Samsung Stratosphere Video Hands-On for Verizon: Real 4G, Real Keyboard

The Samsung Stratosphere has two things the iPhone 4S doesn’t: 4G LTE speeds and a physical keyboard. Priced at $149, it’s also $50 cheaper. Granted, this is no Galaxy S II superphone. The Stratosphere is powered by a single-core processor running at 1 GHz. Still, the 4-inch AMOLED display looked rich during our hands-on time here at CTIA, and you get both a back (5-megapixel) and front camera (1.3-MP).

While the keyboard is spacious, the keys felt somewhat flat when we tried typing on the Stratosphere. Also, there’s wasted space on either side of the layout, which made text entry more of a stretch than we’d like. The 5.8-ounce device felt light enough—if a bit on the cheap side. Nevertheless, if you’re not a fan of touchscreen keyboards and you want Verizon’s blazing 4G LTE speeds, the Stratosphere is your best (and only) bet. Check out the video and images below and stay tuned for our full review.