The Blackjack Experience

Cingular has a smartphone out that is getting tons of raves…and very few rants. With an included digital camera and Bluetooth 2.0 for wireless connectivity, this Blackjack will come in handy for business and personal use, alike.

It utilizes GSM 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS 850/1900 for its network technology. The digital camera is a 1.3 megapixel setup with a 2x zoom. Uses a lithium ion battery for longer life and actually gets 4/5 ratings on battery life on most sites where users have reviewed the product after use.

The Blackjack height comes in at 4.4 inches and a relatively slim width of 2.3 inches. Weight of the item is 0.22 lbs which makes it a nice compact setup as well. This Blackjack is also known as the Samsung SGH or the Samsung I607 if you’re shopping for one.

The price structure, of course, has a lot to do with your contract that you hold with Cingular and it comes in at .01 to $199 depending on your situation. Wirefly, Amazon, Cingular and LetsTalk all feature this product and give it a collectively good rating.

One user review states: “If you’re looking for a phone that can access email, easily send text messages, play music, watch video, access the Internet, or use it as a modem for your laptop, the Blackjack does it all. Even though it does not have the full capabilities of a PDA (cannot create word, excel, or power point files) it will satisfy the vast majority of users needs. The slim design and crystal clear screen make this phone a must have for anyone looking for more than just a cell phone.”

Sounds excellent to me but what are some of the complaints?

Another user said, about the email capabilities: “One drawback is that if you use Yahoo! mail, you need to be a Mail Plus customer to access it on the Blackjack, or at least that’s what I was told by the Cingular service rep (I was a Plus customer anyway so it didn’t matter).” and another spoke up about the same issue, ” a little hard to set up email if you don’t find instructions. “

If you’re thinking of purchasing the Blackjack to replace your Treo or similar device, listen to what this user said as a hint of what is to come: “I have switched from my Treo 650 to the Blackjack. I gotta say that I am impress with this phone. I’ve been using the Treo for the past 3 years (model 600 and 650) but switching from the Palm system to the Window based system on this smartphone was nothing but ease. The phone quality is superb compared to the Treo. When I had the Treo people would have a hard time hearing me talk over the phone. but with the Blackjack, I don’t have this problem anymore. Overall, I really like this phone.”

I was impressed with the many highlights of the Blackjack that were pointed out during user reviews. I find this important when shopping because it’s great to know what others are experiencing before delving into such a product. Many of us have become quite dependent on our cellphones and devices and it’s nice to know what use we can get out of it before buying.

This is the third Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Edition with a QWERTY keyboard to hit the US market and you can look forward to many more being produced that will improve your user experience. Check out the multimedia functions too!

Thanks goes out to PhoneScoop for the excellent photos.