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- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 380 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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33 out of 48 people found this review helpful
1.5 stars
"Phone is like a Dumb Blonde"
Pros: Sleek Design, Compact
Cons: Everything else
Summary: The new Samsung Instinct is like a "Dumb Blonde." I'm blonde, so I can say it. I've been the brunt of many "blonde jokes" for years. The Instinct is cute and sleek on the outside, with not much substance beneath the surface.
This is a great, FUN phone. If you like to have a good time, this is the phone for you. If you're looking for a smart phone, you'd be smart to look elsewhere. A brunette (ie- Mogul) would be e better choice. I'll be returning this, and going back to my Mogul.
This phone has very limited web access. To access many common websites (eg-Ebay), you must set the browser to "mobile" mode. In this mode all graphics are missing, and site is in text mode. You're lucky if you can sign in. I actually found it unbelievable that such a high tech phone would have such limited web surfing capability. My friend was trying to check email on Hotmail account, and could not sign in. It was not JAVA supported. After spending over an hour with Sprint tech support (another nightmare) and going to TWO corporate Sprint stores (and visiting tech support live), it was confirmed that the browser is very limited. None of them could access Hotmail either. Sprint would have been much better off using Windows,.
The Bluetooth is also very poor. I have to switch hands free off in my car since nobody can hear me, only catching about every third word. I never had this problem w/Mogul (same car).
I even find the multimedia to be below average. There is a delay on CNN, and picture often freezes. If I want to watch TV, I'll stay home.
I don't understand what is so impressive about this phone. Sprint/Samsung have done a great job with media hype, and creating a frenzy over this phone. This phone is a novelty. It's fun, does have a great keyboard and touch, but that's about it. If you want a smart phone, this is not the phone for you.
- 18 replies to this review
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You are 100% CORRECT about this unworthy mess. I couldn't have explained it better myself.
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if its not a smart phone, then why do i have to pay $100 for the replacement on insurance instead of $50? the instinct was a nice phone, but it froze up constantly and was not reliable when i needed it the most. id love it if it was what it was promised to be and everything worked more often.
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My thoughts exactly. It's pretty on the outside, but it is very lacking on the inside. Can't do much other than make calls since the internet is slow, most pages don't load correctly, only get a few channels of tv (all poor quality), limited radio choice, and no apps available for download (third party apps rarely work since there is no keypad)...
Sum it up... LAME -
I have to admit, I was hooked on this phone when it first came out. But after about 3 months, the phone touchscreen would not let me "touch"...it would just freeze up while attempting to log in with my password. So, I took it to Sprint and after they could not figure it out, the quickly arranged for a replacement. Well, since I payed the $149 after rebate, and since the phone was not even a year old, I thought Sprint would do the right thing, but NO....they sent me a refurbished phone. :(
So, after 1 month, guess what...that phone did the same thing....keyboard, touchpad would not function...so, again I took the phone back, and guess what, they gave me another refurbished phone.
This one lasted 1 week, before the touchscreen went bad. Now, I'm on my 4th Instink, I have asked Sprint to give me a totally different phone, and the answer was "sorry, we can't help you". After 12 years as a Sprint customer, they can't replace a bad product with a good product!...where is my iPhone!????? -
whats up w/ the references to the color of hair?
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27 Feb 09 - I too was very disapointed with my phone, but my frustrations came to an end after I downloaded OPERA MINI, and now the phone BLAZES on the net! NO JOKE... go to OPERAMINI.COM and dowload it on yours, and problem solved! Now, the folks at Sprint need to get a clue how to run and maintain their equipment.. Hope this will help you with your phone!
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WowI have this phone and I use it to access yahoo mail, hotmail, and my office e mail and have never had a problem, even my wife who has never used any other phone, but an old 620 flip easily navigates this phone and is able to access all of her accounts? Maybe a new update has come out since you had your issues?
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Are you seriously comparing this to a smartphone? While we're at it let's compare ultralights to bombers.
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Thanks for your review> I agree the phone lacks substance. You can argue all you want about the semantics of the term smartphone but the bottom line is this phone is hugely disappointing when compared to its competitor the Iphone for which it was supposed to vanquish. I got it about a week ago and I am returning it and getting the I phone. Touch screen is not even reliable you have to touch the damn screen so many times when searching google to get the keyboard up. It has very limited professional applications that can be added for people who don't only want the next version of pac man. The phone is not impressive at all.
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It doesn't work like a smart phone because it's NOT a smart phone. You going in with incorrect expectations doesn't make it a bad phone just makes you look rather foolish. The blond comment was also rather out of line.
I'll have to agree with srebecca6996 comment, "GET A LAPTOP!!!!" -
WOW!!!!!! That review was not helpful at all! I happen to own the phone and it's by far the best phone i've had thro Sprint and i've been a customer with them for 4 years... before i got the Instinct, i had the Touch (also by HTC) and that was prolly the worst phone made by Sprint, but had terrific ads for it. I checked out the Mogul before getting the Instinct and was not impressed at all!
The HTC phones all have terrible touch sensitivity and are not worth the money... I had nothing but problems from the entire company and was extremely disappointed alll around.. the Windows based phones like those should not be considered "smart phones" by any stretch!
I really don't agree with any of things that you have said about the Instinct, but maybe as you put it, it's not a "BLONDE PHONE" -
GET A LAPTOP!!!!
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Me i've bought it from bell, it's very nice and better than the iphone. plus the prices there are MUCH cheaper. Check it out http://www.socializer.ca
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"If you want a smart phone, this is not the phone for you."
Well to be honest, that wasn't the smartest comment...
The Instinct is NOT meant to be a smart phone like a blackberry...
It's just a phone, smart phones cater more to people loking for extensive email use and web browsing etc. -
I agree...TOTALLY!!!
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Is it really that bad of a phone??? The phone has a ton of other features most phones do not and the interface easy to use. I agree with some parts of your review but I think a 3 is a little much.
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I totally agree with your comment. I had a worse experience and only kept the phone for < 48 hours. Instinct seems to be the result of an implusive effort by Samsung/Sprint to jump on the technology bandwagon without fully researching and refining the phone before marketing it to the public.
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You are obviously returning the phone, but the bluetooth volume can be fixed by adjusting the volume on the phone to match the bluetooth.
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