Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 16
 First time smartphone owner February 24, 2008
Auntie Lou (TX)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I didn't think I really needed a 'smartphone' but I was eligible for an upgrade so I did some research and decided to try the Blackjack II from Samsung. This is strictly for personal use (no work applications) but I've been pleasantly surprised that though I don't really need email or internet access it's fun to have and does come in quite handy when you least expect it. Texting is very convenient w/the QWERTY keyboard and the graphics are superb. Navigation is a cinch with either the trackball or keys and the camera takes terrific pics. I haven't tried the video yet, still need to upgrade my data plan for that. Having used this new type of phone for a while now I think it's safe to say I won't ever go back to a phone that "just makes calls"!
Great WM6 phone, but even at $.01 not as good a value as iPhone. March 20, 2008
Seth C. Short (Portland, OR United States)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Changes in my job required me to get a phone that can synch with Outlook. My boss has the original Blackjack, and I've always admired it's looks, so this phone seemed like a good choice. It's got a nice screen, tons of features, it's red, and at $0.01 it's a steal!
Once I recieved the phone, however, I realized how limited Windows Mobile 6 is. Not in its features, necessarily, but in how you use it. I found it really annoying to have to scroll up and down all sorts of menus to do basic tasks like calendar, internet, email, etc. The home screen is crowded and kind of a pain to navigate, although it shows you info on tasks, appointments, email, etc without having to dig into menus.
I was also frustrated by the spin wheel. It's a GREAT idea, and when it worked it worked well, but a lot of the time I'd think I was spinning but nothing happened on-screen. After looking closely at it and doing some test-spins, I realized that the wheel sometimes just doesn't move. I think this is because the grooves on that are circular, around the center, instead of radial away from the center, so it doesn't give much purchase to your finger when you spin.
Anyway, I know these are minor annoyances, and if I was 10 years younger I'd probably appreciate all the opportunities having Windows on your phone provides, but at this point, I just want a phone that works, is easy to use, and gives me the internet, maps, email, text, and photos.
It turns out that the iPhone is actually a BETTER deal than this phone. The iPhone data plan is $20 / month and includes unlimited data and 200 sms. The equivalent plan for the Blackjack would come to $35 / month. Over a 2-year period, this comes to a $360 difference. The iPhone is $399. Kind of a no-brainer for me. I got an iPhone, and haven't looked back. (Except to write this review).
(OH BTW, they're now selling refurb iPhone 8GB for only $250! So you'd be actually saving money! Just a thought...)
EDIT: I forgot to mention the sync problems I had with this phone. I know it's not Samsung's fault, but the ActiveSync app kept crashing and I got really frustrated trying to troubleshoot the problem. I never did get it working reliably. On the other hand, iPhone? Plug-and-play, baby! I'm actually a little concerned about the fact that iPhone 2.0 will be utilising ActiveSync, I've never found that app to work as promised.
 Don't buy this annoying, flimsy phone! May 23, 2008
Keith Leonard
4 out of 12 found this review helpful
To sum up this phone: The Blackjack 2 is so annoying, it must have been designed by someone who has never used a cell phone before.
I've had this phone for a week now and already it's obvious that this is a piece of crap, like most of Samsung's phones.
On the plus side the phone gets good reception and good battery life.
However the phone comes with many annoyances that I think are good enough reasons not to buy it. These problems are due in part to Samsung's idiotic design, Microsoft's crappy Windows Mobile software, and unreasonable restrictions set by AT&T.
1. Flimsy physical design -- After only a week my phone already looks a year old from scratches and scuff marks even though I've been babying it. (I either keep this device by itself in my pocket or on a table.) Already there are small but VERY NOTICEABLE SCRATCH MARKS on the screen. There's just something about this screen that makes these tiny little scratches very visible. I'm afraid that in a few months my screen will be near impossible to read! It also already has the kind of scuff marks you'd find on a year-old phone. Also the wheel already looks cruddy and it's not like I have constantly dirty hands or anything. I think its very tiny grooves too easily trap dust and other gunk. So what appears to be a very slick casing is, in my opinion, utterly worthless for most people in just a few weeks time.
2. VERY ANNOYING 3 key unlock -- Since this isn't a flip phone you're going to need to lock the phone when you put it in your pocket, bag, or what have you. Locking is easy -- just hold down the End key for 2 secs. But to unlock it you have to press 3 buttons: first the power button (top side of the phone), then the left soft key (below the screen), and then the * key (middle-left of the keyboard, and not easily found at first). A very difficult combination to make. What a ridiculous and unnecessary procedure, and probably my biggest annoyance with this phone since I end up unlocking it many times a day.
3. Voice/text message tones sound only once -- I miss my old phone which would tone/vibrate every few minutes to remind me that I still have unread/unlistened messages. This phone will only tone/vibrate once. There have been many times that I didn't know I had a message because I somehow missed the notification. Very annoying!
4. VERY LOUD startup and shutdown sounds -- AT&T provided the stupidest startup/shutdown screen with this phone. It plays a very annoying swooshing sound, much louder than even my ring tone! Before I turn off my phone at night I have to put it in silent mode so I don't wake my kids!
5. Useful features are locked down or limited -- First, ringtones can't be more than 300KB in size, which limits you from using most ring tones on the market. Second, the phone's GPS is locked down in a way that it can't be used by apps like Google Maps and Windows Live Search. Un-freaking-believable. Some web sites list ways you can hack your phone to work around this, but they're only for the fearless!
6. Undetectable home keys -- Like most keyboards, the Blackjack 2's keyboard has little notches on the F and J keys. However they are so small that you cannot feel them. They're absolutely worthless.
7. No alpha-numeric mapping for 800 #s -- Don't plan on dialing 1-800-COMCAST or other such numbers from this phone unless you know the actual numerical equivalent. Understandably, the phone's numeric keys don't show that 2 is "ABC", 3 is "DEF", etc. since the number keys are already paired with letter keys on the keyboard. But there could be ways around it, like showing the alpha-numeric mapping on the screen as you dial. There was such a hack for the first Blackjack but that hack doesn't work on the Blackjack 2.
This list is just from my first week of use with this phone. There may be more issues I have yet to come across but I felt it necessary to warn anyone considering this phone to AVOID IT AND GET SOMETHING ELSE. I also recommend staying away from Samsung phones altogether. I've had 2 other Samsung phones before and they all suffered from manufacturing defects, major bugs, and usability annoyances. The first Blackjack had major antenna problems that didn't manifest for months down the line, so I'm very pessimistic that this one also will have latent problems.
 Great wine color and good phone February 8, 2008
A. Espinoza (San Diego, Ca)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
First I have to admit, I love the red color. Its a dark red so it looks black at night, but the main reason, the red Blackjack II has a snake looking back that has a firm grip. perfect, no finger prints!
The phone works great. I had other smartphones, but this one is slick and has a nice glossy screen. More color as well. It was easy to set up email and other applicants unlike my other phones, were I actually had to open numerous forums to figure things out.
Lastly, everything else is great, but the GPS is the main reason I got it. I am out in the boonies and it still works like a charm. I recommend getting a car charger because the GPS kills the battery. but I use this thing as a GERMIN, its perfect.
Better than my BlackBerry September 9, 2008
Angela Stewart (Birmingham, Al)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I purchased this phone about 6 months ago. I have enjoyed it so much more than my last BlackBerry (7100i). More intuitive, easier to use and I have not had any problems with it whatsoever. I highly recommend it to anyone with average or smaller than average fingers - the typepad may be a bit small for larger hands.
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