Samsung ATIV Odyssey is finally official

Samsung ATIV Odyssey
A bit underwhelming

For months now, word spread of Samsung's very first foray into the Windows Phone 8 waters. And, on day one of CES 2013 in Las Vegas, the Samsung Ativ Odyssey was formally announced by Verizon.

Those who have had their ears to the ground might be disappointed to hear that the final product actually falls a bit short when compared to the predicted specs.

Instead of having a 4.56-inch HD display, it's simply 4-inches even and sports a resolution of 800x480, which is hardly high definition.

And instead of an 8MP rear-facing camera, it's 5MP, which is bit anemic by 2013 standards.

Just as predicted

Meanwhile, other specs are exactly as predicted. The ATIV Odyssey also includes a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4G LTE connectivity, a 1.2MP front facing camera, can capture 1080p HD video, has 8GB internal storage, with support up to 64GB via micro SD card, and is Global Ready, meaning it can make calls and send emails in more than 220 countries across the globe.

The phone will also pack various Samsung applications, like Photo Editor, Mini Diary, and Now, which provides instant weather, news, and stock updates.

Also, because it's a Windows Phone 8 device, you also have Live Tiles and Live Apps.

No exact release date or prices has been disclosed, but given the specs that have been released, one could reasonably expect it to be an entry-level device.