You’ve probably seen the huge ads in the papers promoting this new line of music phones from Samsung, but one of these three new models actually stands out as being a first for the company here in our country.

The i450 is a 3.5G (HSDPA) phone that has a pretty decent set of multimedia capabilities. It’s got a 2-megapixel camera at the rear and a 2^nd one for video calls as well as a dual slide mechanism with built-in speakers that come with Ice Power Technology by Bang & Olufsen . Its music player supports a variety of formats and comes with FM radio and a 3.5-mm jack for easy connection of earphones. It’s likwise capable of video playback and Bluetooth connectivity. So far, so good, but nothing really outstanding; but pay close attention to the interface of the phone. Yup, you guessed it right. This is the first locally available unit to run on the S60 platform that is more commonly associated with Nokia handsets.

Yes, it’s true. Finally, an S60-running Samsung phone has made it to Philippine shores. It also features a unique Soft Touch Spin Wheel system for easy navigation of stored media content. Combining the body and design of Samsung with the widely-used and supported S60 software, this has the makings of a match made in heaven.

While the i450’s specs alone already speaks volumes about its value, the S60 OS adds a new dimension as others who have grown accustomed to Nokia S60 phones will surely find it a lot easier to switch to Samsung knowing that it now sports the same platform.