Good phone for the gadget minded
Written: Aug 21 '01
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Pros: MP3 Player, size, current price
Cons: earbud headphones, menu navigation, small buttons.
The Bottom Line: Great gadget - lots of good features-and a great price. Not a good 1st cell phone, though.
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| denverjoe's Full Review: Samsung SGH-M100 Cell Phone |
I just picked up this phone after comparing the Sanyo 4500 and this model. My wife got the Sanyo 4500, and, in some ways it is a vastly superior phone, but this one has the MP3 player, which is why you want it, too.
First - the MP3 player is fine - I'm not sure what everyone complains about. The interface with the computer works great - it's not the fastest though - I encoded an entire CD (17 tracks) and downloaded them to the phone in about 15 minutes (not bad, considering I've never used MP3 before at all). And, I still have 13mb of space left! I even downloaded one from the net and programmed it in no time at all. The sound quality is fine - the volume is more the sufficient (some reviewers say it's not loud enough). I also like the fact that the headphone jack is standard size (most headsets require a smaller than normal fitting) - so the cassette adapter into my car stereo worked great! I can listen to my MP3 player through my car stereo when I drive in.
The remote is only OK - it feels flimsy, but seems sturdy enough with actual use. Unfortunately, they don't give you any headphone options - I hate earbuds - they hurt my ears, but the headphones with the microphone are hard wired into the remote unit, so you get what you get. I wish Samsung would make an over the head set - anyone?
The phone is fine - calls seem clear enough, and the voice activated dialing works fine, too. The menu navigation is stupid though - take a look at the Sony or Sanyo models - it's a much better system. Having to use the annoying side buttons is a bit of a pain, but not too horrible. I prefer the four-way buttons or scrolling mouse options on other phones. You get a fair selection of ringers, but they sound tinny and generic - you want an awesome, full orchestra ringer? Check out the Sanyo 4500....
Battery strength and usage is fine - I've never really come close to running out of juice.
The antenna is very flimsy, and it cheapens the look of the entire phone. Speaking of design, I'm not sure if Samsung was going for some kind of retro - Buck Rogers transistor radio, but it's not really working. They could have made the phone a lot sleeker looking, but aesthetics aren't the most important thing.
Some reviewers were talking about games on this phone. There aren't any - not one. And I haven't come across any details about downloading games, either - let's be honest though - the games that are out there on phones pretty much suck and you lose all interest after a few minutes.
I picked up the phone for $199, and as I signed a 2 year contract on a business plan (anyone can sign up this way, just ask) - and I received $140 in credits to my account for doing it - so, for a net cost of $60, I'm not complaining.
To sum it up - the earbuds annoy me - the menu navigation is not well thought out, the buttons are too small, and it's not really pretty to look at. BUT... the MP3 is great, the phone has a lot of great features, and you can get a pretty great deal on it, considering not long ago it would set you back $400. If you're computer saavy, love MP3s and consider yourself a gadget guru, you can't go wrong. If you don't need the tunes, and are looking for a truly great, full-featured phone - check out the Sanyo 4500.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199
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Epinions.com ID:
denverjoe
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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