Once the domain of Blackberry's range of professional handsets, front panel QWERTY keys have since found their way into the interfaces of affordable messaging phones. When it comes to cheap, the $99 Samsung SGH-A177 (available for prepaid customers via AT&T) sure makes a good case for itself.
While it's not going to win any favors for its lack of stylish flair, the SGH-A177 makes up for it in usability. With a great feel in the hand, it's easy to look past the plastic build and the uninspired form. Measuring 4.29 x 2.32 x .47 inches, it's pocketable and offers a very light feel. Physical controls aren't the softest but Samsung made them large enough to be easy to use.
Display is a 2.2-inch LCD, with a nominal 220 x 176 resolution. While images won't look great, text renders well enough while the smart, intuitive navigation runs with little lag. Suffice to say, that cheap panel serves its intended messaging purpose well. Keyboard is a bit tight, but offers decent travel and sturdy function. In fact, you might find typing texts and emails better here than a few more expensive handsets which chose to focus their hardware costs on other areas of the phone. Numbers weren't as easy to get used to, but it's the kind of thing you'll get the hang of eventually.
Apart from text and emails, it offers decent instant messaging and a WAP browser (though I doubt that kind of connectivity will be a major consideration for getting this device). Calls are good, for the most part, although the maximum volume level was a bit low for noisy environments, making it necessary to try and find a quieter area when you need to communicate without requiring the other person to yell.
With messaging as the main selling point, there's little else here in terms of other features. There's a basic music player (but the handset requires a non-3.5mm jack), a VGA camera and Bluetooth.
Remember when we said the Samsung Magnet should be available in a color other than orange? This handset is basically it, taking on pretty much the same guts, with a few differences in the controls and the obvious finish. If all you're looking for is a decent-looking phone with great messaging features, the Samsung SGH-A177 will do the job nicely. You won't get much extras, but for the price, this is as good a phone as you can probably get.
Photo Credit: Wapzon
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
A good phone for those who need it cheap with QWERTY keypad. A lot of people would love that.
Sony Ericsson T700 is a slim and smooth phone.good looking phone and cheap and affordable.