Samsung SGH-T629 Cell Phone

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User rating 3.8   Read reviews - Add review The Samsung SGH-T629 is a slider camera phone with many upgraded features.  Similar to the T809, the T629 adds features such as voice dialing, and stereo Bluetooth.  Key attributes that stayed the same include the 1+ megapixel camera, video capture, a memory card slot and EDGE data.  View full phone specs View image gallery View reviews Compare against other phones Compatible accessories

Why the change?  Is the t629 really any better than the t809 it replaces?  I guess that depends on which you prefer, black or silver.  As the adage goes, beauty is only skin deep, and there are some notable changes to this latest Samsung slider - most importantly, perhaps, being compatibility with T-Mobile's new "myFaves" service plan. 

The t629 carries on Samsung's tradition of making head-turning handsets with brilliant displays, though it lacks the t809's ingenious swivel camera housing.  On the other hand, it makes up for one of the t809's major shortcomings: battery life.  Read on to get the scoop.

At 99 x 51 x 14mm, or just over half an inch thick, the t629 certainly qualifies as a slim phone, if not quite as thin as Samsung's Ultra Edition models.  The all- housing is finished in matte silver with chrome and grey accents, and has somewhat harder lines and sharper edges than previous Samsungs.  The phone looks quite nice overall, with mirror-finish buttons and a glossy screen bezel providing a nice contrast to the muted grey of the phone's body.  Weighing 91g (3.2 oz), the t629 is quite light in the hand, and tucks away almost unnoticeably in a pocket or purse.
 
A roomy 2.2" display takes up the majority of the front of the device.  The display is bordered by Samsung (top) and T-Mobile (bottom) logos, and a raised plastic ridge about three-fourths of the way down the front panel invites the user's thumb to slide the handset open and shut.  Pushing the slider from the middle of the phone, and not the bottom, could conceivably lead to some fingerprints on the display (from overeager thumbs), but I didn't find this to be much of a concern.

The front-mounted control panel features three columns of buttons.  On the left we find a softkey above Call, in the middle a four-way directional pad with center-mounted OK/Select above Cancel, and on the right another softkey above Hangup/Power.  All of the buttons were readily accessible and fairly easy to use, save for the Cancel key, which is both small and somewhat hidden beneath the raised bottom edge of the D-pad.  More than once I accidentally pressed Cancel and "Down" at the same time.

Sliding the handset open reveals a standard 12-key dialing layout.  As is the current trend, the buttons on the dialing pad are flush-mounted - in this case they're membrane keys separated with raised plastic ridges. The flush-mount keys look very sophisticated, but they don't provide nearly the same level of tactile feedback as standard push buttons.  While not a huge issue like they would be on a computer keyboard, they did make for some adjustment during dialing and some annoyance during message composition.  On a positive note, the ridges between the keys do aid in blind dialing.

Unlike the t809, which featured a very nifty swiveling camera sensor mounted along the top edge of the rear panel, the t629's camera/speaker housing is built into the back of the handset.  It bulges out in the back much like the t519 Trace's camera. The bulge is pretty minimal (though quite noticeable on a device this slim), and actually provided my index finger with a place to "rest" while holding the handset.  The lower portion of the rear panel serves as a cover for the battery and SIM card slots, and is adorned with a Samsung logo as well as T-Mobile's new "myFaves" icon.

On the left side of the phone, we find a rocker switch used to control volume and a covered port used to connect the included AC charger and wired headset.  The right side of the phone features a covered slot for microSD removable memory cards and a single programmable button labeled with a camera logo and, for some odd reason, a red stripe.  As you might guess, this button is used to access the camera features.

For whatever reason, I prefer the "old" all-black look of Samsung sliders like the t809 and D900 Ultra Edition.  However, the t629 is by no means a bad looking mobile phone.  I like the choice of matte silver with mirror/chrome accents, as I find too much chromed plastic on a phone rather cheap looking.  The t629 looks new, nice, and noteworthy.

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Samsung SGH-T629 in-depth review - Introduction & Design

Sliders, sliders everywhere but nary a black one in sight.  Samsung's new t629 slider phone takes the place of the t809 in T-Mobile's lineup, trading in all-black chic for silver sleek while leaving the rest of the handset mainly the same.  Why the change?  Is the t629 really any better than the t809 it replaces?  I guess that depends on which you prefer, black or silver.  As the adage goes, beauty is only skin deep,...

Nov 14, 06, by Noah Kravitz - Add a comment - all about: Samsung,  Samsung SGH-T629

Samsung SGH-T629 in-depth review - Features

Battery life has always been an issue with Samsung's slim phones, and I'm happy to report that the t629 performs better in this regard than the t809.  You're not going to get best-in-class talk time numbers if you make heavy use of the t629's features - Bluetooth and camera, in particular - but I had to go out of my way to get a low battery warning by the end of one day of use, and that's a marked improvement over the t809. Like the...

Nov 14, 06, by Noah Kravitz - Add a comment - all about: Samsung,  Samsung SGH-T629

Samsung SGH-T629 in-depth review - Display & Audio

The 2.2" TFT screen on the t629 lives up to Samsung's reputation for excellent mobile handset displays.  With a resolution of 220 x 176 pixels at 262,000 colors, the display is capable of sharply rendered photos and graphics, and is about as good as you'll find on a mid-range phone.  The screen is easy to read in all but the brightest direct sunlight. The t629 supports user customization of the home screen wallpaper, as well as...

Nov 14, 06, by Noah Kravitz - Add a comment - all about: Samsung,  Samsung SGH-T629

Samsung SGH-T629 in-depth review - Messaging, Internet & Connectivity

The t629 has support for SMS, MMS, and IM messaging.  Messaging packages are available through T-Mobile as add-ons to voice service plans, and messaging is also available without a package on a fee-per-message basis. Composing SMS and MMS messages on the t629 was straightforward, as was attaching images, videos, and audio clips to MMS messages.  As I mentioned, the membrane-style keypad isn't likely to become a favorite of heavy...

Nov 14, 06, by Noah Kravitz - Add a comment - all about: Samsung,  Samsung SGH-T629

Samsung SGH-T629 in-depth review - Conclusion

Samsung seems to have moved away from their all-black look for their newest T-Mobile handsets.  Personally I was a big fan of the all-black t809 slider, and as such was ever so slightly disappointed by the look of the new t629.  That being said, the 629's matte silver finish is a big improvement over the chromed plastic look of some other Samsungs I've seen of late.  And the t629 is a fine looking handset, to be sure; it's just...

Nov 14, 06, by Noah Kravitz - Add a comment - all about: Samsung,  Samsung SGH-T629

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Samsung T629

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5

By: mabel williamson on Tuesday, April 15, 2008
From: union city , NJ (United States)
Experience: 1 Years

Pros: great phone for me

Cons: it does freeze up

Summary: I do agree it does freeze up but all u have to do is take out the battery wait 5 seconds and install back. It goes back to normal. That is the only complain i have and Yes you need a case for it because the screen does get scratched up. Just be good to your phone charge when not in use and it will be fine. My battery life is great it is always charge. With every cell phone you must go charge it when you get home even though it states otherwise. Be good to your phone.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Samsung SGH T629 STINKS!

Overall Rating:
2.2 out of 5

By: ben king on Monday, February 11, 2008
From: Philaldelphia, PA (United States)
Experience: 90 Days

Pros: Nice slider, large screen

Cons: phone FREEZES, low battery life

Summary: Got my T629 three months ago and it started freezing while dialing a number. T-Mobile replaced it twice in two months and then refused to help. Told me to contact Samsung. I have contacted Samsung for help. Let's see what happens.

Any one else has seen this problem with T629 or OTHER phones?

11 out of 17 people found this review helpful

Nice Looking Phone, Solid Build, But Could Perform Better. Battery Life Stinks

Overall Rating:
3.8 out of 5

By: Nam Thong on Saturday, November 10, 2007
From: Diamond Bar, CA (United States)
Experience: 2 Months

Pros: Style, Style, and Style! Unique design that you will either love or hate (most will probably fall into the former). Solid build quality.

Cons: Unless you buy a case, screen will be easily scratched/damaged. Sound volume on the low side. Battery life stinks.

Summary: The main selling point of the Samsung T629 is its style. Very few phones on the market right now can compare to this look. It IS a head-turner. In the end though, people will keep a phone for performance and I'm not sure if the Samsung 629 will win many longtime fans. I had T-Mobile send two units one after another, but they still ended up with the similar problem of low sound volume, even with the level turned all the way up. My old trusty Motorola V557 blew this Samsung unit out of the water when compared for sound volume and reception. When the Samsung is locked onto a good signal, clarity can be stunning, but the T-Mobile coverage sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. Dropped calls also seem to have increased since I switched from Cingular/AT&T. You know those ads from AT&T touting "More Bars In More Places"? It's TRUE! In the end, I am still returning both Samsung 629's because of low sound volume. I also prefer a flip design even though I was intrigued by the slider design. The flip design will prove to be practical in the long run by protecting the screen from scratches. Battery life is also a shortfall here. Even with moderate use (1 to 1.5 hours a day), you will find yourself reaching for the charger at least once every 2 days. If you're not a fan of charging cells on a daily basis (and I definitely am NOT), I suggest you stay away from this phone. If you start using this for text msg / mp3 / camera / video, you will definitely be reaching for the charger on a daily basis. The T-Mobile rep admitted the Samsung's big screen sucks up a lot of battery life. I am going back to a Motorola (but NOT a Razr!) where I had better overall experience.

12 out of 21 people found this review helpful

So far so good...

Overall Rating:
4.8 out of 5

By: Dan Walters on Sunday, June 10, 2007
From: Waltham, MA (United States)
Experience: 2 Days

Pros: Beautiful screen, very small / light weight, cool looking, good sound quality

Cons: Non-standard headphone jack. Also, the covers over all the plugs are held to the phone by a very thin piece of plastic or rubber - I'll be surprised if they go long without breaking.

Summary: I've only had this phone for a couple days, but so far I really like it!

17 out of 31 people found this review helpful

Its a Love/Hate Relationship type of phone...

Overall Rating:
3.7 out of 5

By: Josh H on Monday, March 19, 2007
From: Wyoming, MN (United States)
Experience: 5 Months

Pros: Great image and video quality, awesome Mini SD card slot, great reception, awesome text/picture messaging features, sleek design, awesome graphics

Cons: The internal wiring breaks ALOT! I am on my 3rd one due to internal wiring issues. Once you start sending a text you cant cancel it, some features have delay to them, some features feel cheap (like battery and SD card covers) battery slot can be hard to put the charger in, battery is ok but not the greatest.

Summary: I really like this phone, and just because of the great features i was willing to buy replacements but im on my last thread with the wiring crap. I really like it and all but its getting old. THe screen turns blank.

23 out of 52 people found this review helpful

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