The Samsung Shark 2 S5550 is the most sophisticated of the three models in the new Shark line, bringing a few high-end touches to complement the mid-range handset's feature set. A few years ago, this slider would have been considered high-end; today, it still sounds like a mighty good device on paper.
Physically, it shares the same sharp and sleek design language as the other Shark phones (like the Samsung Shark S5350). It feels good in the hand, with a sturdy build and a smooth sliding mechanism (although you can feel it move sideways ever so slightly). The phone can be operated even without sliding open, which works out perfectly since both the navigation array and the keyboard are done excellently.
The handset comes with a 2.2-inch AMOLED screen with a satisfactory 320x240 resolution. That makes for nice, sharp details, coupled with rich colors - a rarity for sliders nowadays. While the display is clear even from odd angles, it does wither considerably under sunlight. By the way, the decision to use a proprietary port (for both USB and audio) is just grating.
As a phone, the S5550 only manages average calls, with voices coming out sharp and monotonous for the most part. There was plenty of volume and you can make out conversations - they're just not as natural-sounding as we would have liked. Speakerphone feature worked the same way, with lots of volume but unsatisfactory quality. Battery life is rated at 11.7 hours, which is crazy. It looked good on tests, too. My guess is this can go on for an easy four to five days of regular use without requiring a recharge.
Samsung hasn't updated their non-touch interfaces for a while and the Shark series bears that all-too-familiar design as well. It's fast and it gets the job done, but it's completely unexciting. All the standard features are here - messaging (SMS, MMS, email and IM, the latter via Palringo), PIM tools, music player (the same one Samsung's been using for years, which is decent), stereo Bluetooth and video playback (MPEG4, no DivX/Xvid).
One notable omission is the lack of much bundled apps - no special software to help you run social networking services, for instance. The browser works fine, but renders complex pages poorly and offers very marginal navigation. Its 5.0 megapixel camera is a saving grace, though, delivering good quality of images with a decent amount of editing options. Video is great too, at 30fps.
Overall, the Samsung Shark 2 S5550 could have been great - if they went after a better user-experience on the software side. As it is, though, it's an adequate mid-range phone with some notable strengths, namely a gorgeous screen, flawless keypad, a good camera and generous battery life. Not bad at all.
Samsung Shark 2 S5550 Brings Some High-End Touches To Boost Its Mid-Range Featuresunratednoel2010-02-04 17:57:29
Phone ReviewsSamsung Shark 2 S5550 Brings Some High-End Touches To Boost Its Mid-Range Features
The LG Shine II first appeared across some leaked photos back in the summer. This time, the fashion-friendly phone goes official after LG USA announced its availability under mobile carrier AT&T.
While I don't exactly get the appeal of supposed "fashion phones," the second-generation Shine offers capable talents that bring more to the table than just its minimalist but stylish slider aesthetic. As with its predecessor, LG throws in an attractive set of versatile mid-range features to go with the sleek, female-targeted lines.
Phone details include a 2.2-inch mirror LCD (yes, it can double as vanity mirror when you turn the display off), onboard GPS (with AT&T Navigator), a 2.0 megapixel camera module, Java 2.0 support (with access to LG's App Center) and 3G connectivity. It comes pre-filled with a number of apps and services, including YellowPages Mobile, a wireless web browser, mobile email and AT&T video streaming.
AT&T will debut the LG Shine II on November 22, with pricing pegged at $119.99 on a two year contract (after a $50 rebate). Yep, that's a full $20 more than the iPhone 3G in the same network, which is a really odd decision. Honestly, there's no incentive to buy this phone, unless the design particularly appeals to you.
[via Yahoo Finance]
Fashion-Friendly LG Shine II Now Official, Sounds A Bit Overpricedunratednoel2009-11-18 13:42:50
NewsFashion-Friendly LG Shine II Now Official, Sounds A Bit Overpriced
The Samsung SGH-T659 isn't going to win any design awards - it looks like it came out back in 2005. In fact, the aesthetics are a tad too painful to bear. However, it does come with a decent set of features at a good price, including 3G connectivity, that should make it worth the consideration.
Why Samsung outfitted a phone in this style is beyond me. Best I can think of is that there's a segment of the market that's more comfortable with this type of slider and they're looking to service that. With slim lines and a good weight, it actually handles quite nicely, along with a very sturdy build.
The 2.25-inch screen manages 320 x 240 pixels, with an affable-looking display quality. I particularly appreciate the larger fonts, along with the spacious navigation array. While it's safe to say I don't care much for the T659's looks, it is an extremely usable basic phone. Minus points for the flat keypad, though, which makes texting a bit uncomfortable.
As a phone, the SGH-T659 facilitated excellent quality voice calls, with exceptionally clear and natural sound. It lacks just a little bit more of volume, though, making it difficult to use in extremely noisy places. The speakerphone was average. Battery is rated at five hours talk time and, by all indications, that seemed accurate.
Like we said, the phone comes with 3G. It's a welcome ability, although the device is limited to a WAP browser (no full HTML here), which dampens the experience a bit. Basic features are all available, including IM and POP3 emails. More premium capabilities include a 2.0 megapixel camera (very good quality, with plenty of editing options), onboard GPS (Telenav services) and stereo Bluetooth. The music player is extremely basic and you'll need to pop in an SD card to get content into the phone (it only comes with 80MB of storage).
While unexciting, the Samsung SGH-T659 is a decent handset for the $69 asking price (on a two-year contract with T-Mobile). The lack of an HTML browser to take advantage of the 3G connectivity is disappointing, though.
Via: Mobiledia
Samsung SGH-T659: Dated Design, 3G Speeds, No HTML Browserunratednoel2009-09-16 10:01:50
Phone ReviewsSamsung SGH-T659: Dated Design, 3G Speeds, No HTML Browser
The Sony Ericsson C905a represents the cream-of-the-crop of the company's Cyber-shot line (at least, until Satio comes around). With a high-resolution 8.1 megapixel camera, a stylish modern design and the latest features you can expect from higher-end models, it's among the most attractive camera phones available with carrier subsidy in North America.
Like all Cyber-shot phones, there's really no place to start dissecting the C905a other than its souped-up optics module. Among the camera's offerings include four different picture resolutions, numerous photo settings (five color effects, five white balance choices and two quality types), macro mode, an image stabilizer, an infinite focus mode (for long-distance photos), phototagging and various shutter sound options. Suffice to say, there's plenty to play around with when using the camera's very good UI.
Photo quality is among the best we've seen in today's range of 8 megapixel camera phones. It's personally my favorite out of every one I've tried (e.g. LG KC780, Nokia N86), capably producing images with bright colors, rich tones and plenty of detail. A built-in camcorder is also on-board, although it pales in comparison to the still shooter, only able to come up with very average-quality images.
From the back, the C905a looks more like a camera than a phone, largely because of the sliding lens cover. It's a bit bulky than most newer phones we're used to, but it's a moderate sacrifice for a very capable camera handset. It sports a slider form factor with standard T9-style keys. Overall build, including the sliding mechanism, feels solid.
Sony has always been good with display panels and the 2.4-inch LCD on the C905a is quite stunning to look at. Interface should be quite familiar to users of many of AT&T's feature phones - it's good, but nothing particular noteworthy.
As a phone, it offers excellent voice performance both on the handset and the speakerphone, with a standard set of call and messaging features. Users can expect SMS, MMS, IM and mobile e-email (with a good set of supported providers, although no Exchange support).
Most notable of the C905a's other features are the 3G connectivity (which allows for decent web browsing, as well as support for AT&T's wide range of broadband services), an excellent music player (almost as good as some of their Walkman phones), and a slew of built-in apps and games. One glaring sore thumb, though, is the lack of a 3.5mm headset jack.
The Sony Ericsson C905a is an excellent phone, especially if you're in the market for the best camera handset you can get your hands on. Available from AT&T for $179.99 with a two-year contract, it's also pretty competitively priced.
Sony Ericsson C905a Cyber-shot Offers Great Stills, Good Music Playback, Camera-Like Aestheticsunratednoel2009-07-20 23:18:01
Phone ReviewsSony Ericsson C905a Cyber-shot Offers Great Stills, Good Music Playback, Camera-Like Aesthetics
Offering a nice break from the glut of messaging feature phones, the LG LX370 is a slim slider handset with some nifty talents. What you don't get in messaging convenience, you easily gain in the form of a solid set of mid-tier features.
There's really no single marketing angle for the LX370, which is usually bad since that usually means it doesn't offer anything different. On the case of this handset, it's not such a big problem because it fits in plenty of functionality, all while performing them handily up to par.
Physically, it isn't a bad-looking phone, as much as it is ordinary. Regardless, it touts a pleasant appearance, coupled with a sturdy build and a good slider mechanism. In fact, if you have no desire for a QWERTY keyboard or touch display, the LX370 may be one of the best mid-range options in Sprint's inventory.
Display is a 2-inch LCD, with a 240 x 320 resolution. As you can imagine, the fonts are a bit on the small side, although the screen shows them very clearly, with sharp lines and beautiful color. It uses the same customizable One-Click navigation now common in many Sprint phones that makes it easier to access menus and applications.
As a feature phone, the LX370 lives up to the billing. It ships with a full web browser, aGPS, access to numerous Google services (including Maps and YouTube), instant messaging, IMAP and POP3 email (including AOL Mail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and Gmail) and Outlook Web Access support. Call quality is very impressive on both ends of the conversation, with voices coming through loud, clear and natural.
It comes with EV-DO Rev A, which allows you to access Sprint's suite of broadband offerings. Streaming video is surprisingly very good, with little lag in the framerate, if any. It uses Sprint's music interface, which allows for basic playback controls, including playlists. A 2.0 megapixel camera is also on board, which, as far as I can tell, is the phone's only real weak spot. Image quality is way below average, teetering on the realm of mediocre. Other features include Bluetooth, expansion card support (16GB) and a bevy of standard phone apps.
The LG LX370 doesn't stand out from any pack, either with its looks or capabilities. What it does is offer a very solid option with good support for most common features mid-tier consumers are looking for. It's not the flashiest phone you will find, but - as far as we can tell - is as dependable as you'll need your handset to be.
LG LX370 Review: A Solid Mid-Tier Sliderunratednoel2009-07-01 04:06:54
Phone ReviewsLG LX370 Review: A Solid Mid-Tier Slider
