Review: Samsung T809
Watch
The clock is perpetually displayed in large, clear type in the upper right corner of the display. Though it doesn't display a simple clock once the display goes to sleep, pressing any button or sliding the phone open will briefly activate the display to allow you to check the time. While we would prefer to have a screen saver that always displays a clock, the responsiveness of the display makes checking the time quick and painless.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth implementation on the t809 includes headset and handsfree profiles. The phone also allows for simple file transfer and object push for trading data between devices. Pairing the t809 with our Mac gave us options for using the phone as a high speed modem for DUN usage, as well as connecting it to the Mac's address book. Unfortunately the t809 does not support syncing with a PC or a Mac, something it's RAZR competition does without protest. Keep in mind that while syncing wasn't possible, using file transfer we were able to move collections of vcard files into the phone's address book.
Extras
The t809 does include the basic utility applications under the Organizer heading. The stopwatch function is surprisingly well executed, with a rolling clock and room for recording four splits underneath. The timer allowed us to set a time in hours and minutes, start the clock, and return to other operations while it continued in the background.
The unit conversion tool includes currency, length, weight, volume, area, and temperature, and all of these share a common screen, allowing us to quickly change between different types of data. The calculator provides a large expression space, and then maps basic arithmetic functions onto the main rocker pad. This design allowed for very quick operation, something rare in most phone calculators.
The world clock includes two different time zones which are selected using major world cities. It also includes a graphical map on which the selected time zone is highlighted. The alarm clock includes a wake up alarm, two secondary alarms, and lastly an auto power option. While we prefer to see any alarm clock power on the phone, this option is certainly better than an outright lack of such an ability.
Lastly, the calendar has the standard month, week, and day views, along with schedule, anniversary, misc, and to-do appointment types.