Samsung BlackJack
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Posted on 2007-05-14 13:43:10
If being slim and sleek is in vogue, why should mobile phones lag behind? Cingular, Samsung and Microsoft have teamed up to create the BlackJack Smartphone which has leveraged the latest functionality in Microsoft's Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system as well as catered to the booming demand for the ultra slim form factor.
The phone flaunts impressive dimensions of 4.4 inches by 2.3 inches height by 0.5 inches, weighing in at a mere 3.49982363315697 ounces (okay, so maybe they aren’t all that exact). Its gorgeous features include the backlit QWERTY keyboard and a dazzling display with 320x240 resolution and 65K colors. It is a well crafted combination of technology and grace in and is a great means of business use as well as entertainment and personal purposes.
Samsung's foray into the Windows Smartphone sector has positioned BlackJack against the well known competing devices, such as the Moto Q phone and the T-Mobile Dash. But the BlackJack is visibly slimmer than the Motorola Q, and also boasts much better navigation (the back button is well located, unlike the Q).
BlackJack claims to have introduced a technology that would take your life to higher power, doing things in a much more simplified yet smarter mode. It's a tiny 3G world phone that works on Cingular's latest 3rd generation, high-speed UMTS/HSDPA wireless networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHZ); essentially you can use this phone all over the world.
Microsoft-based cell phones can be broadly categorized into Pocket PC Phones and Smartphones. The Pocket PC Phones are full function PDAs with touch screen and an exhaustive range of applications. But for the Smartphones , the phone features are given priority followed by selective PDA applications. Smartphones are usually devoid of touch screens and optimized for single-handed operation.
Unlike most Pocket PC phones which feel clunky, the BlackJack feels comfortable against the face. Further, attributes like the thumbwheel, five way navigation, 1.3 mega-pixel digital camera, video recorder with 2x digital zoom, Bluetooth 2.0 support (up to six connections) - all add to the list of things we liked about the BlackJack.
Windows Mobile is equipped with the 'direct push' technology for receiving wireless emails. Coupled with this facility, the built-in Microsoft Explorer Mobile function gives the Smartphone users an extra edge in internet browsing, which comes in handy for on the go web surfing.
The Blackjack comes loaded with a 220 MHz Texas Instruments processor and sports 64mb of RAM as well as 128mb ROM and also includes a microSD memory slot. The device comes with two 1,200 mAH power-packed Lithium-ion batteries that would last approximately 13 hours with normal use. If you check your mail every thirty minutes, then the battery can lust up to 24 hours! Perhaps this method of reading emails will even add some productivity to your life, as evidenced by this article.
Turning your focus on the display, the BlackJack is truly a beauty. It's clear, bright and easy to read resolution will make your eyes happy. The screen dimensions are measured conveniently to make more room for the keyboard. Though this feature makes reading of e-mails easier, it cuts down on the information display on
the homepage, unless one utilizes the scroll key. However, the thumb wheel placed on the right, similar to a BlackBerry and the Moto Q, undoubtedly enhances the scrolling pace. The five-way controller placed just under the screen handles most of the navigation duties. It lets you move up, down, left or right — with a button in the middle to enter a specific program or page.
The BlackJack can well be identified as a media-capable Smartphone as Cingular has loaded it with software that allows you web browsing and even the ability to buy music from Cingular's Music, Video and Media Net Websites. Treating its owners to a plethora of entertainment options the BlackJack packs the MobiTV service, offering programming from a range of raging popular television channels and content providers like ESPN, CNN, MSNBC and more. It further personifies convenience with location and mapping services and XM radio.
It's worth reiterating that BlackJack's forte is its connectivity. Playing on HSDPA and EDGE the phone can perform at an average of 400kbps and more, deriving from a twin advantage of voice and data access on HSDPA. It also hints at a remarkable decrease in losing calls to voice mail owing to the phone's synchronizing capacity.
Despite the technical bounty and an excellent range of features, the BlackJack still has room for refinement and fine tuning. The five-way controller set for better navigation is very small, flat and round hampering navigation around the screen. The controlling finger often tends to slip off, founding its way to other unwanted buttons.
The position of the charger/data port on the left side, just below the volume buttons makes it difficult to converse on the phone while it is plugged in. The better option could have been a microUSB port engaging same cables as most other peripherals, saving money and cable clutter.
Pro:
- BlackJack's phone-dialing number keys are not text to each other. The black letter keys are positioned in between the grey number keys enhancing finger space and dialing efficiency.
- BlackJack offers Good Mobile Messaging, push technology with Outlook Mobile and Cingular Xpress Mail – all the ingredients for a supreme communication backup.
- BlackJack boasts two batteries with a travel charger; a mode to take care of uninterrupted usage.
Cons:
- BlackJack uses microSD for its additional storage rather than the miniSD, a serious impediment in transferring files and ring tones from Smartphones like SMT600 and the MPx200.
- The oval keys instead of rectangular ones unfortunately hold back typing swiftness.
- The Smartphone edition of the Office Suit used here limits its users to mere viewing of Word,Excel, PowerPoint and PDFs. Thus putting constraints on editing the files on the device.