Customer Reviews

Samsung BlackJack II Red Wine Smartphone (AT&T)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Personal background: I am a medical resident who loves tech/gadgets, and who has used a PocketPC (HP Ipaq 1910) since 2003 and a Blackjack (i607) since 2007. Previous cell phones include the Motorola RAZR and SLVR L7, a $300 Nokia way back in 1997, and some lame Moto clamshell before the RAZR. Currently an AT&T customer.

So I recently sold my Blackjack I on the world's favorite auction site and bought a Blackjack II (i617) from the same site. Here's my breakdown, but keep in mind that some pros and some cons are based on the phone and some on the operating system (Window Mobile 6). Anywayz...


The Good:
=====================

1. Design
I thought I would hate it when I saw the first images released months ago, and did not like the glossy appearance when I first tried one out at an AT&T store, but actually owning one now, I think it's great. The shape simply feels good in my hand. It is nicely weighted, but not too heavy or too light. The width is great, and is also not too wide or narrow. Obviously, this depends on your own hand size. The glossy surface I found I prefer to the matte/soft-rubbery surface texture of the original Blackjack. IMO, it looks much more upper-end than the original. The glossiness is not a big deal in terms of being a fingerprint magnet because there is not much exposed to the fingers, except for the soft keys. This device is not a fingerprint magnet like, say, a black iPod or a Sony PSP. Much attention has been paid to details, and it is a very clean design. No more "jog dial" on the right side (more on that later), and only a MicroSD port on the right and a proprietary port for power/headphones on the left, and both are covered with a removable and "swivel-able" cover. I compared this with various other smartphones including the Motorola Q9h and various Nokias and Blackberries, and think that they all look quite cheesy and tacky compared to the i617. Of course, design is subjective, but I really like the design.

-Scroll Wheel
The jog dial on the right side of the i607 is indeed gone, but not missed at all. I used the jog dial extensively on the i607 and so I was initially concerned that it would be a pain to navigate on the i617, but not so at all. The direction pad also functions as a spinning scroll wheel, and it works great. It cannot be adjusted for scroll speed, but it will scroll through contacts, mp3s in your library, etc., with much speed and ease. For menus, though, like the start menu, it is not as speedy but hardly slow or cumbersome. I find it much more comfortable to use than the jog dial on the old Blackjack or the Moto Q.

-Keypad
Improved significantly by slightly wider buttons. They do not seem much bigger, but the ease of typing has increased noticeably for me, and it is possible to type much quicklier. Also, the number pad are located next to each other which is an improvement over the i607.

-LED
Useful in that the light shines red when charging, and green when fully charged. Otherwise, not so useful in that there is no documentation of what magenta and blue lights signify, and no ability for the LED to continuously flash when there was a missed call/message. Still, better than no LED.

2. Performance:
Of course, performance matters more for a smartphone, and the i617 does not disappoint in any respect. The RAM memory has been upped from about 50MB on the Blackjack I, to about 100MB on the i617, while onboard storage memory ROM has been upped to approximately 150MB from about 50MB as well. The processor is an ARM 926E at about 300Mhz, a modest improvement from the i607. Basically, this all means that the i617 can handle programs with more ease and with better multitasking. It opens applications noticeably faster than the i607, and can handle more open applications at the same time. I personally have tried several third party programs, including Skype, SlingPlayer Mobile, Pocket Nester Plus (a Nintendo NES emulator), Garmin Mobile XT (GPS navigation software), Opera Mobile browser, and a variety of Skyscape medical software (including Tabers medical dictionary and Washington Manual), and all have run swiftly and smoothly. Also, Windows Mobile 6 runs at a decent speed on the i617.

3. GPS:
Built in GPS receiver is one of the best features of this phone. I have used it successfully, out of the box, with Google Maps, Microsoft Live Search, and Garmin Mobile XT without any problems in Baltimore, New York, and points in between. On average, it takes the i617 about 2-5 minutes to pick up the satellites from a cold start in the city. In certain locations, like the parking lot of Walmart in Baltimore, it picked up the satellites in 10 seconds from a cold start (e.g. turned on after being powered off)! Note, there are reports that some i617s do not have GPS enabled out of the box for use with non-TeleNav applications (e.g. Google Maps, Live Search, Garmin, etc.), but you can google the way that others have worked around this issue (involves hard resetting your phone until it works, or installing a hack... checkout modaco-dot=com for more details). The other great thing about GPS integrated is that you can use it in your car with only one charger to charge both GPS and phone, which is nice after using a bluetooth GPS receiver on my i607. And you will need a car charger as the GPS is a power hog.

One nice improvement over the i607 (not sure if it's the phone or WM6), but when actively using GPS in an application, the backlight will automatically not turn off, which is nice when you are using it in the car. On my i607, I would need to go to power management settings to turn the backlight on when using GPS and turn it off when I was done with it, which was a bit of a hassle.

4. Smartphone (and YouTube!)
Yes, it is great having a smartphone versus a cool, yet dull iPhone. You can use programs like Skype (works decently with 3G network), SlingPlayer Mobile (also works well with 3G), NES and SNES emulators (with individual games ~1/3 of a MB in size), all sorts of cool 3rd party software. YouTube works as well! Not with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, but with TCPMP (the core player mobile player) which is a free-download. I have sat in a deli in New York streaming YouTube clips in fullscreen (320x240 resolution) with minimal stuttering. It was a pretty cool experience.

Unlike the iPhone (a great phone otherwise), with a smartphone, not only can you use a huge number of 3rd party applications, but you can also easily hack your phone (search for i617 hacks) to change you start menu, get rid of the power on/off video and sounds, edit backgrounds, and basically change many things to your preference.

5. 8GB MicroSD:
Yes, you can use 8GB MicroSD cards! I have a Sandisk MicroSD that I bought for about $82 and it works without any problems. Supposedly, they will work on the original Blackjack as well.

6. Music/Video:
MP3s sound great on the i617 as they did on the i607. Videos look and sound great too, and can be easily created with freeware (like 3GP converter). I have made tons of TV show, movie, and music video files this way, and with a 8GB MicroSD card, you can store A LOT of media files on your phone. At least as much as the 8GB iPhone ;)

7. Ringtones:
You can, of course, use your own MP3 files as ringtones, which is great. Sadly, there is a size limit of 300KB per ringtone, but you can easily hack this so that you can use any size MP3 for a ringtone (involves a simple deletion of a registry key, which can easily be done).

8. 3G and Tethering:
3G is absolutely a required feature on any smartphone, and this will enable you to stream YouTube, SlingPlayer Mobile, etc., on your i617 without difficulty, and without need of a wifi hotspot and additional subscription fees. Also, you can USB "tether" this phone and use it as a high-speed modem for your laptop when you are traveling (especially in 3G regions)! How cool is that?

9. Various Preinstalled Applications:
I like using World Map (improved from i607), the PDF viewer (which sadly runs out of memory when trying to view the New York MTA subway map, but works fine with other PDF files I have used), the calculator, and especially the alarm (can set multiple alarms, with specific ring tones, and personalize-able days of the week and times).

10. Java:
Java is now included in the i617 so that you can use the gmail application (although I prefer the web-based gmail better) and other java applets.


The Mediocre:
=====================

1. Windows Mobile 6 (e.g. Office Mobile):
WM6 offers some improvements over WM5, the most noticeable and significant one perhaps being the inclusion of Office Mobile. With this, you can view Powerpoint, Excel, and Word files, and you can edit Excel and Word files. While nice, it is not that great as it is just not really feasible to edit or view a huge Excel spreadsheet on the tiny 2.4" screen, and the functionality and viewing options are limited and make navigating difficult. Word fares a bit better, and can be considered a useful addition. Powerpoint files, oddly, cannot be edited with Office Mobile, which is odd because PPT files are the only ones that can generally be viewed decently on the 2.4" screen. An entire slide looks decent when viewed on the screen, so long as it is not jam packed with text. It takes about 5 seconds to transition between slides, which makes it frustrating when viewing a long PPT presentation.

2. Battery Life:
Samsung improved upon the much maligned battery life of the original Blackjack (although unjustly so, IMO, as much of the drainage occurred as a result of the phone automatically switching between 3G and EDGE networks, which could be addressed by using a simple "hidden" application called "bandsel.exe" that is already present in the i607 \windows folder, to set the data network to only 3G or EDGE) by putting in a 1700mAh lithium battery as the standard battery. This is significantly larger than the 1100mAh standard battery of the i607, and almost the capacity of the 1800mAh extended battery of the i607.

Still, the i617, because of its better processor and the increased demands of WM6, drains more quickly than the i607. With the extended battery, my i607 would last easily over a full day of usage, but the i617 will struggle with heavy usage. Yet, I have not had problems with battery life, with moderate usage, and simply charge once a day. With average application usage (e.g. some video, music, other software) I can get about 4 hours of talk time before the battery dies. Personally, I would have preferred a 2000mAh and a slightly thicker phone. But most users probably do not need more battery life anyway.

3. Camera/Video

Camera was upped to 2 megapixels from 1.3, but still no flash or autofocus. Yet, pictures have turned out okay for me, and video recording has been decent, with ease of saving or sending recorded clips as multimedia messages, which is pretty cool.

4. ActiveSync:
ActiveSync has been pretty lame since I was using my HP Ipaq 1910 in 2003, and it is no different now. Still clunky and annoying to use. Not very useful in synchronizing website favorites, your Notepad entries, etc.


The Not So Good:
=====================

1. Proprietary Headphone/Power Connection:
This is annoying in two ways. First, that you need to buy Samsung headphones or use a clumsy 3.5mm adaptor to listen to audio. Second, because the jack is different than the i607 jack, so if you are upgrading from the Blackjack I, sorry, you need to get all new chargers and headphones. Annoying but at least the OEM headphones are decent.

2. Windows Media Player Mobile:
This is a WM6 problem, but it is lame how Microsoft did not improve serious design flaws in WMP10. Namely, the inability to designate a specific file for addition of songs to your library. Instead, you can only choose either "device" or "storage card," which is a problem if you have a lot of non-music audio files on the storage card, say, from your GPS navigation program. Thus, ALL FILES must be added to the library. A major annoyance that sadly was not addressed from WM5. Also annoying that you need to install a different media player (TCPMP) to watch YouTube videos. It would be nice to just watch videos straight form the mobile YouTube site. Luckily, TCPMP offers a good, free alternative to WMP mobile.

3. Lack of Accessories Included:
I did not really mind, but many people will not be happy that the i617 does not include anything except for a wall charger and USB cable. At least a set of headphones for that proprietary jack would have been nice. Otherwise, you can find good OEM stuff on that famous auction site or here on Amazon from 3rd party sellers.

4. No Lanyard Hole:
Strangely and presumeably for aesthetic reasons, Samsung has gotten rid of the lanyard "loop/hole" from the i607, meaning that you cannot loop a wriststrap/lanyard onto the i617. I was annoyed at the omission of a simple and obvious feature, but I have adjusted to being more careful with it but still find it aggravating that such a small feature was omitted.

5. Inability to "Map" Right Soft Key:
The old Blackjack had the ability to define/map the right soft key to be a shortcut for any application you choose, but they (Microsoft or Samsung?) have gotten rid of that ability, so it is stuck to opening your contacts list. There may be a way to hack this but I have not found one yet.

6. Less Functionality than Windows Mobile Professional (for PDA phones):
Yes, this is a WinMo Standard phone, so you have less functionality in a variety of settings, including a pretty watered down and simplified "tasks" which is quite useful in the PocketPC version.


The Bottom Line:
=====================

Whew! Apologies to anyone who wasted precious minutes of their lives reading this review, but really I cannot say enough about this phone. Finally, I have a smartphone that is nearly perfect for my purposes and lets me do just about as much with a phone as I ever wanted. Loved the Blackjack I, but this one is a HUGE improvement on the original. Easily the best smartphone on the market IMHO.

I've had this phone for about a week now, and I'm overall happy with it, but there are so many problems it has that detract from the experience. This is my first foray into smartphones, and I wanted something pocketable that synced with my company's Exchange server. I actually bought a T-Mobile Shadow first, but returned it because of three main reasons: slow mobile internet, the keyboard, and short battery life.

I'm happy to report the Blackjack does much better in all three areas. I never paid attention to what 3G was until I tried using the internet on the Shadow: the small screen with a slow processor, on a slow GPRS connection is a frustrating experience that negates the benefit of having mobile internet. Furthermore, the keyboard on the Shadow is just useless for typing in non-English words, like user names, e-mail addresses, passwords, etc. Finally, I found that even with minimal use, the Shadow was down to 2/3 bars battery life after a day. Talking to other people, I found that all smartphones have awful battery life: two days without a recharge is considered good, but still the Shadow's battery life is unacceptable for me.

The best thing about the Blackjack II is the blazing fast 3G internet. Even though the processor is still slow and takes time to render the page, I've still found it to be a great benefit. Lately I've been using it to look up product reviews and pricing while shopping in stores. The reception is also good- I can get a 3G connection from pretty much anywhere, whether in a high-rise shopping mall, in a basement store, or in my office at work. It's also fast enough that even if it had WiFi I wouldn't bother using it. The full keyboards is much easier to use too. Finally, even after a day of moderate usage of the internet, my battery is still at 3/3 bars. Also, I'd like to mention the wine red version I have has a nice, textured back. The standard black one has a cheaper-feeling fingerprint-prone plastic back.

The Blackjack II is far from a perfect though. The biggest annoyance in my view are how the device has been crippled. The way AT&T and/or Samsung have crippled the device are symbolic of the way wireless providers try to cram their business agendas down the consumer's throat instead of focusing on what the customer wants.

The biggest loss here is that the GPS seems to be intentionally crippled (search for "Blackjack II GPS"). There also seems to be problems with the reception on the GPS itself. With my device, I found that the GPS works out of the box with Google Maps, as long as I'm not around tall buildings. Windows Live Search however, requires a software hack, which is pretty ironic. So, I think the main problem is the reception isn't great to start with, but the fact that not all software works makes it hard to determine if it's a software bug, or if it's something I'm doing. But when it does work, it works great. I plan on mounting it in my car and trying it out there instead of spending money on a dedicated GPS.

Another crippled piece of the device its version of Java. Java is necessary to run the GMail app as well as the Opera browser (which is way better than IE Mobile), but Cingular/AT&T decided to put all sorts of security restrictions on Java. Basically, every time the app does anything with the internet, you need to approve it, kind of like that Mac commercial where they make fun of Vista ("approve or deny?"). It is possible to get around this with some major software hackery, but this is by no means easy, and even then there are just other problems.

Finally, there are two keys that go straight to some AT&T/Cingular web pages. I would love to re-assign those keys to something I use a regular basis, like Google Maps, but they not customizable. Again, I'm forced to hack the device to make it do what I want. And to add insult to injury, the "CV" key goes to a Cingular Video site which looks like it's permanently broken.

The rest of the things I don't like are just about Windows Mobile. They are simply too numerous to write about them all. Basically the UI sucks, lacks polish and requires major use of the directional pad to do anything. Compare it to the iPhone and Windows Mobile looks stone-age, which is pretty pathetic for something that's on version 6. If I were to sum it up, I would say Microsoft has set its bar at a "barely passable" user experience, whereas Apple focuses on giving a great experience.

So, overall it's a keeper, but I'm still frustrated about AT&T/Cingular still insist on putting selfish silly limitations on their phones instead of just making the customer happy, and how Microsoft continues to ship crap software and catch up only when someone like Apple or Google ships software that's actually desirable. In spite of all this though, the Blackjack II is saved by its awesome internet connectivity, and the semi-useful GPS that only works in the suburbs.

I've been using smartphones from the beginning - in fact, I've been using Palms since the time that they were owned by 3com and called "Palm Pilots" (somewhere around 1995 I believe). It took a lot to persuade me to make the switch from the Palm OS - which I still consider to be one of the most efficient operating systems for smartphones - to Windows Mobile, but now I am glad that I did.

This phone is an amazing piece of technology. Yes, I know, it is not an iPhone. But then again, it doesn't cost as much as a large screen television either! This phone, for about 1/5 of the price of an iPhone, is a value. One reviewer talked about annoyances with the phone, and yes there are some of those, but considering the price, I think it is well worth it.

Not since owning the Treo have I loved a phone so much. With Photo Contracts Pro installed, I have picture caller ID, identical to the iPhone. The 3g experience on the standard browser is remarkable, but if you purchase the Opera Broswer, again, much like the iPhone. BUT WITH 3G - who on earth puts out such a remarkably well designed technology like the iPhone but doesn't include the capacity to access the latest, high speed network? What a hugh mistake on Apple's part.

Did I mention the keys? Something that drives me crazy about the iPhone is the lack of a keyboard. Virtual keyboard? I don't think so. With the T9 type ahead initiated, the Blackjack is a real pleasure on which to type. Who needs push technology, my e-mail on this phone accesses regularly enough to keep on top of my clients' needs.

Now, let's discuss third party applications. I've already mentioned two of them that I use, but again, where are those applications for the iPhone - oh yeah, they hardly exist! Window Mobile software for Smartphones is abundant. Just check out pocketgear.com or smartphone.net, just to name a couple.

You'd be foolish not to check out this phone is you're in the market for a PDA-type phone that does it all. It's a great design and a great phone. Samsung does it right.

I didn't think I really needed a 'smartphone' but I was eligible for an upgrade so I did some research and decided to try the Blackjack II from Samsung. This is strictly for personal use (no work applications) but I've been pleasantly surprised that though I don't really need email or internet access it's fun to have and does come in quite handy when you least expect it. Texting is very convenient w/the QWERTY keyboard and the graphics are superb. Navigation is a cinch with either the trackball or keys and the camera takes terrific pics. I haven't tried the video yet, still need to upgrade my data plan for that. Having used this new type of phone for a while now I think it's safe to say I won't ever go back to a phone that "just makes calls"!

First I have to admit, I love the red color. Its a dark red so it looks black at night, but the main reason, the red Blackjack II has a snake looking back that has a firm grip. perfect, no finger prints!

The phone works great. I had other smartphones, but this one is slick and has a nice glossy screen. More color as well. It was easy to set up email and other applicants unlike my other phones, were I actually had to open numerous forums to figure things out.

Lastly, everything else is great, but the GPS is the main reason I got it. I am out in the boonies and it still works like a charm. I recommend getting a car charger because the GPS kills the battery. but I use this thing as a GERMIN, its perfect.

I have had this phone for about three weeks now and I love it. If you are looking for a Windowns Mobile device this is a great, inexpensive option. This is my first time using Windows Mobile and thus far I have enjoyed it. It functions better than your typical cell phone OS by leaps and bounds. I can't compare this to the Blackberry OS as I do not have experiance with that. Installing and removing programs is a breeze and customized ringtones, colors and wallpapers is euqally as easy.

My favorite part of this phone is that it actually functions very well as a phone. That may sound silly, but some phones now worry about the camera and software more than call quality. This has it all and I'd reccomend to anyone who would like an easy to use, Windows Mobile phone.

I purchased this phone about 6 months ago. I have enjoyed it so much more than my last BlackBerry (7100i). More intuitive, easier to use and I have not had any problems with it whatsoever. I highly recommend it to anyone with average or smaller than average fingers - the typepad may be a bit small for larger hands.

This was my first "smartphone". At first, I thought it was great. It had so many more features than my RAZRs and the PEBL I bought. The wheel was a nice touch as compared to pushing an arrow pad. The full keyboard was really refreshing too. I thought I was sold. The size was good as it fit in my pocket easily and was fairly easy to type on even with the tiny buttons (which are raised enough to press with my fat fingers).

Unfortunatly the fun stopped there...

The phone was a little buggy after about a month of using it. Nothing too major and easily overcome by removing the battery. Ok, so that was alarming, but fixable.

The wheel, as you have probably read on other reviews around the internet, is loose and unresponsive feeling.

I would lock the keypad, but would be unable to unlock it sometimes. A battery removal would be necessary.

Now onto the main event...

The service/reception abilities of this "phone" were absolutely embarassing. It would drop calls in "full bar" areas. It would have 1-2 bars and be unable to start a new call. It would drop current calls with 1-2 bars. It would need perfect placement to send a text message in low reception areas. All in all, an unbelievably bad phone.

So, if you do not have a need to put your SIM card into a device and just want a cool little gadget, get this piece of electronic technology. But if you are looking for a cell phone and you don't live 2 miles from your carrier's tower, look elsewhere.

In comparison, I now own a Blackberry brand phone...the call quality and call reception is miles beyond the capabilities of the Samsung Blackjack 2.

Before my original iPhone bit the dust (my own dumb fault) I had been awaiting the arrival of the Blackberry Bold (I had been a religious Blackberry user for just about ever) but since the release date kept getting pushed back and my phone died I had to get something. A lot of people I know have a Blackjack II and swear by it. So I gave in. I got this neat-o red one with the faux leather back, I must say it's a pretty nice looking phone. It works well for me. Texting is a breeze, the calendar is amazing, the software is pretty basic. It's a great basic PDA. Honestly it's better for me and what I need than the iPhone. I even synced it to my Apple with the MissingSync software. The only complaint is the delay when you get to typing fast. It's nothing too terrible but it can be annoying. Also could have used a car charger but it oddly did not come with one. Other than that it sounds great and works well.

Changes in my job required me to get a phone that can synch with Outlook. My boss has the original Blackjack, and I've always admired it's looks, so this phone seemed like a good choice. It's got a nice screen, tons of features, it's red, and at $0.01 it's a steal!

Once I recieved the phone, however, I realized how limited Windows Mobile 6 is. Not in its features, necessarily, but in how you use it. I found it really annoying to have to scroll up and down all sorts of menus to do basic tasks like calendar, internet, email, etc. The home screen is crowded and kind of a pain to navigate, although it shows you info on tasks, appointments, email, etc without having to dig into menus.

I was also frustrated by the spin wheel. It's a GREAT idea, and when it worked it worked well, but a lot of the time I'd think I was spinning but nothing happened on-screen. After looking closely at it and doing some test-spins, I realized that the wheel sometimes just doesn't move. I think this is because the grooves on that are circular, around the center, instead of radial away from the center, so it doesn't give much purchase to your finger when you spin.

Anyway, I know these are minor annoyances, and if I was 10 years younger I'd probably appreciate all the opportunities having Windows on your phone provides, but at this point, I just want a phone that works, is easy to use, and gives me the internet, maps, email, text, and photos.

It turns out that the iPhone is actually a BETTER deal than this phone. The iPhone data plan is $20 / month and includes unlimited data and 200 sms. The equivalent plan for the Blackjack would come to $35 / month. Over a 2-year period, this comes to a $360 difference. The iPhone is $399. Kind of a no-brainer for me. I got an iPhone, and haven't looked back. (Except to write this review).

(OH BTW, they're now selling refurb iPhone 8GB for only $250! So you'd be actually saving money! Just a thought...)

EDIT: I forgot to mention the sync problems I had with this phone. I know it's not Samsung's fault, but the ActiveSync app kept crashing and I got really frustrated trying to troubleshoot the problem. I never did get it working reliably. On the other hand, iPhone? Plug-and-play, baby! I'm actually a little concerned about the fact that iPhone 2.0 will be utilising ActiveSync, I've never found that app to work as promised.