Samsung MM-A880
Average Ratings
Beautiful phone, but...
+ PROS
> unique and attractive styling. Purplish color may seem odd at first, but very easy to get used to. Keypad uniquely shaped and contoured for surprising ease of use when dialing/texting by "touch".
> screen/camera. Gorgeous 262K screen - clarity and richness of color is incredible. Megapixel camera looks very nice.
> small form factor. Was used to Nextel Brick phones; this contrasts them very niceley and fits easily into jeans pocket.
- CONS
> Unique styling does not allow for comfortable grip - awkward to hold when making calls. Smooth plastic finish becomes slippery after 5 minutes of holding it in hand - was constantly afraid of dropping phone.
> Speakerphone is complete junk. A last minute addition, as evidenced by lack of dedicated speaker button anywhere on phone. Once in call, must navigate menu using softkeys and select speakerphone as option. Phone must be flipped open - earpiece is amplified to be used as speaker. Not loud enough even at full volume.
> Speakerphone would disconnect calls every time and without exception. Once speakerphone was activated mid-call, call would be dropped within thirty seconds. Every time.
> Custom/downloaded ringers are not loud at all. Waste of $2.50 to download ringer you will never be able to hear.
> Noise cancellation "feature". Quick overview: instead of normal background noise permeating throughout entire conversation, a880 will broadcast from earpiece only when party on other end is speaking. When party ceases to speak, earpiece goes silent so you do not hear background noise/dead air. Nice in theory, very poorly executed: beginnings/ends of comments cut off, very static-y transition on/off. Causes earpiece to sound like absolute garbage. If in area of weak signal, "feature" becomes more prominent and frustration level rises significantly.
> verdict: unique and attractively styled cell phone that fails miserably as a TELEPHONE. Samsung a880 will accelerate hair loss. Buy Sanyo 8300 and be happy.
Took it back!
I've owned quite a few Sprint phones and this one did not measure up.
PROS
**The form factor on this phone is very tiny, but well made. It's solidly constructed and closed with a decent "snap."
**The camera is great and takes some of the best cell pictures I've ever seen.
**Great screen!
CONS
**The big killer for me was the noise cancellation, which tended to cut people off constantly, making calls near impossible in areas with less than four bars.
**Reception for me was fair. I had a lot of complaints from callers who either could not hear me or told me that there was an echo to this model.
**I didn't mind the pinkish tint to this phone when I purchased it, but it did wear a little thin after a point. It is quite bright in some lights and not very classy looking.
End result: After two weeks, I returned this phone for the A-840 and am extremely pleased with that model, though it does not support multimedia content.
not so happy
i have had the 880 for a day now, i am extremely unhappy with it.
I'm a sanyo man. buddies of mine praise the samsung so i thought i would give this phone a try. the color was different which caught my eye. the screen resolution was awesome, and the phone was small, and more attractive than the 8300.
i got it home and started to tweak it and this is what i discovered:
the custom ringers i have sound distorted,
even the ringers from sprint which usually sound good sounded horrible.
the ear piece sounds like you are in a tunnel, i get the same effect with the speaker phone.
i am unhappy with the phone and will return it and get the 5600
