The honeymoon is over with this phone.
Written: Dec 21 '00 (Updated Apr 03 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Clarity: |
|
|
| Portability: |
 |
|
| Battery Life: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Small when folded but large when open, wireless web, vibrating alarm
Cons: Short battery life, poor button placement, doesn't travel well.
The Bottom Line: Don't buy this phone unless you live in a metropolitan area with no dead areas, and then only for basic phone features.
|
|
|
| pulsar1990's Full Review: Samsung SCH 3500 CDMA / AMPS Cellular Phone |
My wife and I purchased the Samsung SCH-3500 when we activated our service with Sprint PCS. We chose it because it was small but not too small. It is actually shorter than the Nokia 5100/6100(the only other phones I have used) when the flip is closed. But, the bonus is when you open the flip it is LONGER than the Nokias. This is great if you are like my wife and worry that the phone is too small to hold. It is also wider than the Nokias and this also adds to the greater ease of holding.
This phone has several useful features:
Samsung Voice Dialing seems to be a standard on all their phones. Actually it is more like sound dialing. It records your multi-syllable speech, grunts, screams, or any other sound you can make consistently. Then when you use the feature you just replicate the recording and it recognizes it and dials. This is convenient when using a headset while driving. You are given a second try if you don’t get the inflections of your recording just right.
Wireless Web is very handy for many things. I use it to check stock prices, sports scores, look up the price of a DVD on Amazon, play games, and check your minutes/bill. Sprint has even added the ability to pay your bill on your phone with a credit card or an electronic check. The display is only three lines long and about fifteen characters wide. This is fine for what I do. It is not optimal for reading news. If you think you will be reading a lot of long news stories look at one of the phones with seven or more lines. It can be tedious reading 40 lines of text three at a time. E-mail is also an option but typing is also tedious. If you want to use the e-mail feature I would suggest a phone with the T9 text recognition system.
When it comes to customizing the Samsung SCH-3500 you don’t have as many options as the Nokias. There are only thirteen rings compared to the 30+ for the Nokias but who needs all those rings anyway. Besides Samsung included a vibrating ring and a flashing red LED that the Nokias don’t have.
Because it is a dual mode phone you can use analog or digital networks. This phone allows you to set the priority of analog, digital, or whatever is available. Choosing digital only keeps you from incurring analog roaming charges without realizing it.
There are not any games built in like other phones but you can find several more entertaining games on the wireless web. I enjoy the gladiator game. It is simple and lets you play with other phone users around the country (Think Ultima Online on the smallest scale possible).
The only gripe I have with the phone is the battery. It does not have near the life of my old Nokia. I have to charge it every other day if I use it any. This is not long enough between charges. I used to go four days with my Nokias. I have been considering the double life battery for $58 but I don’t think it will fit in my leather belt pouch.
Update 4/3/01
I have changed this from a recommended to a not recommended. Having used this phone for several months I have come to the conclusion that I don't like it and would not recommend it to anyone.
Battery Life
I have to put the phone on the charger daily. If I don't let it charge for at least 30 minutes a day I risk a dead battery the next day. I get less than an hour real talk time when you include how fast it runs the battery down in standby.
Button Placement
The volume button is driving me mad. It is on the left side of the phone and is always bumping on things. Because it is raised it is prone to accidental bumps. This has resulted in the ringer being turned off more than once. I have missed calls because of this. Typically I leave it in vibrate mode. But, when it is bumped the phone vibrates once to confirm the current tone. This makes me think that I have a call when I don't. It also uses precious batteries.
Wireless Web Viewing
If you plan on using the wireless web for more than 30 minutes a month look for a phone with a better display. This display is just too small and is inadequate for real reading. Try to find a screen that can display at least five lines. There are newer phones that have larger screens.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 150 minus $100 in rebates
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
pulsar1990
|
|
Member: Bryan Lucas
Location: Parker, CO
Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
A 32 year old gadget freak and general technology junkie.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.