|
JUNE 21 2008
Samsung Ace for Sprint
A world phone addition to Sprint offerings
 The Samsung Ace is similar to the Samsung BlackJack. I found it a very capable personal cell phone as well as a viable business option for Sprint users. I think it is not quite a PDA but it has many functions that make it a very versatile smartphone. The included manuals cover every aspect of the phone and its services. There is a PDF of the manual available on the Sprint website should you leave yours at home. At less than a quarter pound (without battery) and under a half inch thick it fit well in my pants pocket. A holder/case is a must unless you want scratches all over the phone. I liked the feel and the usability of the Sprint Samsung Ace. $149.99 with Sprint Contract.
Pros
Thumbwheel on the right side of the phone
Microsoft ActiveSync
Good Keyboard Bumps
Locking/unlocking phone
Cons
Viewing screen in sunlight
1.3 MP camera
Proprietary connections
In the box
Samsung Ace Phone
Sprint Worldwide Sim card
1300 mAh Battery
Standard Battery Door
AC Charger (120V - 220V)
Charger Adapter (UK)
Charger Adapter (Europe)
Stereo Headset
USB Data Cable
Software CD
Get Started Guide
User Guide
Setting Up Email Guide
The basic phone services like hearing incoming voices, speakerphone, etc. are very good. I had no dropouts when using available service in Key West. Sprint is doing something right in my area. I did not travel during this test so have no comparison.
It always takes me a while to get up and running on phones that use the Windows Mobile operating system. I find the text menu lists and various levels of commands hard to remember. On the other hand I like having Windows Media Player on the phone.
2.3" TFT display with 65K colors and 320 x 240 resolution
It is true the display is vibrant however, as with many other phone and camera displays, direct sunshine or just a bright day can make viewing displays from tough to impossible. I reset the display brightness from 3 to the maximum of 5. That helped a little. Changing that setting and other power options will tend to eat battery time.
Email and Instant Messaging
I found these services easier to setup and use than other phones. I guess it was thanks to this being a Windows Environment.
Camera and Video
 
The small button on the right side of the Ace can be held down for a couple of seconds to activate the camera. This avoids the menu tree. The thumbwheel can be used to control the zoom. The camera and video worked very well in daylight but poorly in low light or nighttime situations. There is no flash. I found indoors shots tended to yellow unless there was good sunshine coming through a nearby window. I needed to hold the phone with both hands to get good focused shots. See end of article for more samples. The Zoom worked well until I got to the end of its range. Some photos were blurry at that point. Maybe I did not hold the phone steady. The zoom does not work with the camcorder. I did not provide Video samples.
Microsoft Active Sync
This worked very well after setting it up on the Lenovo ThinkPad Loaner. In order to use Microsoft ActiveSync you need a computer that has Microsoft Windows XP with SP1 or later, Windows 2000 with SP4, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, or Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or later. You will also need a large Memory card to store files. This phone works with cards up to 2 Gigabytes. My cards slipped in easily and stayed there.
QWERTY Keyboard
Either I am getting better at texting or this keyboard was easier to use than others I have tested. I did not have to look up how to create a certain character or punctuation as the layout closely mirrored my computer keyboard. The bumps on the keys were high enough that my big fingers had no problem only hitting one at a time.
Special Keys, buttons, and connectors
Most of the function keys are self explanatory. The addition of the thumbwheel and back/clear &camera access key on the right side allows you to use one hand to do a lot of work. The micro SD Slot is at the top right. On the left side the Power/Accessory interface connector is used for connecting the AC charger and the Stereo headphones. The volume key is also there. I continue to wish for a standard 3.5 MM connection for headphones so I have a choice of using my plug-ins. Of course Bluetooth availability lets me do that wirelessly. On the back are a mirror for self portraits, an external speaker, and the camera lens.
Music
I often listen to music on my phones. The Samsung Ace provide great sound quality through the included headset as well ask my Bluetooth wireless ones. Phone conversations were also quite clear. This does tend to use battery time quickly. I suggest a second battery when traveling. Radio seemed fine but I use my MP3 player for that to save battery on the phone.
Battery Life
Published battery life is 4.3 continuous talk time and Standby up to 10 days. Because I was running many tests on this phone I never attained the rated life. Talk time was a about 3.7 hours and Standby about 8 days at most.
GSM World Phone
Sprint has this service available in 40 countries. I did not test it. You should contact Sprint to see if this service is included in your agreement. You must set your phone to use GSM mode and then set it back to CDMA mode in the US. Be sure to talk to Sprint.
The Samsung ACE is a great choice for Sprint customers if they want a well designed and full featured phone with Windows Mobile so that they can sync and operate in a familiar Windows/PC environment. Those who need better low light camera/video capability should buy a digital camera. The Ace is an ACE as far as I am concerned.
For more information on the ACE and other Sprint Offerings CLICK HERE
 
 
|
