Ahead of Its Time
For many of us, smartphones have become a necessity in our daily lives. We rely on them for communication, organization, and entertainment. But before the era of smartphones, there were feature phones that dominated the market. And one feature phone that stood out from the rest was the Samsung E100.
Released in 2003, Q3, the E100 may seem like a thing of the past now. But back then, it was a revolutionary device with impressive specifications. Let's take a closer look at what made this device so special.
A Sleek and Light Design
At just 80 grams and 21mm thickness, the E100 was considered a lightweight and compact device. It had a body dimension of 83 x 46 x 21 mm (3.27 x 1.81 x 0.83 in), making it easy to fit in your pocket or handbag. The E100 also came with a Mini-SIM slot, which was the standard size for SIM cards back then.
A Colorful Display
One of the key selling points of the E100 was its TFD display with 65K colors. This may seem low compared to the millions of colors we have on our smartphones nowadays, but it was a big deal back then. The display size was not specified, but it had a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels, spread over 8 lines. In addition, the E100 had a second external B/W LCD display with 96 x 64 pixels, which was used mostly for notifications.
Limited Storage Space
The E100 did not have a card slot, which means the storage space was limited to 600 KB for Java apps. But considering it was released in 2003, this was a reasonable amount of space for a feature phone.
No Camera or Loudspeaker
One of the drawbacks of the E100 was the lack of a camera and loudspeaker. But it still had vibration alerts and downloadable polyphonic ringtones to keep you notified for incoming calls or messages.
Basic Features for Communication
The E100 supported 2G network technology and had GSM bands 900/1800. It also had GPRS class 10 for internet connectivity and infrared port for file transfer. In terms of messaging capabilities, the E100 had SMS, EMS, and MMS features, along with a WAP 2.0/xHTML browser. It also had predictive text input for easy typing and a phonebook that could store up to 500 contacts and 10 records each for dialed, received, and missed calls.
Battery Life
The E100 came with a removable Li-Ion 720 mAh battery, which provided up to 230 hours of standby time and up to 3 hours 30 minutes of talk time.
The Legacy of the E100
Although the E100 may not seem as impressive compared to the smartphones we have now, it was a popular feature phone in its time. It had games like Honey ball, Go! hamster, and Bowling, and supported Java downloadable apps. The E100 also had menu shortcuts and an organizer to keep track of your daily tasks.
Unfortunately, the E100 was discontinued, leaving a mark in history as one of the iconic feature phones from Samsung. But it paved the way for modern smartphones, showing the world that Samsung was ahead of its time.
In conclusion, the E100 may be an old device now, but it was a game-changer in its time. It had a colorful display, basic communication features, and a sleek design that made it stand out from the rest. And for that, it will always have a special place in the evolution of mobile devices.
Samsung E100 Full Specifications
Network
Technology
GSM
2G bands
GSM 900 / 1800
GPRS
Class 10
EDGE
No
Launch
Announced
2003, Q3
Status
Discontinued
Body
Dimensions
83 x 46 x 21 mm (3.27 x 1.81 x 0.83 in)
Weight
80 g (2.82 oz)
SIM
Mini-SIM
Display
Type
TFD, 65K colors
Size
Resolution
128 x 160 pixels, 8 lines
Other
Second external display B/W LCD (96 x 64 pixels)
Four way navigation keys
Wallpaper