Samsung Renown U810 Phone, Brown (Verizon Wireless)

by Samsung

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2 x 3.9 x 0.7 inches ; 3.7 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001MS7BCO
• Item model number: SCHU810GNV
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #248,577 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

A great choice for global roaming, the Samsung Renown clamshell phone enables you to enjoy Verizon Wireless's reliable CDMA/EV-DO service here in the U.S. as well as access GSM wireless services in more than 200 destinations worldwide for voice and 150 global destinations for data. You'll be able to snap still images and videos wherever you roam thanks to the 2-megapixel camera, which includes NightShot capabilties that enhance the camera's capabilities in dark environments.

Roam globally with the built-in quad-band GSM connectivity and included SIM card.

This phone is compatible with the V Cast Music and V CAST Music with Rhapsody services, which enables you to purchase songs through your phone and download them via Verizon Wireless's fast EV-DO data network. You'll also benefit from the phone's A-GPS receiver, which enables you to access Verizon Wireless's VZ Navigator service for turn-by-turn directions. Other features include Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion (to 8 GB), access to mobile email and instant messaging, Visual Voice Mail, and up to 5 hours of talk time.

Global Connectivity
With the Samsung Renown, you'll be able to connect to wireless networks from Europe to South America to Asia thanks to its quad-band GSM/EDGE/GPRS connectivity. It comes pre-installed with a SIM card, so customers who plan to travel abroad can activate global service at the time of purchase or by calling Verizon Wireless prior to leaving the U.S. For those who travel abroad frequently, the company's Global Value Plan offers discounted roaming charges on calls made to and from 130 countries.

The Renown includes Bluetooth stereo music streaming, a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, and MicroSD expansion to 8 GB.

Verizon Wireless Service
With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, you'll enjoy fast access to the Internet and Verizon Wireless's multimedia services (additional charges applicable), with average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.) The V Cast Music service enables you to download songs instantly to your phone, or purchase music through your PC and transfer the files to your phone. If purchased from your phone, you'll receive two copies of the song: a Windows Media Audio Pro Plus format at 64Kbps stereo is sent to your phone, and a Windows Media Audio 9 format at 160Kbps stereo is sent to your account in the V CAST Music online store for downloading to your PC. V Cast Music offers nearly 2 million songs, with more being added all the time.

In addition to the V Cast Music service, this phone is also compatible with Verizon Wireless's V CAST Music with Rhapsody, which enables you to access this exclusive digital music service for RealNetworks and for MTV Networks. V CAST Music with Rhapsody delivers unlimited monthly access to music on up to three Rhapsody-compatible mobile phones and players and online on multiple PCs and Web browsers. In addition, customers who purchase music over-the-air are able to download the master copy of the songs or albums to their PCs free of digital rights management (DRM) software that restricts how and where music can be played.

The V Cast Video service enables you to stream or download video clips to your phone from a variety of news, entertainment, sports, and weather channels, including CNN, ABC News, E!, CBS Sports, The Weather Channel, and VH1.

With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access Verizon Wireless's VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps that can be quickly panned and zoomed. Other features include weather updates for a location without knowing the ZIP code, optional rerouting based on current traffic conditions, and a gas finder feature for finding recent gas prices in your area and getting directions to gas stations. And Verizon Wireless's Chaperone service lets you easily locate your loved ones from your cell phone or PC in real time. After defining a zone, such as an area designating a school or summer camp, you'll be sent an alert via text message when the Chaperone handset enters or leaves the zone.

With BroadbandAccess Connect (subscription required), you can use your smartphone as a modem for your notebook when you connect the two using a USB cable--or open a Bluetooth connection--enabling you to access the Internet or your company intranet. The tethered modem capability is ideal when you're traveling and need to use your notebook to check email, access corporate networks, or download large files like presentations and reports. And with BroadbandAccess Connect, you won't have to buy an extra PC Card or other devices.

Personalize your phone using the VZAppZone, a mobile marketplace that allows you to browse and purchase content and add-on applications. You'll get weather updates for up to five locations, news updates from Reuters, and a storefront for discovering and downloading ringtones, wallpaper and applications.

With Visual Voice Mail, you can delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions. Visual Voice Mail is the ideal tool for the busy mobile professional who may need to prioritize which messages he or she listens to first.

Get access to popular Verizon Wireless features, including V Cast Mobile TV and Music, VZ Navigator turn-by-turn directions, and Visual Voicemail.

Phone Features
The Samsung Renown has a stylish cocoa brown coloring with a glossy skin that catches the light. The exterior of the clamshell sports a 96 x 96-pixel LCD screen with support for 262K colors, and it displays the current time/date, battery life, signal strength, and incoming caller ID. It also has dedicated music playback keys below the screen. Flip open the phone the reveal the 2.3-inch main LCD screen, which has a 240 x 320-pixel resolution and a 262K color depth. It's complemented by a five-way navigation pad, send/end keys, and two soft navigation keys.

The phone has a 44 MB internal memory, which can be expanded via optional MicroSD memory cards (up to 8 GB in size). The internal phonebook can store up to 1000 contact entries with multiple phone numbers per entry and the ability to store one picture per entry. The phone also displays the most recent 90 incoming/outgoing/missed phone calls.

Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.

The 2-megapixel camera shoots images in five resolutions (1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240, 160 x 120 pixels) with a choice of three quality settings. It also features up to a 10x digital zoom (depending on resolution adjustment), brightness and white balance controls, multi-shot mode (Series, Divided and Panorama), self-timer, and three shutter sounds (including silent). The phone can also capture video clips, which are capped at 30 seconds for sending via MMS messaging or recorded for as long as you have available memory up to up to QVGA resolution.

Stay in touch with friends while you're on the go using SMS text messaging. When used in combination with the phone's built-in still camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The phone also comes with a built-in web browser for downloads and mobile web browsing. T9 predictive text entry technology makes it easier for entering text while composing email and text messages.

Other features include:

• Personal Organizer: Alarm Clock, World Clock, Calendar, Calculator with Converter, Stop Watch, Notepad
• Includes 12 polyphonic ringtones; also compatible with downloadable real-music ringers
• USB connectivity with mass storage capabilities
• Advanced speech recognition
• Digital audio player compatible with MP3, WMA, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+
• Video player compatible with MPEG4, WMV, H.264, H.263
• Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BPP (basic printing profile for text, email), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures), PBA (transfer contacts)
• Hearing Aid Compatibility = M3/T4

Vital Statistics
The Samsung Renown weighs 4.05 ounces and measures 3.87 x 1.95 x 0.69 inches. Its 800 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 320 hours (13.3 days) of standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/1900 frequencies as well as Verizon Wireless's EV-DO data network; it also has quad-band GSM connectivity (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) for roaming outside the United States.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not all bad!, December 29, 2009

By 

silver6054 (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Samsung Renown U810 Phone, Brown (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)

I have had the renown for a year and am fairly happy with it. BUT, that is because I can use it for voice and text abroad with unlocked third-party SIMs. It is good for that.

If you don't plan to use a phone outside the US, there is NO POINT in getting the Renown. It has a basic feature set and there are much more capable phones available from VZ for use in the US.

As another reviewer points out, data functions don't work in GSM mode, so if you need internet etc access abroad, this is not the phone for you! (You will need one of the quad-band PDAs or blackberries for that, and for international 3G, the VZ choice is even more limited).

The Renown is good for basic (voice and text messaging only!) in GSM regions. If you keep the Verizon SIM, people can call you on your US number, but you will pay large roaming fees. If you get it unlocked, you can use cheap third-party SIMS to keep costs down, but you will have a different phone number. The savings can be significant, UK to US can cost about 6 cents per min with a local UK SIM, whereas VZ charges $1.29 per minute, or 99cents per minute with an additional cost plan.

If you don't mind having two phones, the alternative to the renown is to by a cheap prepaid GSM phone in the country you are visiting (some cost about $8 in the UK), and spend your money on a nice US phone for here!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Crippled GSM mode!!!!!, September 3, 2009

By 

David Seaman "rexracerx4" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Samsung Renown U810 Phone, Brown (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)

Verizon touts this as a world phone. Indeed, voice and simple text services are functional in GSM countries. BUT, when operating in GSM mode, ALL the data functions are disabled. This means NO email, internet, MMS, GPS, etc... For me, this was terribly frustrating. The phone doesn't have a very impressive feature set to begin with, but to have it reduced to such basic functionality is really disappointing.

Also, battery life is very short, and the media player interface is ugly and awkward enough to render it unusable.

If you're thinking of unlocking it and using it around the world (with different SIM cards) as I did, you'll be disappointed.

Not so happy with this thing!

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware of third party contract, July 11, 2009

By 

Garrett Hughes "GAH" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Samsung Renown U810 Phone, Brown (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)

If you purchase this phone with a contract from the Amazon site, it appears that you are entering into a contract with Verizon Wireless. In fact, you will be entering into two contracts: one with Verizon and another much more restrictive contract with another company. It's only when the phone arrives and you read the warning about the possibility of a $250 charge if you first contact Verizon for service, that you realize something is drastically amiss. When I questioned the third party phone rep about this she stated that I should be aware of this from having read their contract. Turns out they sent me an email. You must click on a URL buried in the email which takes you to a site that displays that contract. The first thing that comes up on the screen is a long Verizon Wireless contract followed by a very brief third party contract that is less than comprehensive.

One reason my wife and I purchased these phones for use abroad is because Verizon indicated that I would be able to switch out the SIM card for another - after 60 days of continuous use. The third party agreement makes that a 181 day waiting period or else big $$$ charge. Gotcha! The third party website shows the same phone with the Verizon contract having the capability to connect to Microsoft Outlook - "software provided." No such capability exists according to Verizon technical support. In fact I was directed to Verizon technical support by the third party phone rep because "We don't provide technical support." Huh!?

The phone itself is designed with a major technical flaw. The antenna is located in the back of the hand grip - in fact, there's a warning message printed on the phone not to hold the phone there while using it. Huh?!

And that final rebate promised - you guessed it - you have to wait 181 days before you can submit it. You only find that out when you go out to the rebate website.

And make sure you get the phones back to the third party distributer within 7 days if you want your money back. And be prepared for half-hour wait times if you call the third party distributor. And be prepared to wrestle with Verizon after you terminate the contract if you get the phones back on time, because Verizon whips out an early termination fee bill much faster than you can imagine. One wonders what their 30-day customer satisfaction policy really means?

This story has a happy ending - believe it or not. After many phone calls and hours of wait time, we got a promise of getting all our money back from everyone - not easily - but nevertheless. My wife eventually bought an unlocked Motorola V197 from Amazon for overseas use with a SIM from Cellular Abroad - a much simpler solution and much more cost effective. I'm sticking with my Samsung ip830W which after two years of use has finally been unlocked by Sprint. Dealing with Telecom Italia will seem easy after this. Buon viaggio!