Samsung recently launched its first Linux smartphone, the SCH-i519 for China. The CDMA 1xRTT phone is based on the same hardware as the Windows-Mobile-powered SPH-i700, but runs Embedded Linux.

The Linux software includes a full web browser, email client, MP3 player, and is compatible with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF documents, MSN and ICQ for instant messaging, and syncs with Outlook. The OS supports Chinese handwriting recognition and includes a 2-way Chinese-English dictionary. The device includes Voice-Activated Phonebook (VAP) software from Voice Signal, permitting complete voice control in both English and Mandarin Chinese without training. Samsung also makes smartphones based on competing Symbian and Microsoft operating systems. For more info go here.