Samsung Magnet a257 Phone, Orange
Posted by admin | Posted in Gadget | Posted on 22-02-2010
5
- Affordable messaging phone with full QWERTY keyboard for easy typing on the go
- Compatible with AT&T’s EDGE data network; access to mobile email, text/picture messaging and instant messaging
- Bluetooth for handsfree devices; VGA camera for still photos; 64 MB memory (non-expandable); personal organizer
- Up to 5 hours of talk time, up to 250 hours (10+ days) of standby time
- What’s in the Box: handset, battery, charger, quick reference guide, user manual
Amazon.com Product Description
Nicely affordable and stylishly appointed with a bright orange case featuring an easy-to-grip soft-touch finish, the Samsung Magnet for AT&T is a great choice for messaging mavens thanks to its full QWERTY keyboard. You’ll be able to keep up with friends and family while on the go using text messaging, mobile email, and instant messaging via popular services including AOL, Yahoo! and Windows Live (messaging charges apply). Other features include a VGA cam… More >>
3 things: The battery depletes like a bad race horse. Never, ever go anywhere without a charger. The full qwerty keyboard: you will love this if your fingers are the size of pencil leads. Lastly — be sure you have an unlimited data plan, because the phone’s center button automatically connects you to the WAP browser. Depending on how you carry your phone, you will be accidentally connecting at least twice a day, for who knows how long until you notice. Other than the above, the Scagnet is a marvel of technology.
Rating: 1 / 5
My personal opinion is that this phone is more of a toy than a phone. If all you want to do is text and have a QWERTY keyboard, it’s fine, I suppose. There is no memory expansion, it feels a bit clunky in use (not in actual feel… it’s pretty sleek/slim) and it just seems really cheap. Nowadays, you can get so much more for next to nothing. I’d not recommend this for anything but giving your 12 year old.
Rating: 2 / 5
I just received this phone yesterday. I was excited to get a “real” phone that I could do some serious texting on. This isn’t it. The keys are really tiny (even for my small fingers) and I kept hitting the wrong keys. It’s being returned for a full-length slider keyboard. Keep trying, Samsung.
Rating: 3 / 5
- Recently upgraded my service plan for a new SIM card because my service was bad (they dont reissue new SIM cards for old att users), and was informed that my unlocked blackberry could not be used without a dataplan. Needed a new phone, so I searched around for the least silly looking phone that would handle my texting/basic pda functions.
- Fails at texting: the conversations are not threaded, which is annoying. The keypad is horrible because the keys need alot of force to register. So if you’re used to texting very quickly, messages will come out with random letters missing
for example, if you try texting “probably” too fast, you may end up with “prbbly” because the keys are too slow to respond to successive taps
- Fails as a PDA: the calendar is horrible because it does not set appointments under the times listed under each day. For example, if I click under 5pm on monday, it still brings up 8am on monday. This is obviously annoying to correct. In addition, the alarm for each appointment needs to be manually set (what is the use of setting an appointment that doesn’t give a reminder?). Worst of all, sometimes the phone starts pranging out and saying that i missed appointments from days past. I then have to go back and delete all the past appointments in order to keep the phone from draining its own battery out like an emo kid in a bathtub.
- Fails as a phone: horrible speakerphone/reception. No quick way to turn up the volume on the phone if there is trouble hearing.
- Overall pretty frustrated at the lack of decent PDA phones available without data plans. The reason why this phone still gets 2 stars is because it is very cheap and has very sturdy construction.
Rating: 2 / 5
I was looking for a phone I could easily slide right into financially after the 4th Moto Razr I blew through and I found that in the Samsung Magnet. It’s not 3G but I didn’t need that nor the added cost AT&T plugs on your bill per month to have it. The Magnet was the perfect new phone to replace my Razr and won’t cost me more per month in my plan. I like the qwerty keyboard and I find texting much easier than before. Sure, you have to get used to the smaller keys but are raised convenience and overall, I like it. Also, I typically use two hands to text on this one (yes, you can use one hand), but it discourages me from using while driving and that’s a plus as we all need not text while driving. I was very guilty of that. Sound volume great on the phone, just be careful on speaker not to have the volume up to high if you’re on hold. I almost blew an eardrum when the person came back on. Yikes. Phone tones are cool and different and all the menu keys are pretty straight forward. I didn’t pick up the manual once to figure anything out. Phone looks and responds like a PDA and I get comments all the time on the cool color. It’s like a rich & vibrant beachy burnt orange which is so different than any phone out there. Great color for girls and guys. Picture quality on the camera not the best but it’s not bad either. The only other thing is that I initially kept hitting the WAP (browser) center button which was a kind of a pain, but getting more used to it. I think that had to do more with the fact that my old Razr’s center button acted as main menu button.
Pros – looks, sound quality, texting easy, querty keyboard, uniqueness, cost sensible
Cons – picture quality, no 3G offered, keyboard keys are small but effective, center button not menu button – might take alittle getting used to
Rating: 4 / 5