Samsung and Verizon made some changes to the Samsung SCH-i830's wireless connections. While the SCH-i730 boasted five forms of wireless (IrDA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, CDMA 1xRTT, and EV-DO), the SCH-i830 does away with integrated Wi-Fi in favor of dual-mode CDMA/GSM functionality. This means you can use the smart phone domestically and overseas while keeping the same number. The continued EV-DO support also alleviates the need for Wi-Fi in order to connect to the Web, but we still like to have that option. For pairing with a wireless headset, Bluetooth is on board, but since it's the older 1.1 version, you won't be able to take full advantage of the higher transmission speeds of Bluetooth 1.2 or 2.0. Other phone features consist of a speakerphone, voice dialing, speed dialing, and 10 polyphonic ring tones.
For multimedia mavens, the Samsung SCH-i830 comes with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile so that you can listen to your favorite tunes and view streaming video. There is support for PlaysForSure WMA files from online music stores such as Napster and Musicmatch, and if you have TV programs recorded on your Windows Media Center PC, you can transfer them to the SCH-i830 and enjoy it on your phone. The smart phone is also equipped with 3D stereo speakers. You won't be able to record any video yourself or snap any photos, as Verizon will not offer a camera-equipped Samsung SCH-i830. While we realize more and more businesses are banning camera-equipped mobiles for security purposes, we would still appreciate the option of a camera. Some other highlights of the SCH-i830 include 128MB of memory, a 520MHz Intel Bulverde processor, a ring-tone manager, a world clock, a backup utility, a remote-control app, and two games (Solitaire and Jawbreaker).
We tested the Samsung SCH-i830 in San Francisco using Verizon's network, and call quality was subpar. On our end, audio sounded crackly, and our callers reported the same. They also said they could hear the conversation only half the time, which was frustrating. Using the speakerphone actually improved the sound quality, resulting in clearer sound and adequate volume. We also had no problems pairing the SCH-i830 with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset.
The Samsung SCH-i830 is rated for 2.2 hours of talk time and up to 5.4 days of standby time. In our tests, we got 2.5 hours, which is on the low side for cell phones these days. You'll want to keep a charger handy if you make a lot of calls. According to the FCC, the SCH-i830 has a digital SAR rating of 0.55 watt per kilogram.
What You'll Pay
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