Review of the Samsung BlackJack SGH-i607

Shopping for my first PDA-like cell phone was an easy shopping experience for me. I headed over to my local AT&T store to purchase a phone that I could use for my job. Not liking the Black Berry phones offered at the time, I looked to the alternative being AT&T's Windows Mobile 5 platform based phones. I liked the Samsung Blackjack SGH-i607 initially because of its small compact size. It was much skinnier than the other PDA like phones offered at the time. Secondly it had a familiar feel with the menus and layout similar to a Windows based computer. The Samsung BlackJack SGH-i607's buttons are a little small but I was able to use them without a problem as well as text quickly with the QWERTY keyboard. It has a slot for extra removable memory via a micro SD card.

The built in camera is of mediocre quality however it can produce larger picture resolutions than most camera phones. The other complaint by many is the lack of Wi-Fi. I do not see this as a big issue as the Samsung BlackJack SGH-i607 is a 3G capable Smart Phone which allows you to surf the internet at near broadband speeds. Even if you do not live within a 3G network area, the regular data connection speed is still adequate for my needs. Samsung has since unveiled the Black Jack 2 which addresses the Wi-Fi issue as well as offers the new Windows Mobile 6 preinstalled. However, The Samsung BlackJack SGH-i607 would be a good solid investment if you were to pick up a used or refurbished unit. I have owned my Black Jack for over three years and it has lasted without a hiccup. You can even upgrade from Windows Mobile 5 to Window Mobile 6 by programming it with your computer and proper software.

Speaking of connecting The Samsung BlackJack SGH-i607 to your computer, there is also a method allowing your desktop computer or laptop to use the Black Jacks Internet connection. Having this is a very handy and useful attribute about this phone if you have an outage or on business without Wi-Fi available.

One of the turn offs of this phone is the paltry battery life. On a good day with moderate use I could only manage around 12 hours of battery life. Samsung had recognized this issue and started shipping extended life batteries with a new back plate in addition to the regular battery to accommodate its larger size. All in all, I believe this phone would be a great used alternative for those who want to get their foot in the door when it comes to PDA like cell phonesProduct Specification:

Product Type Smartphone With digital camera / digital player
Service Provider AT&T
Width 2.3 in
Depth 0.5 in
Height 4.4 in
Weight 3.5 oz
Technology WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM
Band WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Phone Design Candy bar
Vibrating Alert Yes
Caller ID Yes
Wireless Interface Blue Tooth 2.0
Application Software Microsoft ActiveSync , Windows Media Player
Additional Features TTY compatible
Operating System Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 for Smartphone
Short Messaging Service (SMS) Yes
Mobile Email Yes
Supported Email Protocols POP3 , IMAP4
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Yes
EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates For Global Evolution) Yes
Internet Browser Yes
Messaging / Data Features Text messages , Multimedia messages (MMS) , WAP Push
Sensor Resolution 1.3 megapixels
Digital Zoom 2
Digital Video Formats 3gp

GPS Navigation None

Type LCD display
Technology TFT
Display Resolution 240 x 320 pixels
Diagonal Size 2.2 in
Color Depth 16-bit (65000 colors)
Supported Digital Audio Standards MP3
Connector Type 1 x Headset jack , 1 x USB
Type Power adapter
Technology - Lithium ion
Talk Time Up to 330 min