The Samsung SGH-i607, also known as the BlackJack is a slim, and light smartphone. With great messaging capabilities the BlackJack houses technology that includes Windows Mobile 5, stereo Bluetooth, EDGE and HSDPA high-speed data. Additional features include a QWERTY keyboard, a document viewer, music player, memory card slot, and a megapixel camera.
One look at Samsung's Blackjack and it's clear who the electronics giant has got in their sights. Like the Motorola Q, the Blackjack is a Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition device that features a full QWERTY keyboard and high-speed data capabilities. Blackjack is thinner, lighter, and narrower than the Q, but it's keyboard and controls had to be a bit cramped in order to fit onto that narrow frame. On the other hand, Blackjack's processor is a hair faster than the one found inside of the Q - but did it make a difference in real world usage?
Currently available only on Cingular, the Blackjack is a quad band GSM handset that's compatible with the network's new 3G HSDPA data services, which are currently available in most major metropolitan areas in the US. If you live outside of a 3G area, you can use Cingular's slower EDGE network for Email, Web, and other data services on Blackjack. Unfortunately, Blackjack does not include an 802.11 antenna for WiFi compatibility.
Windows Mobile is Windows Mobile, but Cingular has packaged a few extras with the Blackjack much as Sprint did with the Q. Is the Blackjack the answer to your slim, sleek, smartphone needs? Much of that depends on how big a power user you are. Blackjack is great for those with smallish fingers and smallish smartphone needs. Bigger Cingular users (literally and figuratively) will likely be happier with the HTC-made 8525.
Measuring 113 x 59 x 12 mm and weighing just 99 g, Blackjack is a few millimeters shorter and narrower, .5 mm thinner, and 16 grams lighter than the Q. Blackjack fit comfortably into pants and jacket pockets, and was generally even less noticeable than the Q when not in use. The one caveat to this lay in Blackjack's rear panel design: a noticeable bulge around the camera housing detracts from an otherwise sleek, flat design.
A 2.25" screen sits at the top of the front panel just beneath a silver earpiece grill. A Samsung logo frames the screen on the bottom edge, and beneath that you'll find a two-row horizontal array of controls: A centered five-way D-pad is flanked on the left by Call, Home, and soft key buttons, and on the right by a second soft key along with Hang Up and Back buttons. Beneath this array is a full QWERTY board made up of slim oval shaped keys fanned out at a slant (the left side keys slant to the upper left, the right side to the upper right). Buttons are finished in black save for the ten that double as a dialing pad - these are finished in grey and spaced over every other column to stand out.
A scroll wheel and back-button combination on the right panel of the Blackjack allows for one-handed access to many functions, and an excellent programmable shortcut menu is accessible by pressing and holding the scroll wheel. A rubber-capped microSD memory card slot lies just above the plastic ridge which sets the wheel and back button off from the rest of the side panel. Samsung's infamous single-port USB/charger/headphone jack (also rubber-capped) can be found on the left side panel along with a volume rocker switch.
The back panel of the handset is largely given over to the battery cover, which also conceals the SIM card slot. Centered near the top of the panel is the aforementioned camera sensor bulge, which also houses a self-portrait mirror and speaker.
Overall, I found the Blackjack's design very nice but it also led to some usability issues for me. The QWERTY board was simply too small - and a bit too slippery - for me to get used to. My hands and fingers are a bit larger than average, but not exactly huge, and I really had to work hard to make sure I hit the buttons I was trying to hit. This lead to numerous typos while composing messages or entering Web URLs, and eventually to my having to slow down while typing lest I get lost in a sea of frustration. The flush-mount D-pad caused similar problems, if on a much smaller scale.
On the flip side, the small, thin, light form factor of Blackjack is excellent, and the soft-grip plastic finish was very easy to hold for extended periods of time. I would definitely recommend getting this phone in hand for a few minutes before ordering one for yourself. If you find the keypad comfortable to use, you'll love the design. But if you're like me, the small, cramped buttons will effectively turn using Blackjack into a very frustrating experience.
As you may have heard by now Samsung is recalling all Blackjack devices manufactured from November ‘06 through February ’07 (check the date behind the battery). It seems that there is a problem with the internal antenna causing an increase in dropped calls and limited connectivity.
If you own one of the affected phones simply call AT&T at 1-800-801-1101 to get more information on the replacement process. There is now word on whether or...
One look at Samsung's Blackjack and it's clear who the electronics giant has got in their sights. Like the Motorola Q, the Blackjack is a Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition device that features a full QWERTY keyboard and high-speed data capabilities. Blackjack is thinner, lighter, and narrower than the Q, but it's keyboard and controls had to be a bit cramped in order to fit onto that narrow frame. On the other hand, Blackjack's processor is a...
Blackjack came from Cingular and Samsung with the standard install of Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Edition along with the excellent Picsel Viewer and a few Cingular applications. While the device is technically capable of multitasking, it didn't take much to slow Blackjack down considerably during normal use. Fast typing during message composition sometimes resulted in noticeable screen lag. I also experienced many, many crashes and...
That 2.25" diagonal, 320x240 pixel display is quite easy on the eyes, even if it is a bit smaller than the ones found on Blackjack's closest competitors. While the display is limited to 65,000 colors, and not the 240k or 16 million found on state-of-the-art, it still worked very well for viewing documents (particularly via Picsel Viewer's smooth pan and zoom capabilities), reading messages, and watching movie clips.
As with the...
If Blackjack's keyboard suits your hands, it makes a quite nice messaging device, thanks to Outlook Mobile and Cingular's inclusion of the Oz Instant Messenger client. Outlook handles POP and IMAP email with relative ease, including (manual) downloading of email attachments for viewing with Picsel. Email can also be downloaded from and synched with Windows PCs via Active Sync. Windows Mobile users are looking forward to support - at...
Thin is in when it comes to cell phones, and with good reason. A thin handset can be more comfortable to use, easier to stow away, and lighter to carry around than a bulkier counterpart. However, sacrifices in the way of keypad design, power and battery life must often be made in the name of saving space. When it comes to smartphones and their sophisticated controls and power hungry processors, successfully negotiating these...
By: Justin Heflin on Saturday, December 15, 2007 From: Fort Wayne , IN (United States) Experience: 6 Months
Pros: Smart key pad. Even though the key pad is small, the phone programs the letter buttons that sit next to the numbers to display the number if you hit it while dialing in the call screen. Camera and video is amazing. Cons: Have to go through too many steps to turn on silent. Summary: This has been a great phone. I have had it for about 6 months. I am a Realtor and this phone has everything I need to make my job a breeze! Not only can I store my daily calender, I can even pull up listings on the interent while I am with a client. Fantastic!
By: Lisa Mayer on Thursday, November 29, 2007 From: Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) Experience: 6 Months
Pros: Just like every other phone I used. Thank god, because there is no user guide to find out how to use the extrasCons: User guide. What user guide? Try to download it on your computer when your sitting in a park or the backyard or a shopping centre. Print it out and waste a ream of A4 paper (not environmentally friendly). Try to get a user manual and be charged $15 AUD after paying $1000AUD for the phone. Useless without a user manual. Summary: I've had my phone now for 6 months and still have not a clue how to use it. If I need to know something I want to reach for the User guide, not turn on the computer go to the internet or CD Rom scroll through 500 pages. What a waste of time this phone is.
By: DAWN DUNNING on Monday, February 19, 2007 From: NILES, MI (United States) Experience: 1 Months
Pros: Just about everythingCons: Can't seem to find the tone alert to remind me that I have a voicemail or a call.Summary: All I can say is that it is very sexy and serious looking at the same time. Very nice to hold up to your ear for a long time. Very bad manual though...call quality is excellent!
By: James Silva on Friday, January 19, 2007 From: Flower Mound, TX (United States) Experience: 2 Months
Summary: I have had the blackjack for a couple of months and love it. Im still trying to figure out several of the options and the user guide is no help. The screens are very user friendly. Once you start service on this phone, everything else, and I mean everything else cost extra. I just wish I could load music from my computer.
By: omid shamim on Wednesday, January 03, 2007 From: las vegas, NV (United States) Experience: 7 Days
Pros: EverythingCons: Screen retains oils Summary: Great phone, takes a day or so to get used to the small buttons but otherwise everything is great. The screen needs to be cleaned often.
Yes it can be done, but I'm not sure if there has been an official release yet?
There are a few beta examples floating around the internet, but I'm not sure I would attempt to install any of them.
I have to agree with everyone, The Blackjack offers a nice package of tools, the 3g network is nice when its funtioning on US Networks, but more importantly the phone holds calls, its light weight, and it offers a slim design. If you want a phone that fits well in your pocket and isn't too cumbersome go with the Blackjack.
Another big plus for the Blackjack is that it now comes with an extra battery [:D]If you plan on doing a lot of texting then the QWERTY keyboard is the only way to go.
I used a pearl 8100 for a week and had to bring it back because I could not get used to the Type keypad. Never mind the fact that if you have to dial a 1 800 "yadayada" phone # all of the letters no longer correspond to the correct numbers [:$]
Go with the blackjack...
Hi,I have used all three of the phones and in my opinion the Blackjack is the best choice. The phone is small and super thin so you will not notice it in your pocket. For text messaging its also great and a lot better than the pearl's suretype keyboard. The camera is standard 1.3 megapixels like the others. Depending on how much you use the internet will determine how much it will cost, you should go with a data plan that is cheap but at the...
I am a highschool student looking for a new phone mine broke during my spring break [:(]. We are allowed to have cellphones, but I like to tex under the desk b/c it looks rude just out in the open. Which phone is better for phone calls? Which one will feel like its not in your pocket? On the blackjack do you have to use the 3g speed? Is the internet cheaper on non 3g phones? Which one, I love to take pics, has the best camera? I know this...
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4.2
One look at Samsung's Blackjack and it's clear who the electronics giant has got in their sights. Like the 
4.8 out of 5
