Cortland Coleman

An email was sent to Sprint customers this afternoon inviting them to print the message and bring it to a local Sprint store in order to purchase a new Samsung Instinct, Sprint's answer to the iPhone, one day before the phone goes on sale to the general public.

 

Uncle Walt uses the Instinct for a week and shares his thoughts about the product in the video below. The web browser is being repeatedly criticized as inadequate and clunky, not just from Walt but from several reviews. I assume this is something Sprint and Samsung can still address because they definitely need to deliver a better browsing solution by next Friday. A weak web browser - one of the strengths of the iPhone - could be enough to keep me and other potential Instinct purchasers far, far away from the device.

Pricing for the new Samsung Instinct for Sprint has been announced. The iPhone competitor will cost $199 when it becomes available next week. News, reviews and additional Instinct information is busting out all over this morning.

Sprint has wisely held off making their new phone available to customers until after the new iPhone has been announced. Sprint developers now have a couple weeks to perhaps make a few tweaks to the upcoming Instinct in order to make it a more formidable competitor to the iPhone. Of course, the iPhone sets the bar and the Instinct can only play catch up, which is not an enviable position for Sprint to be in.

Here's something new - the user manual for the Samsung Instinct (pdf). One-hundred twenty-five pages of gadget glory! Supposedly, Sprint stores now have the highly anticipated Instinct in stock for staff to get acquainted with. I'll visit my local store tomorrow and report back. Stay tuned.

...because the Sprint service around Hunter, NY and Hunter Mountain is awful. I can not describe how frustrating it was to see other people making calls and texting friends back home during Mountain Jam while I sat there unable to get a signal on my BlackBerry. Not cool. I remain excited about the Samsung Instinct coming out in just over two weeks, but I am growing increasingly unexcited with Sprint's coverage and customer service issues.

Anyway, welcome back!

Sprint is starting to ramp up marketing for the Samsung Instinct. Available on June 20, the phone company put out this fun "trailer." The release date is interesting because Sprint seems to be setting up the Instinct as a direct iPhone competitor. Is that smart? We'll see. In the meantime, check out the most exciting phone to come to Sprint since I've been a subscriber (5 years).

My pleas for a Samsung Instinct continue. Warning: little, if any, business value to be found in this CortlandCast, but I do touch upon customer loyalty and long-term retention. Sprint, are you listening?

Times are good - I'm actually excited about an upcoming product for Sprint. As a customer for almost 5 years with a monthly bill over $200, I think I qualify as loyal and reliable. I really want the new Instinct. I really don't want to wait until sometime in June. I'm sure Sprint can offer one up in exchange for a thorough, well-written and honest review of the exciting new gadget. Two-year renewal? No problem. Sub-$200 price tag? No problem. Just send me the phone! So, how about it, Sprint?