SAMSUNG SCH U740 GOLD VERIZON CELL PHONE CAMERA VCAST

by Samsung

Product Features

• Uniquely Designed Flip Phone With Dual-hinge To Expose A Full QWERTY Keyboard
• Bluetooth Wireless Technology
• 1.3 Megapixel Camera Takes Crisp Photos and Videos
• Built-in MP3 Player
• Verizon Wireless VCAST Supports Streaming TV, Music and Downloadable Music

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Texting is fun, fast, and convenient. Now, with the u740, it's also stylish. Thanks to Samsung's dual-hinge design, a full QWERTY keyboard can fit in a mobile phone that's both slim and good-looking. Of course, the u740 does a lot more than text. It's a multimedia player, and the built-in 1.3-megapixel camera can take beautiful photos and videos. Other features include Bluetooth wireless technology, EV-DO high-speed data, a memory card slot, advanced voice dialing, dual color displays, and more. With support for Verizon Wireless' exciting V Cast service, the u740 is the definitively chic Verizon device, and the perfect complement to Verizon Wireless service.

Design
The u740's most prominent design feature is the clever dual hinge design that allows the phone to be used as a traditional clamshell, or as a tablet-style messaging device. Flipping the clamshell open reveals a full QWERTY keyboard, with keys that double as a dial pad. The internal 176 x 220 screen supports over 262,000 colors, while a secondary screen displays essentials, such as time, battery strength, and more. The secondary screen can even be set to display a cool analog clock. The phone's 1.3-megapixel camera is housed just above this display. Convenient music control keys are located on the outside of the handset, just under the secondary display, giving you total music control without needing to open the handset. The phone also sports hold and volume keys on the left side, and a speaker key on the right side. Meanwhile, the u740's internal antenna means there's nothing to snag in your pocket, and the included TransFlash/microSD memory card allows you to supplement the phone's internal memory. Lastly, a USB data port is provided for easy data transfer, and your favorite handsfree device can be paired with the u740 via Bluetooth for total handsfree calling.

Calling Features
The u740 boasts powerful calling functions, such as an integrated speakerphone that makes it easy to converse without touching the handset--a big plus for car users. Meanwhile, speaker independent voice dialing makes it easy to call contacts by simply saying their names. No prior voice training is required and you can even speak individual digits to the phone for quick dialing of numbers you know by heart. And, as previously mentioned, because the u740 is Bluetooth enabled, wireless headsets can be configured with the phone for total handsfree operation.

The u740's internal memory can hold up to 500 contacts for quick access to email addresses and phone numbers. The phone lets you easily assign pictures as well as ringtones to your most common callers. In addition to vibrating alerts, the phone supports polyphonic ringtones, as well as recorded ringtones you make yourself. A number of ringtones come preloaded on the phone and more ringtones can be downloaded from Verizon's Get It Now service. Lastly, the u740's GPS location technology pinpoints your exact location when you dial 911.

If desired, the onboard GPS feature can do more than give your current location to emergency personnel. The u740 is fully compatible with Verizon's VZ Navigator service, a feature that provides all the bells and whistles of an advanced navigation system on your mobile phone at a fraction of the price of other GPS devices and systems. The VZ Navigator service provides heads-up, voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions (with auto-rerouting if you miss a turn), local search of nearly fourteen million points of interest (POIs) in the United States, and detailed color maps that can be quickly panned and zoomed. With VZ Navigator, you'll know where you are, know what's around you, and know how to get there fast (additional Verizon charges apply).

Messaging, Internet, and Tools
The phone's support for multimedia messaging means that text, photos, video, and audio can be sent with ease (Verizon messaging charges apply). When used in combination with the u740's built-in camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. There's also a built-in Web browser for downloads and mobile Web browsing. Verizon's optional Mobile Web 2.0 package allows you to read and send emails, exchange instant messages, and view your favorite Web content. You can check your email, trade stocks online, compare prices while shopping, access flight information, get movie listings, and find directions to the theater. T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit--a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, the u740 is fully compatible with Verizon's V Cast service. With V Cast, you can download and stream high-quality video. Need news and weather? Get the latest Accuweather forecast delivered right to your handset, or stream CNN news headlines. ESPN sports updates, entertainment news from E!, and even Sesame Street content for the kids, are all available. V Cast also serves as a portal for enhanced 3D games, making it possible to have more fun with a new breed of realistic games. Learn more about V Cast.

Verizon's music service is another EV-DO-powered service that makes the u740 all the more desirable. With V Cast music, your phone is a music player, letting you jam out wherever you are. It's also a music store, and you can download songs instantly to your phone. Save your songs to a memory card with a capacity that's right for you. You can even pause to take a call without missing a beat. View the V Cast Music demo.

A number of handy software tools are bundled with the u740 including a voice memo recorder, a calculator, a calendar, and an alarm clock.

The u740 is chaperone capable, a feature that allows you to always know where the user is, be it a child, a baby sitter, or a teenager on her first date. And because the u740 is chaperone parent capable, you'll be able to define a zone or a specific area, such as a school or summer camp, and when your family member enters or leaves the zone with their handset, Verizon will automatically send an alert to your phone with the time and location of your family member's handset (additional charges may apply).

Imaging and Entertainment
The phone's 1.3-megapixel camera features a flash, zoom options, and a host of automatic and manual camera functions that you'd expect from an advanced digital camera. You can even choose the shutter sound to truly customize your phone. With the u740, you'll never have to worry about forgetting your digital camera again. The u740 can capture video, too.

EV-DO Wireless Broadband Coverage
Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.

Vital Statistics
The Samsung SCH-u740 weighs 3.60 ounces and measures 3.84 x 2.04 x 0.58 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.50 of digital talk time, and up to 200 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 850/CDMA 1900 frequencies. The phone comes with a one-year limited warranty.

Note: The u740 supports the Wireless Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking and Object Push for vCard. It does not support all Bluetooth Object Transfer (OBEX) Profiles.

Product Description

Form meets function as you open the u740 in portrait mode to take and make calls, then switch to landscape mode to type messages, check email or surf the web. Sending text messages and emails is a breeze with a QWERTY Keyboard. Open the u740 in landscape mode and type. Download and view video on the multimedia capable u740 and while you are at it,download and play music and more with V CAST Music. With optional accessories, enjoy hands-free operation utilizing a Bluetooth Car Kit or Bluetooth Mono Headset. You can also sync your phonebook with your computer so your contacts are always up to date.

Product Details

• Item Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• ASIN: B000ND01Q2
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,333 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost There!, March 26, 2007

By 

Tahir J. Naim (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: SAMSUNG SCH U740 GOLD VERIZON CELL PHONE CAMERA VCAST

I bought this phone March 25, 2007 and am still working things out. The sound is good for calls and MP3.

Dialing - Dialing by voice works very well and without "training" the phone, whether it's my entries by name or I recite the phone number. I like it, but my Motorola V710 was pretty good too.

Speakerphone - It's loud enough, but I'm not confident about the pickup mic yet.

Bluetooth - I kept my old Motorola bluetooth headset and it was easily found by this phone. My connection has been crackly, but I'm not sure why.

Video Messaging - I just took my first video (up to 15 secs) and sent it to a friend. I'm told the sound came through also. Very cool! I still think it would be more efficient to have the option of voice messaging without accompanying video, but I'll live.

Video Viewing - Some buffering glitches, but I watched a couple Comedy Central vids and a Wall St. Journal one and the sound and video were as good as on my computer (for the size of the screen). I think they should have gone a little larger on the handset. With a bluetooth headset and voice dialing no one sees how big my cell phone is any more and why shouldn't it be my mini-TV with phone capabilities? I suspect the Apple iPhone will do the better job in this regard (but at about double the price).

MP3 Player - Adding and deleting songs is easy. A major drawback though is that playlists one creates on the computer do not come through as playlists on the phone. You have to tag each track on the phone as part of a particular playlist. I had a playlist with 66 tracks on it and no way do I want to repeat that effort! There does tend to be occasional skipping on playback though. The external touch keys are a great idea and work very well now that I'm familiar with them. Touch play/pause briefly and you toggle between the two. Touch that key longer and it's back to the phone. There's also Skip Ahead and Skip Back touch keys. The headphones that come with the VCast are ridiculously small for my head so I went to the Samsung website and bought the adapter so I can use my Bose headphones. Ah ha! The adapter arrived and I still can't use my Bose headphones until I purchase an adapter for the adapter! It takes the tiniest headphone plug rather than the mid-size one that the Bose uses. Assuming I can get such a beastie at Radio Shack (or find my old one) I'm still excited, but the volume toggle on the side of the phone is pretty close to where you put in the headphone jack. Not too smart there, but I can still use it and I'm not messing with volume too much (forgot to check if there's a built-in equalizer).

Keyboard - I like the QWERTY keyboard though it's a little small, but good for the occasional e-mail and I seem to be getting used to it.

Texting - I think voicemail makes more sense than messaging, but the texting feature works. I thought it had voice recognition software for voice to text, but it does not so you're stuck using the keyboard. You get used to it, but why can't I just send a voicemail via text like I can with the Pinger service? Well, Verizon!

Scheduler/Address Book - I have been waiting years now for a cellphone with a good address book/scheduler that I can use to replace my Sharp YO-520. We're almost there. One can schedule appointments in this device very easily, but only 8 for any given day! Further, that small keyboard means I'm more likely to send myself a future-dated voicemail (though there are limits to how far in advance Verizon lets you do that (hint, Verizon!)). My Sharp organizer has 1MB of memory and lets me enter as much info as I want per entry in my address book. This device only lets me enter a name, some phone numbers and e-mail addresses and some notes and limits the number of characters that I can use per entry and I have 2GB of added memory in here. The Verizon backup only is for names, numbers, e-mail, so any addresses or other info you enter is not backed up. Hello! This has got to change! The cellphone companies can't claim that these will be the only devices we need and then do nothing to make that claim reality. For now, I'm still carrying the Sharp along with this phone, and starting to use my Yahoo! calendar as I can text message a reminder of an appointment that way (Google calendar works also) but I really, really want to be able to have my entire address book online and on my cellphone. You would think the cellphone companies would be giving serious consideration to a "sticky" feature like that. There is a "Notepad" feature, but that's not linked to the address book.

Mobile Web - I've been paying for this for years and now I can use it decently. I check one of my Yahoo! accounts, but haven't figured out how to check all of them yet. However, some nights there is no web access and I'm in Silicon Valley, go figure!

Other Features - There's a world clock and a stop watch setting. I don't think you can do split times with the stop watch.

Optional battery charger - I had to go on the Samsung website for this (along with the headphone adapter for my headphones). I was expecting it to have its own power cord, but instead you have to use the one that comes with the phone (better not lose that!).

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Richie D, March 13, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: SAMSUNG SCH U740 GOLD VERIZON CELL PHONE CAMERA VCAST

The thing I love most this phone besides the side flip out screen and easy keyboard for texting is the size and thickness of it.No bigger than a razor phone.No antenna sticking out is great too !I like the carbon fiber look wrapped around the outer screen.Both screens inner & outer very bright and colorful.Great reception anywhere.Mp3 works great as long as you get the music essential kit from verizon.Takes great pictures too ! They print out a little on the dark side,but nothing a good photo program cant fix.Battery life is great.I like the memory slot being on the side.Easy to get to.The wallpaper and ringtones are lame so plan on downloading some.All in all though an excellent phone.Love it !

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Clarification & Correction of some of the reviews, May 13, 2007

By 

Fred R. Suza "fredbillie" (Katy, Texas (Houston suburb)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: SAMSUNG SCH U740 GOLD VERIZON CELL PHONE CAMERA VCAST

One reviewer indicated that there was no speech to Text feature. There is.In the Text message screen press the left soft key that shoes Abc. One of the options is Voice. That reviewer indicated that you could not attach a note to the address information. If, when you are in the address book, you scroll down far enough, you will find the NOTE field.

Another reviewer indicated that the Landscape mode did not allow for full view with games, etc. I believe a press of the "UP" navigation key presents a full picture, at least it does in Vcast (I don't have any games).

All the reviews were, generally, right on. I might mention that one reviewer felt he had to use a USB cable for pictures or perhaps MP3s. The use of a memory card can accomplish the same thing, and, for Mac users, it solves the problem of not having the Windows video player for MP3 downloads and the implication that us Mac people are out of luck (we are not).

As a matter of interest I would like to mention that Quicktime (the latest version) can convert any picture format it can read into a 3g2 export (the native format of the carriers video handling scheme). I was able to convert a 90 minute video of a play captured in MPG2 that was playable in Quicktime to a 3g2 movie and place it on my memory card. How about watching an hour and a half movie on this phone!