Mobile Phones
Samsung SCH-u740
Samsung SCH-u740 is pleasing to the eyes in every respect; it has good aesthetics, style element, dynamics, color, and is handy as well. Further, its dual hinge design lets the user open the handset vertically or horizontally. In the regular clam shell mode if to talk or to take pictures, and in the other way around, which reveals the QWERTY keyboard, for text messaging, email, or IM. It weighs as much as Motorola Razr, even with this much keys. Even though the keypad is convenient, the Samsung SCH-u740 has 36 keys minus the navigation and phone controls. The standard Blackberry has only 35 keys!!
The hinged design is convenient in most aspects, but for certain glitches. For example, if tried to open games from the clamshell mode, it might ask the user to go to the rotated mode. Sometimes, this delegation of ‘mode’s can be a bit irritating.
The screen of Samsung SCH-u740 is quite large – 2.25-inch – 176 x 220 pixel, 262K-color TFT LCD. The outer screen is 96 x 96 pixel, 65K color external LCD that displays incoming calls, messages, time, date, power, and signal strength. An inch to the top lays the 1.3 mp camera; the picture quality is ok, but the absence of an exterior camera button makes it difficult to take self portraits. For those who do not train their mobile cameras on themselves, this is not going to be a big handicap however. The special video/camera button is not friendly either, even though there is a decent array of options.
In terms of memory, the Samsung SCH-u740 comes loaded with 60 MB of memory and it runs on 7.66 MB of RAM. However, there is the option to plug in a microSD card.
SCH-u740’s standard features include address book – each entry having space for five phone numbers, 2 email addresses, and a personal note – call timer breakdown, alarm clock, calendar with scheduler, notepad, calculator, world clock, stopwatch, and light.
The music quality is good, even though the speakers on the opposing ends of the screen do not provide the best of sounds. It is best suitable for use as speakerphone or some basic music, and not for pleasure. The headset adapter can be found on the left side. The My Sounds function lets users to record 60 seconds of music and use it as ring tones. A glaring negative – the music function is only available in the horizontal mode.
Wireless web access is quite quick (with pages loading in less than 5 seconds); so, no complaints on that aspect. Regarding Bluetooth connectivity, the handset’s Bluetooth capabilities support most basic protocols like Headset Profile (HSP), Object Push Profile, and Dial-Up Networking Profile (DUN) that enables the handset to be used as a wireless modem in conjunction with a laptop for web access. However, the latest A2DP protocol is surprisingly missing in Samsung SCH-u740.
Finally, battery life and there the SCH-u740 scores below par. Its battery endurance is far lesser than many of the competing models. It can be best described as average.
Overall, the Samsung SCH-u740 is a good phone, with good sound quality and web access, but certain aspects such as the keypad, jack, lack of AAC compatibility, and lack of direct access to music player etc can be frustrating. Final call – average!
RIM Blackberry Curve 8300
RIM Blackberry Curve 8300, the latest smart phone from the blackberry stable, has all the traditional blackberry features plus an improved music player, an array of multimedia features, a 2 mega pixel camera, and all these without compromising on its typical long battery life, the one aspect that made Blackberry the favorite amongst email addicts.
The RIM Blackberry Curve 8300 has the same thickness as that of Pearl, even though it is a tad heavier (3.9 ounces). But it fits into the pocket well without bulging out much. However, more importantly, as opposed to Pearl, the noticeable difference in Curve is its full-sized backlit keyboard that is more user-friendly and reliable than the Pearl’s. The menu navigation is trackball controlled, just as in Pearl and the 8800. The fluent movement of the trackball is specially felt while skimming through web pages on the inbuilt browser. But, be prepared to not to get irritated if the cursor moved too quickly.
The 2.5-inch, 320 x 240-pixel display is simply superb. Gone are the days of muddy displays in Blackberry. Other features are pretty straight forward; USB port, 3.5mm stereo jack, and a push-to-talk key are to the left side of the Curve, and camera-launch key and the volume buttons are on the right side. If there is some feature that is not positioned well, then it is the microSD slot, which is located beneath the battery.
As mentioned already, the RIM Blackberry Curve 8300 comes loaded with an enhanced multimedia package, lead by the Blackberry Desktop Media Manager software tool that easily facilitates the transfer and organizing of video and audio files, and basic multimedia functions such as CD ripping and image editing. The music quality is good enough, and the device supports a wide range of audio (MP3, AAC, WMA) and video (MPEG-4, WMV, H.263) files. Speaker output is ok, but to enjoy the full impact of the music, it is advisable to pair the smart phone with a Bluetooth stereo headset. Another plus with using the Bluetooth stereo headset is that one could skip a track with a single button press, as opposed to the two step process while operating through the menu.
The 2 mp camera produces good enough pictures for 4 x 6-inch prints.
It is easy to set up the email account with the help of the setup wizard – the smart phone supports ten corporate and personal email accounts – and there is this additional spell check facility and a customizable dictionary. However, web browsing speeds are a tad sloppy with its EDGE connection (understandable without Wi-Fi or HSDPA). There is always a 10-15 second gap between the text and image loads in the same webpage. Other negatives – for serious spreadsheet support or word processing, one may have to turn to one of the reliable third-party apps. Also, navigation software is missing in Curve.
To conclude, the Blackberry Curve 8300 has enough power in its belly to compete with its rival, the Samsung Blackjack. It offers good functionality, form factor, style, handy, and at $199, it is reasonably priced as well. Overall, a true value for money phone!
