My favorite cell phone ever, even with lack of features.
Written: Aug 19 '08 (Updated Feb 07 '09)
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Pros: Small size. Easy to carry. Holds lots of songs. Unique. Durable.
Cons: No video. Awkward to text. Won't use normal headphones.
The Bottom Line: Has many limitations but if you need something small and portible and dont want to carry a phone and iPod, get the juke!
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| wrldtravler's Full Review: Samsung SCH U470 Cell Phone |
UPDATE - It's been about a year since I got the Juke by Samsung. I haven't had any problems until now. (other than not being able to use regular headphones because the only ones that work are the ones that come with the phone because the imput is smaller than a normal headphone imput or MP3 imput.) However, the wheel that you have to use to toggle through features doesn't work anymore and this is the only control you can use to check your messages or text with. I was a little surprised by this because the wheel was awkward to use ... its like an IPOD wheel with much less dexterity. Today it stopped working completely, so now I will have to go to the Verizon store to replace it. I will probably get the same phone but instead of red, I will get black because the red makes it look like a lipstick container.
I was not sure about the Juke at first because of the flip open design. It reminded me of a switch blade and seemed like it would easily break because of this flip style. However, I have had this phone for over 5 months and dropped it plenty of times both open and closed and it is fine. The upside of this design is that it is very small when closed so guys can easily carry it in their pockets without it being bulky. The downside is that it looks a little feminine and there were a couple times people thought I was carrying a lipstick container. However, due to the size of the phone and how easy it is to carry around, I think that more than makes up for all the comments it gets me.
I am not a small person, and I find it fairly silly looking when I am texting because I have to hold the phone with both hands and the keys are not very raised, so it can be difficult to press the buttons. The wheel that you turn is kind of inconvenient and even when you are used to it, you often find yourself going to different screens because it spins so fast.
The best feature of the phone for me is that it holds so many songs. I have about 200 songs in it and the website says I can probably fit a couple hundred more songs. The bad thing is that Verizon won't let you use those songs as ring tones. You have to buy them from the application that runs through the phone at $3.99 each. Another weird thing about this phone is that there is no application which allows you to buy or download full songs into the music library. You have to import the songs from your PC or other devices. For a phone which is geared towards people who like music, this is an odd thing for a phone not to be able to do.
You can take pictures with the phone but cannot receive or take video clips. This phone is obviously geared towards the Myspace generation as there is a self picture mirror on the back near the camera so you can take self pictures and frame them well. The pictures aren't bad but a downside is the screen is so small, you really can't see the pictures clearly. The screen also tends to get dirty and maybe even a little scratched up as the screen is actually the back of the phone when it is closed. So when its in your pocket with keys or coins, they are rubbing up against the screen. It is made of high quality plastic that is very tough, but even still, it is a little scratch happy.
Overall, I'd say this is my favorite phone that I've owned mainly because of the size. I am not someone who uses a lot of features on a cell phone. I don't have internet access through a data plan on my cell phone, and don't really want it. I like the basics and this phone is very basic. Which for me is a good thing because its not complicated. I love the fact that I can fit this in my pocket and don't have to worry about clipping it to my belt. While running with it, it easily fits in the pocket of gym shorts. An arm band would be nice, but I don't see any for sale on any sites. it would be nice if there was a little clip on the back of the phone that popped out so it could be clipped inside the pocket when running.
The biggest design flaw, in my opinion is that you cannot use regular headphones with this phone. You need to use the actual Juke headphones which are about $15 to replace and they fit very poorly in your ears. I cannot sprint without them popping out and they are very uncomfortable. They are ear buds with no headband. The peg that goes into the phone is just a little smaller than a standard headphone jack, so you can't wear a normal pair of headphones while using the Juke, which is absolutely bad.
I am guessing that this is Verizon's way of making more money on accessories. The phone comes with a wall charger but not a car charger. That is optional. However, I find that the generic ones on EBay will cost $10 - $20 less than the ones at the Verizon store even after the shipping. Headphones are a little harder to find in the generic version.
The phone has a speaker on the back as well for music, but it is not loud at all. It would be nice if this speaker was a little louder so you could play music in your room at a hotel. This isn't a huge deal though. It is hard to find the speakerphone feature. I've had the phone for over 6 months and have not found out how to put it on speaker.
The battery life on this phone is amazing. There is easily 3 hours of talk time without charging. You need to switch the display screen to go off quickly though, because when you close the phone, the display will switch from your wallpaper to a generic digital clock screen. The phone will give you hours of texting time, although when the phone has one bar left, that bar goes quick.
The reception is great for the most part, but it is tough to get a signal anywhere there are trees. I have found that to be the case with Verizon phones in general and can't necessarily blame the juke. I get bars in most places, except really crowded stadiums or ballparks or back roads with trees.
This phone has a very select market because of its limitations, but I will admit everytime I take it out in public, someone comes over and comments on how small it is. Sometimes I feel like Zoolander when I am taking a call. But the convenience is worth it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 100
Recommended for: Stylish Trendsetters - Hip and Trendy
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Epinions.com ID:
wrldtravler
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Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 2 members
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