T-Mobile and Samsung today announced the availability of the new Samsung Katalyst, a new phone that will work with T-Mobiles @home phone service.

The Samsung Katalyst will be available exclusively from T-Mobile at T-Mobile.com, T-Mobile corporate stores and at T-Mobile authorized dealers.

“Since launching T-Mobile HotSpot @Home in June, we’ve worked closely with companies like Samsung to expand our selection of HotSpot phones,” said Saj Sahay, director of product marketing, T-Mobile USA. “The Samsung Katalyst strikes a great balance of style and features with an affordable price, and gives customers who want the calling benefits of HotSpot @Home a great new handset choice.”

“The Katalyst is the next-generation Samsung device to support T-Mobile HotSpot @Home that delivers great features in a sleek, slide form factor,” said Peter Skarzynski, senior vice president, Samsung. “Samsung is proud to work closely with T-Mobile to introduce handsets that enhance consumers’ mobile experience.”

Key features of the Katalyst include:

-- Wi-Fi-enabled phone; supports T-Mobile HotSpot @Home
-- T-Mobile myFaves(SM) enabled(b)

-- Bluetooth(R) wireless technology
-- Music player
-- Expandable memory (microSD memory card)
-- Speaker-independent voice recognition
-- Advanced messaging capabilities
— (SMS, EMS, MMS)
— Instant messaging (AOL(R), ICQ, Yahoo!(R) and Windows Live(TM) Messenger)
-- Compatible with T-Mobile Address Book
-- GSM/GPRS/EDGE
-- Quad-Band: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
-- Dimensions: 3.97” x 1.98” x .65”
-- Weight: 4.1 ounces (with standard battery)
-- Main Display: 176 x 220 pixels, TFT, 262K

The phone will retail for $199.99 USD or with a 2 year contract $79.99 after a $70 USD instant rebate and $50 USD main in rebate.