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Review: Samsung Alias 2

Form Basics Extras Video Wrap Up Comments 100+

Music Camera Photos/Video Browse/Customize Extras

Browser

Verizon has been using a new carousel-style user interface for the web on some of its phones — but not on the Alias 2. Why this menu system for the browser isn't being distributed across Verizon's feature phones evenly is beyond me. With the Alias 2, you simply get the normal Verizon Openwave browser. The user interface for Verizon's home page is the same as it was years ago. Boring.

The features, controls and functions of the browser are unchanged with one exception: the browser now has a minimap. The minimap is built into the zoom controls of the browser. Rather than allow you to slide the minimap up and down the web page to where you want to go, the browser breaks down web sites into sections. For example, the top section of a web site would be section 1, the left side section 2, etc. You then press the number of the section that you want to go to. It makes sense and is easy to use, though I still prefer how other browsers (such as the S60 browser or Opera Mini) use the minimap function.

As for browsing speeds, they were decent, but not as fast as we've seen on other Verizon phones. PhoneScoop.com took about 15 seconds to load (HTML site), but CNN's mobile site took about 8 seconds to load.

Customize

You can make the expected set of adjustments to the Alias 2 to make it a bit more yours. You can adjust the appearance of the main menu, and the Alias 2 comes with a couple of preloaded themes that alter the coloration of the menus and icons. You can adjust the size of the dialing fonts, messaging fonts, and menu fonts; set the clock format, add/remove wallpapers at will, set custom ringtones and so on.

The dialing fonts can be set to normal or large. The difference is minimal. There are five different menu fonts to choose from. Each of these five can be set to normal or large. Here, the size difference depends on the font. For example, making the "VZW" font large shows a definite improvement in font size, but making the "Cool Jazz" font large isn't as obvious.

Next page: Extras

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Samsung Zeal / Alias 2 SCH-U750

2.6" display 240 x 320 pixels
880 mAh battery
Memory Card Slot, Hardware Text Keyboard

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