Samsung Blackjack-2-SGH-617 Black Review - Design & Features
BlackJack II is sleek in a business-class sort of way. I don’t know that I could ever call a smart phone “sexy,” but the burgundy-finish review sample Samsung sent me certainly is handsome, anyway. The handset fits easily in one of my hands, and its center-mounted nav dial makes for easy left or right-handed operation Some folks have bemoaned Samsung’s decision to replace BJ1’s side-mounted scroll wheel with this new front panel dial, but I like it. The wheel’s similar to those found on iPods, if not quite as smooth and responsive - you can use it to scroll through selections or as a four-way directional pad with a center select key. A standard layout of softkeys flank the wheel on either side, and I found these plenty spacious - though some might scoff at the slick plastic finish that adorns the buttons.
The QWERTY keys on the lower half of the phone’s front panel are on the smaller side, but the oval shaped keys are set on a slight diagonal and well spaced, which makes them pretty easy to use, even with my big thumbs. Samsung also grouped the dialing buttons together (they were oddly spread out on the original) and added some shortcut keys to the bottom row of the keypad, which are handy. My burgundy BlackJack II also featured a textured back panel that made for easier gripping; the black version of the handset has a smooth plastic back instead. Speaking of the back panel, here you’ll find the sensor for BJ2’s two megapixel camera which can also capture video.
A Windows Mobile device, BlackJack 2 can handle your contacts and email and messaging needs, including support for Exchange Server and POP3 and IMAP email accounts. Windows Mobile 6 supports full HTML email, and the device ships with support for AIM, Yahoo, and Windows Live instant messaging. BlackJack II also comes with Microsoft Direct Push, which supports real-time “push” email delivery as well as automatic Outlook syncing. The handset can be synched to a PC via USB cable using ActiveSync.
On the AT&T side, there’s support for the new Video Share service so you can make video calls if you and your recipient are both on compatible devices, within 3G network coverage, and willing to pay $5/month for 25 minutes of video calling bliss. There’s also support for AT&T Music and Video, which stream a/v content to your handset for additional costs. I tried out the XM Radio and ESPN video highlights services and was impressed with how quickly the applications loaded and the content started playing. For my money streaming music is still much more useful on a mobile phone than streaming video, but the quality of both services was on par with anything I’ve tried on a Sprint or Verizon Wireless device.
Next: Usability & Performance »Reviews by manufacturerVerizon Wireless, Sprint PCS, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, Sanyo, HTC, Palm, BlackBerry, Sharp, Pantech, BenQ, Apple, Eten, o2Our fancy algorithm says this stuff is related...Samsung unveiled the Blackjack 2 today during Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's keynote address kicking off the CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment Conference in San Francisco, CA. The Blackjack 2 is the follow-up to the Blackjack smartphone, and will be available in two colors - Black and Wine Red - as an AT&T exclusive when it launches later this year.
Blackjack 2 features a slimmer form factor with a larger battery compartment that Samsung says... Samsung today released the popular BlackJack II WindowsMobile smartphone in two new colors - giving it the full on "Your a smart consumer phone, all WinMo AND fashiony!" treatment - while WMExperts dropped some details on the forthcoming Samsung i788, which apparently is going to be badged as the BlackJack III. First off the official stuff from Sammy PR: "The Samsung BlackJack II is now available in two new colors, Romantic Pink and Ocean Blue.... At a Glance: What’s Good: Compact, stylish Windows Mobile 6 smartphone; HSDPA (3G) high speed data; Improved battery life; GPS; Center mounted jog wheel
What’s Not Good: QWERTY keys are a little small and a little slippery; No touchscreen; Display is smallish for a smartphone
Bottom Line: Blackjack II is a solid improvement over its predecessor. There’s nothing revolutionary here, but faster hardware, improved battery life, and... Samsung’s BlackJack was a big hit amongst smartphone users in 2007 thanks to its compact candybar form factor, full QWERTY keyboard, and enterprise-friendly Windows Mobile operating system. But BlackJack suffered from a few flaws, inadequate battery life being the biggest offender; most BlackJack users I knew wound up buying an extended battery which all but negated the phone’s sleek body by adding a big ol’ bulge to its backside.... As a phone, BlackJack II was a solid performer. Signal strength was good, voice quality was generally quite good, and callers said I came through clearly on the other end. I found the integrated speakerphone to be so-so; sometimes calls sounded fine (if a bit hissy) while other times voices were garbled and folks on the other end said they couldn’t hear me so well. The phone paired up just fine with both mono and stereo... BlackJack II is a solid smartphone. I can’t get super-excited about because I’m not its target audience - I don’t like Windows Mobile and I do like touchscreens and snazzy features - but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it. Samsung took a good thing in the original BlackJack, fixed its fatal flaw by upping the battery life, and boosted performance and features in the meantime.
If you’re wedded to the idea of being able to... With the Holiday Season officially underway and carriers offering more new models to choose from than ever, deciding on the right mobile phone can be a daunting task. Below is a list of the top 5 phones to consider when shopping for that perfect gift (even if it’s for you).
Apple iPhone With no clear competitor in sight (yet) the iPhone sits comfortably atop this list as the number one cell phone to give or receive this holiday season.... I was playing around with the Black j 2 for a few minutes the other day and found it to be very comfortable and intuitive. There is almost no lag when switching between applications, but I'm not giving up my HTC just yet. I think with a smaller form factor, improved keypad layout, bigger battery and WM6 it could actually be a contender.
Although the new Imates are pretty cool $$$$
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