Samsung BlackJack-SGH-i607 Review - Conclusion

Conclusion

Thin is in when it comes to cell phones, and with good reason.  A thin handset can be more comfortable to use, easier to stow away, and lighter to carry around than a bulkier counterpart.  However, sacrifices in the way of keypad design, power and battery life must often be made in the name of saving space.  When it comes to smartphones and their sophisticated controls and power hungry processors, successfully negotiating these trade-offs can be tricky business indeed.

Samsung has tried to strike a fashion-forward balance between form and function with their Blackjack smartphone for Cingular.  Compared to its closest rival, the Motorola Q, Blackjack is smaller, lighter, and more or less equally as powerful.  While both devices struggle with multitasking and browsing of complex Web pages, they also shine when it comes to broadband-enabled Email and carrier-specific information services.  Some of Samsung's other smart devices come with Picsel's excellent Web browser installed but Blackjack did not - too bad, as this might have made surfing the Web on the device a much more pleasant and useful experience.

If Blackjack's QWERTY board were a touch bigger - or my fingers a tad smaller - I might have really taken to the phone as a quick, easy to carry messaging handset with some great multimedia features.  As it is, though, Blackjack's buttons are simply too small and close together for my comfort.  I simply can't type on Blackjack like I can on the Q, and when it comes to a device like this, typing is half the attraction (if not more).

If you're a Cingular customer in need of a smartphone, get a Blackjack in your hands and see how you like it.  If you're not sure - or think of yourself as a power user - make sure you also check out the HTC-made Cingular 8525.  By taking on a little more size and weight, the 8525 gives you back a lot more in the way of comfort, horsepower, and functionality.

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