Brighthand Reviews Samsung's i760

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13501' target='_blank'>http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13501</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Once you get to look at it for a little while, you start to realize that the i760 isn't nearly as visually unappealing as it seems in photos. To see most of the promotional images, you'd have to think that the device was darn ugly. And while it's not on the level of Samsung's i607 and i780 models in terms of looks, it does come off much better in person. Not super slick, but businesslike...I have to admit, the i760 really surprised me. I was expecting it to be an unremarkable copy-cat slider model, with an unattractive design and nothing to really distinguish it from the rest of the pack. What I got instead was an impressively robust device with excellent communications and a design that, while not the sexiest thing, is well built and very usable."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20071123-BHSamsungi760.jpg" /><br /><br />Adama Brown, known as ADBrown on our forums, gives the i760 a concise, technical review (i.e., for veteran Pocket PC readers) and comes off as liking the device very much. While the photo above doesn't do Adama's argument justice, I personally am intrigued -- I'm a fan of the front dialpad, and will have to check this out the next time I walk past a Verizon store.

[trog]

I couldn't agree more. I have been using this phone for several weeks and it is the best PocketPC/Smartphone I have ever used. Great features in a size that is still pocketable. It is my primary phone and I take it everywhere. Data sessions do eat battery life very quickly, but having two batteries helps. My only gripe is that I can't get it to charge while connected to my PC. Every other device I have owned could do this.

[hang5lngbd]

I upgraded from a xv6700. The i760 is a great new device that blows my xv6700 out of the water. The battery life is SO much better than the xv6700 that I only have good things to say about the battery life.

My biggest issue is that I seem to need to go into Select Networks and change my active network to one without a dial out option whenever I need to use WiFi. Even if WiFi is on and connected, if the "Work Network" has the ability to dial out, then it will.

Start / Settings / Connections - Connections - Advanced - Select Networks - change from Verizon to Work network and back

Verizon said that this phone doesn't look to see if it's connected before dialing the dialup connection like my previous Windows Phones. There's gotta be a way to fix this.

[ADBrown]

I'm sure some people already know this, but to properly understand this review, it should be emphasized that I am normally not a fan of Pocket PC phones. I wouldn't replace my Axim and smartphone combo with the i760, either, but I have found it more appealing than pretty much any of the other slider designs I've used, including the Wizard, Mogul, Hermes, and Apache. The front dial pad does a LOT for its usability as a phone, and the overall design is well executed. So you might say it won over even a general PPC phone cynic.

Verizon said that this phone doesn't look to see if it's connected before dialing the dialup connection like my previous Windows Phones. There's gotta be a way to fix this.

This hasn't been my experience. I didn't use WiFi a lot, but I did try it out, and I didn't need to disable EVDO to do so. Software problem with your unit, perhaps?

[rocketmanlp19]

I've had the phone for about two weeks now and I love it, short of two things:

#1: I have not tried the holster since I'm not sure it looks too safe, but there are no cases that are made very well for this thing. I tried four different options at the store and none of them worked very well (and were all sideways) and the one I ordered online is much better, but it's not a very snug fit. They could have did a little better making a suitable case for it.

#2: I have not been able to find a setting to disconnect the data connection after it's been idle for X minutes. I'm pretty sure the older versions of Windows Mobile supported this, but I can't find anything on this one. I'd like it to disconnect automatically if I forget, instead of me having to remember to go into wireless manager and do it.

Other than that it's been great so far, and those are more or less inconveniences rather than problems.

[barrypowers]

simply the best PDA or phone I have ever had.

[ntractv]

How ironic, my Treo 700w died this weekend and my 2 year upgrade is active tomorrow. I was in the Verizon store today looking for a replacement and came across this device. No need to say that I will be at Verizon tomorrow to pick this baby up.

[jbachandouris]

How ironic, my Treo 700w died this weekend and my 2 year upgrade is active tomorrow. I was in the Verizon store today looking for a replacement and came across this device. No need to say that I will be at Verizon tomorrow to pick this baby up.

I am SOOOO jealous. I have the 700wx and it is working fine. My upgrade is not for another 3-4 months!


As for cases, try http://www.seidioonline.com/. They have great accessories and when they do have a case for this, I guarantee it will be worth it.

[anifong]

Had mine for the 30-day trial and sent it back. I had used the i730 for 2 years and could mostly get around one-handed. The i760 is a much better phone than the i730, and battery life seems to be much improved. I found the placement of the Send, End, OK and Start menu keys awkward to use without holding with one hand and repositioning the other. While I could've lived with it and maybe could've reassigned buttons as a workaround, I decided to try a WM Standard device and couldn't be happier. After using the Motorola Q9m for a couple of weeks I think I'm sold - this is a phone first, pda second, and just works. I haven't had to install any third party hacks to make the phone portion of the device usable. Having only used the pocket pc OS, I dismissed the smartphones as inferior until now - give one a look if you like the simplicity of one-handed use. I'd like to see the HTC 5800 that's due out yet this year, with the Smartphone OS and slide-out keyboard, without the goofy send/end key position.

[AJRoselle]

I've had this phone for 5 months now. This is the WORST phone I have ever owned. Worst yet, most reviews I read are from people who have only used the phone for 2 weeks and say they love it. I loved it at first too because of the potential. Sadly, Windows totally borks this entire phone, as well as the touch screen and button placement.

Windows - I have downloaded only 3 games from Verizon and have 300 megs of MP3's on my 2 gb card (the phone can only have at most a 2GB card). My Camera doesn't work anymore because it says I don't have enough memory. Many programs require me to first reboot the phone because of RAM issues. On top of all that, the games that do run and programs that do run often shut down unexpectedly.

The switch from horizontal to vertical works 60% of the time, causing a lockup most other times. The phone's touch screen somehow disconnects your calls due to your cheek hitting it.

This device is a pocket PC first, then an mp3/media player and then a phone. If you are looking for a small laptop, this is your phone. If you plan on making and receiving phone calls, try something different.

If you want to buy my phone for $200 bucks (half of what I paid) e-mail me at AJRoselle@aol.com. I may call you a sucker, but I accept checks.

[rocky_raher]

... My only gripe is that I can't get it to charge while connected to my PC. Every other device I have owned could do this.

PocketPCTechs sells a cable which will both sync and charge the 760.