Samsung SGH-A717
Average Ratings
Quick Take.
To start off I am using this phone with a T-Mobile SIM, so I cannot comment on the 3G aspects.
Design - I really like the design and size. I have large hands so it fits nicely. The shape and smooth body feels good in the hand, and has a nice discreet look. Build quality seems very good as well.
Camera - The camera is very nice and I don't miss the LED flash. I also have a D900 which has an amazing camera, and I rarely use the flash on that. Standard adjustments are found in the camera settings.
Reception - Amazing! This thing pulls in signal like a demon.
Multimedia - I can't use the streaming media, but I did try some stuff from a memory card. Getting to the media player is cumbersome at best. Mainly just a hassle. Not replacing my iPod anytime soon with this device. Video quality seems a bit patchy, but at least you can select Landscape mode.
UI - Fairly standard late model Samsung here.
Call Quality - Excellent! Speakerphone is not so great. That said, Bluetooth quality use was fine. Using the handset alone produced good quality sound from the speakers, and callers had no problems hearing me.
Battery Life - Pretty typical of newer GSM phones (not using 3G). I have gotten about 5 hours talk time.
Screen - The very small OLED screen on the outside is fine for basic information, but is a tad small. I did have some trouble seeing in direct sunlight. The huge QVGA is very bright, but kinda washed out.
Keypad - Very large and easy to use. Keys provide good feedback, and I didn't mistype at all.
Here's the kicker. at&t branding is ALL over this phone. It's the first item in the menu and it is "shop shop shop" throughout.
The first name in the contact list is an at&t code number, and you can't get rid of it. Same with other contacts, browser favourites, and menu systems.
Overall, I am very pleased with the phone at this point. The at&t branding is splattered from stem to stern and most of it cannot be removed. Good Samsung. Bad at&t
A717 Review
This phone is most impressive. Like most phones the style and appearance is personal opinion and I find it very appealing. I like the small front OLED display, as I would much rather have this low voltage display instead of a large color display. Also the phone has a very sleek look with the majority of the front being very clean with a subtle at&t logo that does not jump out like the one on my Sync A707. The keyboard is better than any other of this style such as the ones on various RAZR models. Battery life is great and it charges in a very reasonable period of time. This is the best Samsung for call quality. RF reception is terrific and the volume adjustment is very good. The rotating camera is great for a 2MP type. Messaging options are varied and quite convenient. Overall I find this an excellent phone.
Lukewarm.
This phone is simply the 2007 Sync. It is almost identical feature wise, obviously supporting the standard Cingular/Samsung UI.
Pros
- Excellent swivel 2mp camera with video.
- Thinnest clamshell in at&t's lineup.
- Award winning ease of use.
- Excellent battery performance.
Cons
- Huge. Bigger in dimension then the Sync, taller and wider. This actually makes the phone disappointing for the style conscious.
- Poor keypad. Forget handsfree dialing, and texting gets tougher. Its pretty slippery.
- Regression over innovation. Nothing totally new in the feature set. External display was curbed to 4 color for battery performance and the internal display uses smaller fonts and appears to be washed out.
My overall feeling is that the phone is a simple, safe phone for early 2007. Im shocked the size is so big and there was a lack of bells and whistles compaired to other US ultra edition handsets from Samsung. This phone is compared frequently to the m610 on Sprint but has nowhere near the "WOW!" factor.
It is not worthy of its huge price tag and is a mid level performer. I'd like to see more CDMA creativity, as the GSM product for Samsung feels dated.
Junk
Pros:
Good Volume
Good screen
Good camera
Cons:
Drops calls on a daily basis
Shuts off for no reason
Cheaply made
Took it into ATT three times and still drops calls.
This phone was a joke...
No Pros on this one people only cons...
Cons:
1) front screen was to small cant read who's calling you in the sunlight.
2) phone was uncomfortable resting on the ear and would hurt at times
3) sleek body but at times was difficult to hold in hand.
4) the phone only lasted me 6 months. 3 months of having it the interior screen snapped while closing it. This was not due to any force or being careless. I believe due to its sleekness this caused it to be a brittle phone.
5) the body scratched very easily and looked like garbage just after a few months of having it.
6) and the so called spin on the lens for your camera did not last and broke into month 5 of having it.
So in closing this phone was a horrible choice for me and if you are shopping for a new phone please do your homework and look around before you chose this one.
No Pros for this phone
A727
The Good:
1. Nice and thin, weight is nice.
2. Inside screen is real nice.
3. HSDPA locks and stays.
4. Good call quality, played with it around the mall and no drops.
5. Shares chargers with families other Samsung phones.
6. Reasonably priced for what it is, does most of the what the Razr2 does and significantly less money. And I think its a better phone.
7. Alot of good features.
The Bad (if ya can call it that):
1.Small outside lcd, if you can call it that, but to me its never been an issue, all I care about is caller I.D.
2.Plastic feel to it, but I think its more perception then reality. My kids drop their Sync's and A727's and no problems.
I've been impressed with Samsungs phones over the past year or so, they seem to try and give what most customers want and not beat their head over the cost. I also have an N75, except for the build quality (and I don't think its bad, but does feel plasticy) I think its a better phone.
very good basic phone
Pros: nice color display
large number display
bluetooth audio
3G
good voice quality
straightforward user interface
Cons: phone book only allows 2 numbers per entry
front audio controls hard to use
mp3 player takes too many steps to get to what you want
not as many accessory options as other music phones
USB sync cable sold separately
For those with less than perfect hearing or sight, this phone has a lot to recommend it; large color display, nice tactile feedback on keys, good sound quality and fairly loud. It's brushed metal exterior feels good in the hand. Voice quality was excellent.
Overall I think this is a very good basic phone, and this would be a great entry for someone who's either a bit older or pretty young, who's not into tiny keys and displays. It's a good basic mp3 player, though I thought it took too many steps to get to a preferred playlist. The picture quality was good on the camera, and I found it easy to use.
Someone considering this primarily for its mp3 player qualities might be disappointed that it lacks a standard headset jack (though it does offer bluetooth audio), and that it doesn't sync easily with audio apps like iTunes - files must be transferred manually and the USB cable is sold separately. It also doesn't have as many accessory options as something like the SE Walkman phones (which have accessories available like boombox docking stand/chargers and cables to attach the phone to your AV receiver).
Best Samung Yet
After owning many new phones of different brands, I'm particularly impressed with this new Samsung A717. It's very well made of high quality materials that look and feel that way. The keypad is very easy to use with great tactile feedback. Much better than any phone this thin. Unlike earlier models this Samsung has great RF reception, very good call clarity and a warm tone of voices. I'm on AT&T with a very clear and strong signal, there is no drop out issues at all. The menu system and UI speed is quick and consistent.
A large 2.3" brilliant display provides very rich colors with great contrast. Perhaps the best display yet, especially for a quick glance, very readable. The small OLED external display, near the top of the phone is perfect for time and date. Thus leaving the rest of the front flip with a very clean, crisp appearance.
This is a very light phone that slips easily into a pocket, without concern about scratching. The camera is a 2.0MP unit, that takes good pictures. The media player handles music files easily and the UI is easy to use.
Pros:
Large 2.3" brilliant display
Great call quality
Large keys with great tactile feedback
Well built from high quality materials
Good Camera
Excellent media player
Fast & Easy UI
Very good battery life
Cons:
None
Underwhelmed.....
I was pretty disappointed with this phone primarily because I expected more for the price.
Pros:
-Looks nice
-Screen
-Reception
-Call quality
Cons:
-No speaker independent voice dial
-Won't synchronize wiht Outlook
-Needs more volume
