Samsung BlackJack SGH-i607
Average Ratings
Love, love, love it
I recently purchased the Blackjack as a Christmas present for myself. For the first hour and a half, I HATED IT. I bought it at full retail price because I work for a Cingular agent and we don't get any breaks on the phones; I think the fact that I paid $450 for a phone was what really got to me. After playing with it a little, more, I absolutely love it.
Pros:
-MP3 player
-Great quality camera
-Notepad... I love notepad.
-QWERTY keyboard
-Internet Explorer
-Windows based :-)
-Great sound quality (ringtones and in-call)
-Clear screen
-Side scroll bar
-Ability for external memory
-Lots more... too much
Cons:
-The battery charge thingy... I have a very hard time charging my extra battery in that box sometimes.
-General battery life (not too big of a deal for me... I don't use it like CRAZY)
-Navigation keys very close to the End and Call keys (I know, a common problem)
-You can't copy contacts from SIM to phone (I want different ringtones for different people). You have to actually start a new phone contact.
-I have trouble loading certain websites. My "bible," imdb.com, won't load past 25 KB... the flag keeps waving, but it doesn't progress and the screen stays white. I've found that this happens with a few websites I really love.
This is my first data phone and I must say that I will never go back to a regular phone. I love being able to get my email and go on my favorite websites when I'm bored out of my mind. I would DEFINITELY recommend this phone to anyone looking for a data phone AND entertainment. If you're impatient and easily irritable when it comes to battery life, well... I'd be careful.
Fantastic phone!
I tried Windows Mob on 700W and 8125 - no match for the Smartphone Ed on the BJ. Smartphone Ed was made for phones and is 100% stable! NEVER freezes or crashes. Windows Mob was made for Pocket PCs and is unstable. Graphics on Smartphone Ed are nicer and crisper than full version.
Screen = gorgeous. What colors! Put next to the low res drab Treo 700W 240 x 240 screen and no contest.
Loud earpiece! Great in noisy airport.
I bought 1800 mAh extended batt from Samsung website with new batt door - together cost $60. Does not thicken unit - levels the whole back with the camera hump. Extended batt lasts for days. I don't get below 50% after day of very heavy use. If you donât get extended batt, you can set screen brightness to 1 and itâs still bright. Turn off the beam receive to save power. Turn off Bluetooth by pressing Fn button and b simultaneously.
Treo 750 will only have a 1200mAh batt. 8525 has 1350 mAh batt. Extended 1800 mAh on the BJ is stronger.
One button to set to vibrate.
I installed MS Voice Command. Excellent. It even announces the senderâs name and subject on incoming mail!!! Great when driving.
Bluetooth works in my car without a hitch.
I installed Papyrus â better calendar than the installed version.
RSS feed reader that comes with BJ is great.
I have instant push mail from 4smartphone.net - less than $4 per mth. Like Blackberry. You can also wirelessly sync calendar, contacts, tasks using same service.
Camera and video are best Iâve seen on a phone. Camera and video settings setup on the screen leave camera and video settings setup on the Treo 700W in the dust.
Whatâs lacking? Can't copy and paste and can't edit Word & Excel docs.
A fault. The nav buttons are cramped and 4-way rocker is too flush with the base. Use index finger rather than thumb on nav buttons and rocker and be a little careful. I have big fingers and itâs fine. No phone is perfect and itâs not a reason to reject the phone IMHO. Letter and number keys - no problem.
BlackJack - Grade A+
I think the Black Jack is a great Phone/PDA and I agree with some of the other respondents, This is a phone not a computer, and you cant get everything from a phone. If you want a thin phone the sacrifice is a shorter battery life.The clue was when the gave you a second battery. The BlackJack has great PDA features, organizer,calender and address book. Know what a phone can do before you buy it and buy the phone that best fits your needs. IF you are a strong PDA user, all during then day then you should know that a slim line phone like the BlackJack could not possibly meet your day-to-day needs. Go Get a big bulky Blackberry or even the 8525. So if you are average user who needs a phone with great PDA capabilities then the BlackJack is the phone for you
Still undecided....
Just got this phone last night, had it for less than 24 hours, here are my initial impressions. We all know the pros about this phone (otherwise we wouldn't be interested in it, right?), so I'll focus only on the cons I've stumbled on so far, that have pissed me off the most.
CONS:
- Java sucks for 2 reasons: 1, it refequently locks up and phone can't be reset so I have to pull the battery, and 2, using same Java apps for my Moto V551, but now they constantly ask for network access when they should only ask once per use. Nothing in the Blackjack's Java permissions changes this... very annoying, cause now I can't use Google's java-based mobile services now, or any other internet-based java app.
- Needs faster way to unlock
- Skype locks up when I call out, have to pull battery to reset.
- Recognizes my bluetooth headset, but wont use it for any audio functions other than actual phone calls. How the hell do you get it to take over for all audio functions?
- Bluetooth services are sparse. I need to transfer files quickly and easily between my PC and the phone without having to hook up USB cable or swap flash cards. Pairing with this phone on multiple devices has failed to present me with options to use file transfer, BT network, or OBEX. And we all know BT activesync sucks when it chooses to work.
- XM streaming app.. thanks Cingular, but I have Sirius, you jerks.
- Why is there a big sticker on the battery cover telling me not to obstruct that area during a call for optimal performance? That's where your hand would normally go! So holding the phone in a normal way is going to affect the call quality? WTF Samsung!
I will have to do some serious poking around in the registry and see what I can fix on my own. Cingular gave me 30 days to try it out, so I better make the most of this. It's only been 18 hours and I'm already wondering if I should take it back and wait a few months for something more powerful and reliable, with documented hacks.
Battery Trumps Blackjack
PROS:
Size, look, feel, performance, functionality, etc. Almost everything...
CONS:
Battery life is ABYSMAL -- I am amazed when I read other owner's posts on the forums. A summary would be:
"Before placing device in pocket and in between uses, go to the task manager and quit every application manually, then turn off email push/pop, then turn off G3 (by accessing hidden menus! Fun!), then turn off bluetooth, then turn off beaming, etc, etc, etc..."
All that just to get 10 hours out of a battery? Ridiculous! I'd rather just hang a RIM from my belt and be done with it...
IMO nothing else really matters if you have to charge/change batteries every 6-12 hours, but the other cons are:
- no voice dialing w/o 3rd party application
- proprietary connectors (no mini USB)
Best to date
I guess if you are looking for the perfect phone, this is it. It is a spectacular phone as well as PDA merges both better than any other product on the market. It far exceeds my expectations. WiFi is of no need in those locations where 3G is available. Exchange integration makes Blackberry a thing of the past. My only complaint is that mobile gmail cannot be used on this phone and that the camera is slightly slow. Who cares.
not very great
Friend of mine got the blackjack and I got to play around with it for a good hour, also I got to hear what he had to say about it and we seem to have the same opinion, its great eye candy but overall its buggy and not worth the money
There is no Wi-fi on this phone.
This phone lags. It takes forever to transfer files and sending and opening emails. Even when you are typing it lags.
The buttons are so small on the phone it is hard to type an email or text message.
terrible battery
it lags bad did I mention that?
Overall I would steer clear of this one.
Defnitely a Keeper
I got the Blackjack the first day it came out - Nov 16. At first it frustrated me quite a bit because it is not a full function PDA like my IPAQ but I slowly kept finding out all the work rounds and now it is indispensable to me both as a Phone & a PDA.
The first thing I noticed is that how good the reception and call clarity is on this phone. I have tried a few combination devices in the past year and their shortcoming was always the phone.
Pros:
1. Absolutely fantastic call clarity and reception, I have only owned 2 GSM phones that even come close to it, the PEBL and the Nokia 6682.
2. The earpiece is loud, I have yet to set it above 75% even in a noisy environment.
3. The Speaker is loud and clear.
4. The screen is gorgeous, not as big as a regular PDA but crisp & bright. This is something that I was worried about coming from the gorgeous screen that the 6131 has.
5. Great form factor, it is light but not light enough to feel like a toy. The size is just right and the slimness makes it very comfortable in jeans pockets.
6. The vibrate is very loud, infact sometimes it is too loud in a quiet room.
7. Build quality is excellent.
Cons:
1. The battery drains fairly quickly if web browsing but will last through one day and having a fully charged battery on hand is great.
2. The keys are small and a little hard to get used to.
3. There is a trick to getting the battery cover off and it is not very intuitive. If I am supposed to be changing batteries everyday I would have liked it to be a little easier.
3. The flap covering the charging port and the Micro SD slot seem to be rather flimsy.
Overall, I would recommends this device highly but please be aware that you are buying a top quality excellent Smartphone and not a PDAphone.
Black jack
I have been using my Treo 650 for 2 years and was ready for a change. The phone is heavy and bulky. I also got rid rid of my V3i and bought the K1 Krazor, it is amazing. Now I walked into Cingular to get the updated Treo 680 when I was shown the Samsung Blackjack. I was so impressed with the size, weight and the 3G internet access.
The buttons are a bit tight but you get use to them. Easy to type quickly.
The scroller is amazing!
It is that darn battery life, something has to give. As soon as the level goes to the second bar, the phone begins to give you warnings. I have unlimited access, however, on my treo I did not have to charge it for days and this phone I need to charge both batteries everyday!
The phone is great and I am loving it. I just do not want to have to travel with 2 batteries, thats a pain..
But, still the "coolest" phone on the market and I highly recommend!
First Impression
Out of the gate, the Samsung Blackjack from Cingular seems impressive, however when taking a closer look, it has some flaws that would make it the best Smartphone available.
1. The use of a proprietary connector: While this may be trivial for some users, it severely limits some business users while traveling. It means carrying yet another AC charger and/or car charger or data cable. Those of us who travel will always prefer to take less with us and if we forget our charger behind, we can grab something at the airport. Granted, the new connector is thin like the phone but a standard USB port would have fit nicely as well.
2. Somewhat light on battery life: Thin phones mean thin batteries that often have low talk times and the Blackjack is no exception. Talk time is critical particularly on any Smartphone because we use it for so much through the day and they have larger screens. Even though 'thin is in' I'd rather have a larger battery with a solid 4 hours or more of talk time.
3. Button layout: I find the keyboard too cramped and the button shape frustrating at times and even harder to read. The scroll wheel is even tough to use at times when pushing it in to select an item. The fact that it is on the right side makes it harder to use even if you are right handed. Most of the time I hold the phone with my left hand since most of time everything you need (especially while driving) in life seems to be on the right.
Even with these issues, the Blackjack is a good Smartphone with impressive features and a sharp LCD screen. For my use, the 3 main problems above would keep me from using this as an everyday phone.
