- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 42 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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33 out of 44 people found this review helpful
1.5 stars
"Another insult to the consumer."
Pros: Clamshell, swivel screen, thin
Cons: NO MP3 playback or ringtones
Summary: Verizon is using the term "music player" in materials to sell this phone, yet as a music player it is essentially worthless (or, at best, a pain and insult) to most consumers.
This phone will not play MP3s nor will it use MP3 ringtones. Thus you cannot use ringtones you've created (or, sadly, purchased) for another phone. And, most importantly, the music collection you've amassed for your iPod or other music player is unplayable on this phone.
This thing plays only Windows Media files, and (how gracious) there's a conversion utility so you can convert MP3s to WMA. But that is something you don't want to do: It takes already degraded, compressed music and degrades it further with recompression. Not only that, but look at how Verizon and Samsung assume that your time is worthless; you now have to maintain two if not three copies of your music collection: uncompressed originals, MP3s for your iPod or other player, and then WMA for this phone. UNACCEPTABLE.
There is no reason that a phone cannot be every bit as capable a music player as an iPod. There is no technical excuse for the lack of MP3 playback in this phone. Nor should the presence of a mediocre camera distract consumers from this gaffe. A phone makes a far better music player than it does a camera. A phone contains audio circuitry, a simple display, and a headphone jack; pretty much everything you need to fully enjoy music. As a camera, a phone suffers in every way: a compromised set of conrols, poor focusing and exposure options, a lame display, and the necessity to offload each image to enjoy it as fully as possible.
These points are made to head off the apologists who, instead of calling Samsung and Verizon on this offense, will lamely excuse it with, "Well, I'll carry my iPod for music then." Why should you have to? The whole idea is not to carry a bunch of crap around. You're better off carrying a camera.
Other problems reported by users include the inability even to get WMA files working as ringtones.Updated
Not that it isn't nice to have a usable camera on the phone, but that by no means takes precedence over the fact that it IS a phone and needs to function well as such.
So, CNet, where is the rest of this review? Missing here is any discussion of the features we SHOULD be taking for granted on a modern phone: Contacts, calendar, task lists, and syncing these with Outlook or other apps. These are the areas in which phones (notably Motorolas) continue to fail so inexplicably and spectacularly. How well does the syncing software work? Do the contacts have multiple phone numbers (work, home, etc) for each? Do the contacts have ADDRESSES? Does the calendar sync properly? Is there a task list, so you can just pull up your grocery list on your phone if you happen to be cruising past the store and decide to shop?
Much of this review is a dumb recital of physical characteristics that we can see from the pictures. How about telling us if Samsung offers us something better than Motorola's interface ineptitude? Will the side buttons change your ring mode and cause you to miss calls like Motorola's? Will the phone-book display inexplicably show only one number per contact, like Motorola's? Will the syncing software mangle your contacts and calendar and even occasionally destroy the records on your computer, like Motorola's?
- 20 replies to this review
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most of your complaints had to do with the firmware and have nothing physically related to the phone. if so, update the firmware when available, duh. also others who commented this said that you were complaining about how the cnet review lacked certain parts e.g. contacts. it IS in the review. if you didn't see anything, maybe it wasn't reviewed yet. get your facts straight
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You can't really be serious? This is a phone first and camera & music player second. Verizon does not compare this to digital cameras, because it's not meant to compete with them, but compared to other cell phones with cameras, it is the best. As far as the music player, it doesn't boast how great the sound is, because it's supposed to be a bonus that it plays downloaded music...period. You also haven't apparently done your research well enough to warrant even giving a review. If you compared it to other cell phones, as it should be, then you really have nothing to be complaining about.
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Your "update" is even more ridiculous than your "review" and suggests you haven't even read the CNET review. You write, "Missing [in the CNET review] is any discussion of features...: Contacts, calendar, task lists.... Do the contacts have multiple phone numbers for each? Do they have ADDRESSES?" (your ALL CAPS, not mine). But the CNET review states, "...the SCH-a990 is still a phone. Its address book holds 500 names with room in each entry for 5 numbers, 2 email addresses, and notes."
While I personally would find your review useful if I wanted to buy this phone for its music playing qualities, the rest of your commentary is simply ridiculous. -
Let me suggest making a google search on you phone and mp3 activation, I know all the new phones come set for it, but with this phone, I bought it prior to that and had to activate mp3 playback myself in the software menu system. Also, mp3 for ringtones depend on how you are trying to use them, I bought this phone when it first came out and was using mp3 ringtones within a week. That was obviously some time ago. Maybe check your facts.
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This review really isn't about the Samsung phone itself. What you're describing is the issue with verizon's operating system. VCast music and all of its services are essentially flawed. Verizon is out to make the most money, and by standardizing its OS, it saves money. However, by doing this, verizon sacrifices the consumer. Verizon's operating system is less than stellar in my opinion, and all my experiances with it have been poor. On motorola phones, the operating system has considerable slow down and lag. I know that LG handles the OS fine, and I believe Samsung does as well. However, it is my strong reccomendation that if you're joining verizon for the services besides their basic calling features, I would pick another carrier. In my experiance Verizon has very good call reception, and that is a good thing. However, the only phones in verizon's line up that interest me are the Treos and other smartphones. And that is because they run their native operating systems, and NOT verizon's. I would reccomend if you want a good music phone, with a good camera, and its full bluetooth potential, to go over to Cingular and pick up an Ericcson. That's what I hope to do. After a year and a half with verizon, I'm tired of their restrictions. Again, this Samsung phone is likely a great phone. I tried it at the verizon store, and immediately liked it. Great display, good size, and great camera. However, the operating system made me not like it. Which is why francissawyer does not like it.
Again, don't go to Verizon for Vcast, its not worth it. -
I would just like to thank you a WHOLE LOT, I mean bunches because I was going to purchase this phone tomorrow but I decided to check CNET before and after reading the editors review I decided to read some user "opinions". Anyway this was the first time I was going to be buying anything other than LG and I got distracted (like many other consumers) by the camera. "I was like "o my god a 3.2 mp camera, mp3 player and phone all in one; awesome!" but as I now see, everything is not as it appears. Could you please tell me if you have had any experience with the LG enV or the LG 8600?? Feel free to recommend any others you think are good.
-Bridgette -
I own a SCH-a990. Have you seen the 990, its only great use that it has is the camera. I mean sure it may not play the music you have on your iPod but the sole reason why people get this phone is because of the camera, so dont give the phone a bad review when the only problem you have with it is that it does not play the songs in your iTunes library then change the file format so it is compatible with the phone. Also the call quality is good and the speaker phone has good quality as well. I give it a 8 out of 10.
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Don't listen to all the other comments. What u said seriously saved me $350. I was planning on buying this phone, obviously 4 the camera but also 4 the "mp3 player," or lack thereof. I have the LG 8300 and its the same thing, u gotta convert the music from the mp3 format back up to wma and i didnt realize it was the same for this phone. so do u know what the deal is with that? is there a phone (or ever gonna be) that has just a regular mp3 player? the quality seems to be much worse with WMA format too. Let me know what phone u recommend for optimal mp3/camera functionability. Thanks, and again u already know this but dont listen to what all those other clowns have to say about your reviews. Even knowing that u saved one person from making a mistake sort of makes it worth while huh? Take it easy!
-Ben -
Those of you unhappy with francis' opinion lose any credibility when you use chat slang to voice your (ur, in case you (u) don't comprehend this).
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thank you for that review.might have to settle with sony ericcson w810 for the mean time
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first off u dont have to have ur songs on ur hard drive in 3 diferent formats
if u no how to do it just look up a converter on cnets download.com
i found the converter media monkey its a great program and once i started using it i replaed it for windows media player for my default music player
after loadin ur songs in the library (takes no longer than a minute) just highlite all the songs u want on ur phone and click convert
u have the option to convert and replace the original file (takes about 10 second-15 seconds per song), or u can even select to put the newly converted file into a different folder, such as ur music folder on ur formatted card to put in ur phone.
if u do replace the original file then u just simply put ur card in ur cardreader and go to my computer and find the card reader/drive its inclick on my music folder once u have opened the card then put all the songs u converted in that folder
before this fone i had a lg vx8100 good fone it slipped out my pocket on a roller coaster but for the best this fone is better sumtimes for my old fone the songs would go on there but not play
the bright side about converting the files is it more compressed therefore u can fit more i have a 512mb card and i have 130 songs on there now and room for more my older fone had a 256mb card and was pushin 45-50 songs -
Verizon has a 15 day return policy, why don't you use it? If you have just upgraded your phone that means you can back out of the contract in the 15 day time frame as well, and then go to another company. I have a question for you-do you work for a non-profit agency and use the phone for altruistic purposes? If you do, you may disregard the rest of this comment. If your answer was no, then realize no cell phone company is doing the above either. Cell phone companies are big business and supply upon demand. If there were not so many materially driven people in our society this would not be an issue; but it is. Verizon and their competitors are in business to MAKE MONEY, and if they can charge extra money for services and phones and remain reasonably competitive, of course they will. It's common sense. Yes T Mobile, Sprint, etc. may have slightly cheaper rates and allow you more free access to use features, because they have to in order to remain in business. Verizon adds more customers each quarter, and increases revenue each quarter for use of their "crippled" features-Cingular is also right up there. Obviously this is for a reason, Verizon has more reliable service at this time, and you obviously believe so too, or you would switch services. That doesn't mean that Sprint, T Mobile, Alltel, etc. will not catch up, and one day be the market leaders. And guess what? When/if they do, they will ALSO charge amounts you will complain about, and offer phones with which you will undoubtedly be dissatisfied for some reason or the other. So deal with it, don't use a cell phone, or move to a country with a different economic principals. Am I saying I agree with corporate greed? No, but if I don't like something I will either do something about it, or not bother whinging and crying. As for your review, please let me know which phone reaches up to your high standards-amazing picture quality, top of the line audio capability that accepts all music formats(because, believe it or not, not everyone uses an I Pod, some people like WMA or other formats), crystal clear phone reception everywhere, and all of your other far fetched requests. Then, purchase that phone and service, but I'm sure you'll have something else to rant about within a month (pity the customer service reps that deal with you in any regard). As for advertising, companies will say anything they can legally get away with-have you not realized that yet? It's time you opened your eyes and realize companies are not going to change things that are working for them, just to cater to you. You may think your opinions are of the utmost importance, but I guarantee you they could care less.
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im serious what are you talking about this phone is like great with that camera at the verizon store it workd pretty well and idk what ur complaing about
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Your review of this phone indiciate you are under the impression you live in japan in 10 years, as anyone knows the US isnt going to have a perfect music player phone loaded with connectivity and features.
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Hey, first off, changing mp3 to wma does not downgrade music quality. Second, just because it cant play mp3, it doesnt mean it should be rated 3 because plenty of phones that people are tricked into buying (RAZR something you probably own, but you know it has no features) have less features then this phone. I am sure there arent that many phone out there on the us market that has a 3.2 megapixel camera.
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It seems you are one of those "difficult" hard to please people. I bet you dont like any phone out on the market, certainly not samsung or motorola. Why dont you stop complaining about everything, stop your jigger jabbing and build your own phone.
First off you can use your mp3 as ringtones just change it to midi format. I can only agree with you on the fact that it cant play mp3's and only wma. That was dumb and greedy of verizon. Originally you were able to play mp3 on this phone but the verizon UI disabled this function. However, a hack will probably come out soon to remedy this problem. Also, converting to wma is not really going to degrade your music. The file sizes are about the same as mp3. In addition, most cell phones with mp3 and even music players cant play itunes songs. These are in AAC format and can only be played with itunes or your ipod. You can blame apple for that one.
In regards to the camera functions, you are also wrong. It is a good camera. The functions are just like what i have on my canon...including, resolution, brightness, macro, night, portrait, landscape, sepia, black and white, etc. Albiet the flash is not strong so you cant take nice pics in a dark environment....but remember its a phone. Actually from your review it seems you dont even have this phone or really even figured out all its functions. YOu need to actually use it before making a review.
Remember this is a CELL PHONE. All the other features enhance the phone. If you want a great music player then buy an ipod. If you want a great camera buy a canon. Samsung has made a good effort in incorporating the camera and music player in this phone. Verizon is the reason the MP3 function was disabled. -
OK i dont know what you babbaling about but in all honesty.. it does play MP3 ringtones... you just have to convert them to a .mid file by just changing the file name. Second it actualy does have a mp3 player. its not the primary player but it is hidden in a secret menu. I know how to get to it. I know how to use it. You aparently dont. And there is no point in complaining that you have to use WMA files because after everything the clarity of wma files and mp3 files will be exactly the same when they come out of the 2 tiny little speakers on the phone or your earphones...
And as for your comment stating that there isnt any reason for this phone not to be as useful as an ipod.. your wrong... there is... ITS NOT AN IPOD! its a phone... its meant to call people... the fact that it has a 3.2 megapixel camera which in my opinion is amazing and i feel it has many features that most other camera phones dont have like resolution, brightness, a picture editor right on the phone... its display is actually quite amazing... the exterior one could be a little dim somtimes... but the fact that you cant look at your pictures full size on the 320x240 screen isnt something to say the phone is horrible... upload them onto your computer and look at them... is it that hard?!
after everything the only thing that i think is worth mentioning when describing the bad things about this phone is the hideous Verizon UI... its nasty and slow... but everything else on the phone is amazing and up to par... you just like to complain and bring the reviews down... why dont you just wait for your perfect cellphone that will never ever come out... -
great presentation of issues facing us consumers
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I've been verizon customer for the past 5 years but like 2-3 years ago since the technology becomes more advance from month to month ,the new cell phone provide by verizon are not even close with treir competitors.The only thing what holds the coustomers with verizon is the sharp signal(much more signal quality then the competitors).Hope someday I will switch to a different provider, because I really hate almost all verizon cell phones.
Agree with you francis.
have a good day anyway and maybe will forget the cell phone dependancy in the near future... -
You are totally right. It's much like the lame V3i which is an insult to consumers.
Everyone should wait until a new phone will come out that would be a full featured phone AND an MP3 player!
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