Samsung SGH-X620: Fun in a cell

Okay, I confess: I am a cellphone addict. I surf the Net to find out what’s new in the world of cellphones. I go to the mall and make sure I enter all the cell shops. Although I am loyal to two cell brands, I have never been one to close my mind to other possibilities.

"Kathy, want to try out a Samsung cellphone?" asks Telecoms editor Tony Paño. "Hmmm," I reply. "Why not?"

I have never held a Samsung phone although I have seen a lot of them in the malls. I took the Samsung challenge with much gusto, and with the curiosity that a child has when he gets a new toy. The Samsung SGH-X620 is black and rather plain-looking as cellphones go. But, nonetheless, I told myself that I should not let its looks be the judge of its performance. This Samsung is loaded with the following features: camera, infrared port, WAP browser, can be plugged in to an external speaker, MMS-capable, FM radio, has Java-based games, voice recorder and a timer and stopwatch – at least these are the special features of the phone as its manual lists them. Quite standard.

I used the phone for two weeks and here’s my verdict on this fun-filled cell.

For the texters out there – and that means anyone who uses a cell nowadays – this phone is a synch to use. There are no complicated buttons to press. All one has to do is to get to the text message menu, select the type message to send, press create and then type the message. The space bar for texting is the pound key, while for those who use other cellphone brands, the space key is zero. Getting to the send button is just simple.

Great – is the rating for Samsung on the texting front. Making calls are fun because the numbers that are dialed come out on the screen in a rainbow of colors. Better yet, the phone beeps when the call is connected. So this means if you are walking and making a call you know that you made a connection when you hear the beep.

Great – is my rating for making calls.

Then there are the emoticons. These are the little animated figures which some cellphones have which convey emotions, right? I tried sending an emoticon to a cellphone that has no emoticons on it. I got a blank text. I tried sending an emoticon to another brand of cell that has emoticons and yes, I got the emoticon on the other brand of cell – in the format that the other cell uses. That was a good sign, meaning that the cellphone companies are learning to ensure these cute animated figures are shared among each other.

Emoticons-wise, Samsung made me happy.

The font size of the letters on the screen was just right. Not too small that I had to squint to read them while I was driving (OK, no texting while driving) but neither too big that they made the texts I received look like someone was shouting at me.

The camera and radio are OK. They work fine. The reception on the FM station was clear and the speakers on the phone were good even if I played the radio on a really blasting-away volume. WAP connection is also easy. The WAP browser key is located at the top center of the keypad. One press and the connection is made. No worries there.

Connection is easy. But I did not stay on too long.

Fun, fun, fun.

The black color and the plain-looking design don’t do justice to this fun phone. A bit of color would make this SGH-X620 a great phone to have.

It’s light and will fit well in any purse or pocket for that matter.

But there are some drawbacks, too. Nothing’s perfect, right?

I did try to send some pictures through the infrared connection but I was not able to make the connection. It just kept getting cut. And then although the Samsung phone allows the sending of emoticons, it does not do the same with its ringtones. Mind you, there are quite a few cute tones on the phone. But that’s where they stay – no sending tones to another phone with this baby.

And of course, there is no Bluetooth, which is quite a standard feature with most cellphones today.

I have never used a Samsung cell. And for a first-timer, the phone was a very pleasant surprise. There is nothing complicated to learn – just switch it on and go. And as far as I am concerned, that’s what makes for a great cellphone.

Next time I check ‘em cellphones out, I am going to make sure I get my hands on the other Samsung phones. I might be missing out on something new.