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| Manufacturer | Samsung Electronics |
|---|---|
| Availability by region | 2003, Discontinued in 2006 |
| Compatible networks | CDMA 850/1900 |
| Dimensions | 115 mm×58 mm×20 mm (4.53 x 2.28 x 0.79 inches) |
| Weight | 132 g (4.66 oz) |
| Operating system | Qualcomm REX |
| Battery | 1000mAhlithium ion |
| Rear camera | N/A |
| Front camera | N/A |
| Display | 128 X 160pxTFT LCD, 65,536 colors |
| External display | N/A |
| Connectivity | USB |
| Data inputs | T9, User-independent Voice Command |
TheSamsung SPH-N270 orMatrix phone is abar style mobile phone released in 2003, made to resemble the phone used inThe Matrix Reloaded. The design crew of theMatrix worked closely withSamsung to develop a phone whose features and release date would coincide with the movie. The SPH-N270 was not intended as a mainstream phone for everyday use. Instead, it was marketed solely to fans of the series as a piece of rare, high quality merchandise.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the phone is its spring-loaded earpiece which snaps up to reveal the screen. A small amount of the screen is left visible when the earpiece is down to display important status information.[1] The phone can be configured so that snapping up the earpiece answers an incoming call.
The 1000 mAhlithium ion battery found in the N270 has a backplate matching the Matrix phone, making it somewhat proprietary. Three connectors are present on the SPH-N270. The two ports on the bottom are used for a wall charger/car adapter and a variety of extensions including a USB cable.[1] The port on the top is meant for aheadset but most users of the phone do not employ a headset because the SPH-N270 is designed with aesthetics in mind.
Other than physical conveniences, the phone features anassisted GPS receiver, English and Spanish languages, multiple alarms, a calendar, a to-do list and a simple calculator.[2] A notable emphasis of the Samsung SPH-N270 is integration with voice. While 300 contacts stored in the phone can be dialed automatically from the menu, utterance of their names also triggers a phone call. In addition, phone digits can be spoken for contacts not present in the phone book. The phone has an option to match text to the user's speech. Digits displayed on the screen would be read aloud by the user to improve voice recognition.The phone runs onQualcomm's REX, with Samsung's custom user interface.
The green code on a black background, made famous byThe Matrix (cf.Digital rain), is found in many menus of the phone by default. The phone is mostly made of black plastic and the buttons show stylized green digits.[3] The manual, box and collector's tin also feature the "Matrix code". The charger is the only item in the package with no reference to theMatrix films. It is also the only item in the package compatible with multiple phones.
Samsung is only displayed on the phone's casing and Sprint is only mentioned on-screen when the battery is improperly inserted. When the phone is turned on, the message "WELCOME" is shown, and when the phone is turned off, the message "GOOD BYE" is shown, in a manner reminiscent ofNeo's first encounter with the Matrix. Three screensaver themes that come with the phone are Reloaded,The Animatrix, and Camera, even though the SPH-N270 cannot be used as a camera.[3] Several ringtones from the first two Matrix films can be selected along with a beep option and a vibrate option. These ringtones can be applied to contacts individually.
Unlike theNokia 8110 which appeared inThe Matrix but existed already,[4] the SPH-N270 was made specifically to be released in 2003,together with the secondMatrix film. Many fans initially pleased with the phone's release expected the phone to be the exact prop used inThe Matrix Reloaded. However, the prop used in the film was slightly different and presumably not functional. The phone was used only twice in the movie,[1] but accurate 3D models of it were portrayed inFinal Flight of the Osiris andEnter the Matrix. The phone was also noted to be similar, but less functional and less businesslike than the realNokia "Matrix-Phone" successor at the time, theNokia 8910i or the experimentalNokia 7650 (released in 2002).[5][6][7][8]
Even for 2003, theMatrix phone was by no means a high-end product. While USB transfer was available to some extent, the phone did not supportBluetooth orIrDA and had no video orMP3 capabilities.[4] Many users chose not to buy the phone because it was not web-capable. Noweb browser or means of sending text messages was included in thefirmware. The SPH-N270 is also not acamera phone even though Samsung is regarded highly for its camera-phones.[3]
The Samsung N270 was only sold on a special section of the Samsung website running exclusively inFlash. The website has since been taken down as all of the phones have been sold. Rumor has it that only 10,000Matrix phones were produced and each one was clearly numbered. However, the number of phones actually produced remains in question as serial/production numbers higher than 1500 have not been verified or seen for sale on eBay or through other sites and Social Media. The phone cost $500 and was restricted for use withSprint PCS.[3] However, since the phone is considered as a highly collectible item, it can sometimes be found oneBay for sale, at the last auction it was sold for 2500 dollars. It was also restricted for sale in the U.S., since Sprint PCS is an American network, although many fans have successfully used it in other countries with CDMA networks through analog and digitalroaming.[1]
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