Samsung's Wii-Like Phone And BlackBerry's Touch Screen

If you're looking for non-iPhone 3G cell phones news, you're in luck, as there were leaks galore today. Not only did spies get a taste of Samsung's upcoming motion-controlled gaming phone, the much-anticipated BlackBerry Thunder's media player gets unmasked and it looks great.Remember how after Motorola's Razr came out, it seemed like every other cell phone was trying to out-thin it? Well, it looks like motion-control will be the new thin if Samsung's M5310 is any indication.

According to Unwired View, the phone will have accelerometers to enable users to shake, rattle, and roll the phone to control it. Like the recently announced Sony Ericsson F305, and the upcoming games for the iPhone, the motion-controlled sensors will be used primarily for mobile gaming.

Nintendo's Wii is the home console leader by far, and much of that is due to its motion-controlled interface. While accelerometers are nothing new in cell phones, using them for gaming on mobile phones seems like a logical step.

It will take some killer games to make this control method stick, and I'm sure that some of the games demoed at Apple's WWDC will get developers in gear for all the different platforms.

Samsung's handset also will pack a 2-inch QVGA display, a 2-megapixel camera, built-in FM tuner, EDGE support, Bluetooth capabilities, and a standard headphone jack (Hallelujah!).

In other leaked news, the folks at BlackBerry Sync have snagged some exclusive pictures of the BlackBerry Thunder's media player, and it looks absolutely gorgeous.

The touch screen device will sport a large 360-by-480 touch display on a glass surface similar to the original iPhone. The Thunder is expected to be a robust multimedia player, be able to record videos, and BB Sync said it will sport a carrier music store that will have over-the-air download capabilities. The handset also is expected to run OS 4.7, and could give Apple a real run for its money.

Of course, this smartphone will probably live or die on how easy or difficult the virtual QWERTY is, and there's still no word on it. But, I'll keep my eyes peeled as the expected fall release nears.