Beats the pants off the Star-Tac
Written: Apr 01 '00 (Updated Nov 06 '00)
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Pros: Small, light, solid construction
Cons: Ugly, Sprint service, annoying rings
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| jenlee's Full Review: Samsung SCH 8500 CDMA / AMPS Cellular Phone |
I interned for the Samsung Telecom department when I was in college for one summer in Korea, so I know that Samsung makes great phones. However, I was always partial to Nokia and Motorola when it came to my own personal use.
I cancelled my AT&T service the other day because they were too expensive, and shopped around for a phone. My husband and I walked into the Sprint PCS store and were going to purchase Star-Tacs when our eyes landed on this phone.
It is better constructed than the Star-Tac---it's not made of the flimsy light plastic that tends to break so much. I've had flip phones in the past where the cover broke off because it wasn't constructed well. I don't think I'll have this problem with the Samsung phone because the construction is so solid. The cover also closes with a nice, decisive snap, which I like.
The aesthetics of this phone are nothing compared to the 3500 model, which my sister owns. I think the 3500 is a much more attractive phone, because the 8500 is a true no-frills design. The only great thing about the design is that it is so compact.
Of course, this phone also has the oh-so-convenient voice dial. Nothing else can compare to this option. I went to another cell phone company yesterday and they were going to charge me $3 extra per month for the same option. With Samsung, it's free.
The phone is also feather light and smaller than the Star-Tac. Although I have yet to see a nice carrying case for this phone, I'm sure they'll think of something eventually.
One feature I really don't like about the phone is the choice of annoying rings. They have many many different options, but "Fur Elise" and "Ode to Joy" are not tunes that I want to hear coming out of my purse. Why can't cell phone manufacturers come up with something more soothing? Samsung's ring options are extremely high pitched and grating on the nerves.
But besides that, I love this phone. It's small, light and has a great backlight. Although I don't have service for Sprint PCS for about a mile outside my house, after that, the signal is fine. If you are looking for an alternative to the Star-Tac, which EVERYONE owns, get this phone because you won't be disappointed.
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I just looked at a British fashion mag and saw the Motorola "V" phone, which is NOT AVAILABLE IN THE US! It looks JUST LIKE the Samsung but doesn't have the voice dialing. The Samsung also holds a lot more phone numbers in its memory. Just some more reasons why the Samsung is better than the Motorola~
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Update 4/17/00
Well, I've had the phone for several weeks now and so far no problems! The battery life isn't wonderful, but it lasts for a full day before I have to recharge it, which isn't a big deal. I leave my phone off a lot, so I've only had to charge it once a week. My husband leaves his on all the time, and he charges about twice a week. The phone is very clear--much clearer than the Nokia phones I've owned in the past. However, I still have to yell sometimes if I'm roaming. It's pretty sturdy because it bangs around in my purse all day with no carrying case and there's not a single scratch to be seen. Please note that I've changed my durability rating from a 4 to a 5! The Motorola "V" series just started marketing in the States, but the phone with the similar look to the Samsung retails for $300-$400, which is twice the price of the Samsung!! That's insane! Granted, it has a holographic display, but it still doesn't have voice recognition and for the number of features it has, I would pick the Samsung over the Motorola any day. I think that I definitely got my money's worth with this phone... I actually had a phone call from someone a few states away who was looking to buy a new phone because of this review, and I hope that this update helps you make an even more informed buying decision.
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Update 9/15/00
It's now been 6 months since I've had this phone, and I'm still very happy with it. The one big minus right now is the fact that Sprint PCS has no coverage in for a half mile radius around my house, so I can't receive calls at home. But besides that, the phone has held up EXTREMELY well.
I finally got a leather carrying case to protect it but took it off because it made the phone bulky. I hear that the leather cases are good for protecting your head from the radiation, but I don't think it really matters. My phone still looks as good as the first day I bought it. Because the phone uses a much better grade of plastic, it is very difficult to scratch.
Unlike the more popular silver 3500 model, this phone does not get absurdly hot during long conversations. But this phone still doesn't look as feminine as the 3500.
I've also found that the battery life is getting shorter as the months go by. This has been easily remedied by bringing an extra charger to work and letting it charge on my desk all day.
Six months later, and I love my phone as much as the first day I bought it. I still think that it kicks Star-Tac butt anyday!
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Update 10/6/00
I dropped it on the sidewalk by accident. It bounced four times. The phone still looks new. I can't believe it. The cover is still fine and not loose at all. Talk about good construction.
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Update 11/6
I've been using the wireless web feature. It's actually pretty convenient if you're unable to access your email from where you are---at least I can check my Yahoo! email and now that I have Instant Messenger on the phone, it's great when I'm at a conference or some place where it's inconvenient to call. It's relatively slow, but as a expensive alternative, it's ok. However, it's a huge pain to type anything using the phone keys, so I wouldn't recommend using it unless you are in a real bind and have no other choice. The games are terrible and a waste of precious minutes.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 180
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Epinions.com ID:
jenlee
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Member: Jen Lee
Location: Long Island, NY
Reviews written: 69
Trusted by: 13 members
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