I decided to get this phone after many of the people I knew started buying it. I would always ask about it, and sure enough, they would always respond with good things. Then, my brother got it, and I knew that I had the same taste as him, so I bought it within the next week.

I had never had a cell phone before, so you can assume I was really picky, and really cautious about buying one. I know more about this phone than the manufacturers probably know (haha, only kidding, just an example of how well I know it). Anyway, I bought it at Best Buy, where I asked an additional 1000 questions, and I got the perfect assistance you can expect from Best Buy.

In the first week I had my phone I experienced no problems. Then, being the klutz that I am, I dropped it into a glass of water. But, surprisingly enough, NOTHING HAPPENED! It was my little miracle phone. I dropped an electric appliance into water. Either I’m lucky, or this phone is better than I thought. For the purpose of this review, I’m going to go with the second choice.

This phone is exceptional. Maybe my favorite toy of all time. When I am walking around town trying to find out the nearest movie theaters, movies, and times, this phone gets the job done. I scroll over to my web-browser utility, click on the folder marked Entertainment, and click moviefone. I input my zip code, and bada-bing the phone acquires an accurate list of theaters, times, and movies within seconds. Another, handy dandy feature of this phone, is the ability to go on AOL. I was waiting in my doctor’s office, and I had lots of people ahead of me. I thought, “Oh god, I’m going to be so bored!” But then, the most peculiar thing happened. It must’ve been a sign, my phone rang and I thought, “Aha, I can go on AOL to pass the time!” but first, I’m going to need to answer this call. It was a solicitor, but anyway, I got onto AOL, checked my email, and before I knew it, the receptionist called my name.

Aside from those great moments, I’d like to discuss the rest of my phone. I’ll admit, this phone isn’t all good. The only thing that I can stand is the email writing. Nothing bothers me more than pressing the number seven four times just to get a letter S to appear on screen. Writing an email is like a project from this cell phone, I have to spend so much time just to write a simple “Hello, how are you?” But, if you think about it, it’s not that bad because all people with cell phones without keyboards have to go through the same ordeal each time they type something on their phone.

Back to the pros. I absolutely love the voice recognition. Goodbye dialing numbers to call someone, all I have to do is say the name, and it’s ringing. The minor problem with voice dialing is that you can only have 20 people on it, and most people have more than 20 people they like to call.

Another complete plus to this phone is the flip. I mean the color makes it look stylish, but the flip really makes a difference. The flip cuts the height in half, but most importantly, it’s a permanent key-guard. My other friends with their Nokia phones always complain about the phone being in their pocket and having all the numbers dialed. One of my friends enabled the number 9 (the 911 emergency button) on his Nokia, and he accidentally called 911. Luckily he realized and called 911 back before they pinpointed his location and rushed to him. That backtracking was just another reason why the flip is great.

The battery life on this phone is mediocre. Since the battery is lithium ion instead of NiMH, you have to train it. By train the battery I mean that you have to run out the battery power before you recharge it because if you don’t it will think wherever you charged it is the lowest the battery can get. Then it will only charge your battery from that point to the top, and you will not use it to its full capabilities.

The reception I get is always great. I mean, there are some points that my dual band fails me, but most of the time I have at least ¾ full reception. Since Sprint has the largest nationwide network, the Sprint-serviced phones get the most phenomenal, clear, reception of any other service on the market.

The SCH-3500 is sturdy, sleek, powerful, and overall a great cell phone. If you are looking for this phone, I’m sorry to tell you that you won’t be able to find it. This phone has been remodeled, and is now known as the N200. It’s basically the same thing except it’s a little bit smaller, comes in blue or silver, and it has a joystick in the middle. If you want a phone that looks great, sounds great, and works great, you should’ve checked out the SCH-3500. But now, the best thing you can do, is pick up the N200, it’s just as good, I’m updating to it soon.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 100