Samsung BlackJack Smartphone (AT&T)

Amazon.com Product Description

Samsung's latest update to the venerable i320 packs a serious punch. Just like its predecessor, the i607 BlackJack is slim and light--one of the lightest and flattest smartphones on the market--this time though, it features impressive innovations, like HSDPA 3G high-speed data capabilities, stereo Bluetooth, an advanced music player, and more.

With Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition software, and a big color screen, this device is the perfect choice for professionals who want to stay on top of their game.

All the power and functionality you need when your office is on the move. See the BlackJack in detail: Front and rear.
The BlackJack lets you do things you'd typically need a PC to do, like email, text messaging, instant messaging and web browsing--all from one integrated phone. What's more, the phone's software is designed to sync seamlessly with email, contacts, and calendar information on your PC. The BlackJack also offers great mobile music and video options, thanks to Windows Media Player. With the phone's business, communication, and entertainment applications, and a Cingular MEdia Max plan that supports high-speed streaming via UMTS and HSDPA, the possibilities are endless.

Design
The BlackJack goes with a tried and true design that makes it easy to communicate at a moment's notice. The large, 320 x 240 screen supports over 65,000 colors, while a QWERTY keyboard just below the screen makes typing out emails, SMS messages, notes, presentations, and more a breeze. A side scroll wheel is conveniently tucked away on the side, making navigation when accessing the music player and other various applications a cinch when needed. A five-way selection button allows you to navigate and control the Windows Mobile interface, while soft keys on either side of the selection button make it easy to quickly access important phone and productivity functions--all of which make the BlackJack a snap to use one-handed.

A microSD/TransFlash memory card for expanding the BlackJack's memory is located on the top right-hand side of the phone. Connectivity is provided by USB, infrared, and Bluetooth. You'll also find a speakerphone, and a 1.0+ megapixel camera with video capture capability, which is housed on the rear of the device.

Calling Features
The BlackJack has all the latest calling features folks have come to expect from a high-end handset. The built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear. Speaker independent voice activated dialing makes calling your friends, family and associates as easy as saying their names, while the phone's Bluetooth connectivity means that your favorite Bluetooth headset is fully compatible. A ringer and picture ID system makes it easy to identify your most common callers.

Messaging, Internet, and Tools
The BlackJack is designed as a complete solution for people who want to bring their office with them. The unit comes packed with mobile versions of Outlook, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger. Outlook Mobile features integrated calendar and email functions, as well as a contacts list that is cleverly integrated with the phone's dialing functions. Robust SMS and MMS functionality is built into the Windows Mobile interface, too.

Microsoft's ActiveSync software keeps the device synced with all of your PC's Outlook information (via Bluetooth or USB).

A number of handy software tools are bundled with the BlackJack, including a voice memo recorder, a calculator, a to-do list, and an alarm clock. A predictive text entry technology is also included.

Imaging and Entertainment
In addition to the 1.0+ megapixel still camera, the BlackJack is capable of recording video clips to its built-in memory, or to the memory expansion card. The inclusion of Windows Media Player on the BlackJack opens up a whole range of possibilities for this phone. Use it as a digital music player, or sync the device with Windows Media Player on your PC to download video.

Instead of downloading media to your phone, why not stream directly from your phone? With UMTS and HSDPA support built right into the BlackJack, you'll be streaming and downloading at speeds so fast your head will spin. Used in combination with one of Cingular's MEdia Max plans that supports Cingular Video and MobiTV (additional Cingular charges apply), the BlackJack will allow you to play high-quality news clips, sports clips, weather clips, and more--right on your phone. And with Cingular's exclusive partnership with HBO Mobile and HBO Family Mobile, you'll never be at a loss for something good to watch.

With features like stereo Bluetooth headphone capability, and support for Java based applications and games, the BlackJack shines in the entertainment department. When the feeling strikes you, jam out to your favorite music on the unit's advanced mp3 player, and because the BlackJack sports a microSD/TransFlash memory card slot, you can load up all your favorite music and bring it with you (memory cards sold separately). And because the phone supports MobiRadio, in addition to streaming video and TV, you can listen to your favorite radio station via the supported digital radio service--great for times when you feel like listening to new music (additional Cingular charges apply).

UMTS Wireless Broadband Coverage
Learn More about where UMTS coverage is offered.

Warning: If you want to enjoy the full audio and video capabilities of your UMTS phone, please select a MEdia Max service plan option during checkout. If you do not sign up for a MEdia Max service plan option, you will be paying per KB when you use the over-the-air UMTS audio and video features on your phone (upwards of $10 per minute).

Vital Statistics
The Samsung SGH-i607 weighs 3.50 ounces and measures 4.45 x 2.32 x 0.46 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.0 hours of digital talk time, and up to 264 hours of digital standby time. It features UMTS with HSDPA capability and runs on the GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and WCDMA 850/1900 frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews:

Don't Believe The Hype.......2007-11-10

This is by far the worst cell phone that I've ever owned. I had a Qualcomm 1920 in the late 90's that's battery lasted longer than this one. You can't navigate hotmail, or link it up to Outlook on it.

You would think such an advanced phone would have no problems sending picture mail; guess again. There are Vegas odds on whether or not they will send. Just recently, my phone decided to lose my yahoo account, and forget how to log on to the internet. And when I try to send picture messages now; I get an 'Unable To Connect' message. I can't wait to get a new phone so I can smash this one to pieces.

It makes me miss my Razr

Great phone for casual business use........2007-10-30

I've had the blackjack for almost a month now. Overall I think it's a great phone. This is my first smartphone. I didn't want to purchase a blackberry because I simply can't use all its features. I need to check email and surf the web. My business doesn't have a BES(blackberry mail) server so I decided to get the blackjack.

It is a little complicated at first to get the hang of everything. The navigation buttons are close together and I often hit the green or red call buttons on accident, which is annoying. I also use the task manager way to often to close programs that have no "exit" function. I would have given this phone 5 stars if it had built in GPS and wifi.

I really enjoy this phone becuase of its applications. I've found all sorts of usefull programs like Google maps, IM+, Fizz Weather, Facade. You can really customize the homescreen a lot since its just xml. I was able to setup my POP3 accounts easily and retrieve/send email with it all day long. The battery holds out just fine for me as well. I have yet to use the extended life battery. Docking with my pc works everytime and is easy to use. The phones reception is also great. I kinda live away from the city and I still get clear calls and constant Edge service, sometimes 3g. I have movies and mp3z as well and both play great. The speaker is good for me. I don't usually play loud mp3s in a room full of people...

I bought a 2gb microsd card for $26 at Brandsmart and it works fine. I also got unlimited data from AT&T for $19.99 a month, so I'm not sure why I see others complaining about paying $40 a month. The camera on this thing is great as well. I had a razr before this and its camera was good, but it doesn't compare to this phones cam. Overall I'm very happy with it and use it a lot more than I thought I would.

I am so over my Treo, and love the BlackJack!.......2007-10-27

I am an old Palm devotee, way back to the Handspring days. I never thought I would switch, but let's be honest, the Palm based phones are as heavy as a brick (a small brick, but a brick nonetheless!). After carrying around the BlackJack (BJ) I knew there was a better way. I carry it around in my coat pocket and don't even realize it is there. The only thing that took me a while to accept is the fact that I can't just tap on the screen of my BJ and add a calendar item. I used to do this all the time with my Treo 650 and it took a while to be at peace with having to tap a few buttons/keys in order to do the same thing on the BJ. One application, which is totally worth the $15 or so dollars I spent on it, is SBSH Facade. This creates a home screen that is much user friendly than what comes with the BJ.

The Blackjack is great, especially with the unlimited data plan. For the first few months I did not have the plan and did not take advantage of it's features. But, let me tell you, the internet on this thing loads up very quickly! I get my outlook e-mail and calendar synchronized in real time in no time! I am amazed at the speed! Previously I had the Treo 650 with Sprint for 2 years, and I hardly ever used the internet explorer and the phone for e-mail since it was so slow, and the screen was only ok, the screen on the BlackJack is amazingly clear. I can read the smallest print! I might not be able to add a calendar item in a two-step process as I could with the Palm version of the Treo, but the extra few steps are worth it given the speed of the Blackjack and the much, much lighter phone. I miss my Treo only in the calendar function, but in everything else I am very happy with the Blackjack!

Good Phone, But Not Up To "All The Hype".......2007-10-15

I have had this phone since January 2007. Do not get me wrong, it's a nice phone! But it's got a few annoying ticks, like needing to be rebooted more then any other cell I've ever owned. The syncing process has issues as well, if you're not Microsoft and computer savvy -- you can lose numerous contacts in Outlook.

LOVE This Phone.......2007-10-11

Ok, I've had the Blackjack for two weeks now, after I got it for $100 for sticking with AT&T for two more years. I'm absolutely in love with it. I enjoy the crisp, bright display (which I've always enjoyed with AT&T phones), the keypad, the easy to use calendar, and also the windows media capabilities. It's very, very cool that I can sync this thing to my computer and upload pics, music, etc. (and that I can make any music file into my ringtone). The external speaker is actually quite loud should I choose to use it, and texting is a breeze with the keypad. I took this out around a table of professionals with blackberries and they oohed and aaahed over it because it's thin and sexy, not bulky like the blackberries. Internet usage on this phone is pretty cool, too. I can surf the net with ease and navigating the pages isn't hard at all. The battery life is also superb, too. I changed to this phone from the bulky and ugly 8125, which had to be charged every night. The Blackjack can go around 2-3 days without a charge, which is pretty convenient. Overall, the Blackjack is slim, sexy, dependable, and fun to use. I love it and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Samsung Blackjack II Black Smartphone (AT&T)

Average customer rating:

Updated but not in my top 5.
Sleak, stylish, and powerful
Excellent Entry Level Smartphone

Samsung Blackjack II Black Smartphone (AT&T)

Manufacturer: AT&T
ProductGroup: Wireless
Binding: Wireless Phone

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AT&T Tilt Smartphone (AT&T)

Product Features:

Quad-band/3G smartphone with Windows Mobile 6 for MS Office document editing and easy Outlook email and contacts
Internal GPS receiver with support for TeleNav software; music and video downloads and streams via AT&T Mobile Music and Cellular Video
Full QWERTY keyboard; Bluetooth stereo music streaming; 2.0 megapixel camera; MicroSD expansion
Up to 7 hours of talk time, up to 14 days of standby time
Includes: Charger, USB Cable, Battery and Getting Started CD

ASIN: B000YT77LM
Release Date: 2007-11-23

Amazon.com Product Description

The successor to the original, highly popular Blackjack smartphone, the Samsung Blackjack II (SGH-I617) retains the thin, lightweight design, QWERTY keyboard, and large screen from its predecessor while adding the power of the Windows Mobile 6 operating system, integrated GPS, and upping image capture quality to 2.0 megapixels. It can access AT&T's tri-band HSDPA/UMTS high-speed 3G network, which makes it easy to download music purchased from AT&T Mobile Music, stream tunes from Napster and eMusic, and watch video streamed from CNN and Comedy Central via AT&T's Cellular Video. It also supports AT&T's Video Share service, which offers a one-way video stream during a mobile-to-mobile phone call.

The Windows Mobile 6 Professional operating system offers a familiar office experience and the ability to read and edit in applications such as Word or Excel as well as review Powerpoint presentations. You can also receive Outlook email and update your contacts and calendar on the go. Other features include quad-band global connectivity. And you'll be able to get to where you're going fast with the integrated GPS receiver and support for TeleNav GPS Navigator software. Other features include Bluetooth connectivity for headsets and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion, speakerphone, instant messaging, and simultaneous voice and data capabilities.

The easily pocketable, ultra-thin Samsung Blackjack II measures just 0.4 inches and weighs 3.52 ounces.

AT&T Service
This AT&T phone can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T's 3G mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas. The AT&T 3G network uses the tri-band UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 MHz network (also known as WCDMA), making it possible to enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless multimedia services with speeds up to 3.6 Mbps. It also gives AT&T the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services.

In areas where the 3G network is not available, you'll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it's fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go. You'll also enjoy quad-band GSM connectivity, which allows you to make calls in more than 190 countries and access data applications in the more than 135 countries where AT&T offers international data roaming.

With 3G connectivity, you'll be able to access AT&T's Video Share service, which enables you to send a live, one-way video stream to another compatible phone during a standard voice call. The service also allows you to switch the direction of the video stream during the same phone call. (Customers must be in an area served by the company's 3G network and have a Video Share-enabled phone.)

It's packed with multimedia streaming and download capabilities. AT&T's Cellular Video (CV) service features content from CNN, The Weather Channel, iFilm, Comedy Central and exclusive premium content from HBO and much more. And you get access to AT&T Mobile Music, which enables you to buy tracks while on the, access the Napster subscription music service, stream music video, discover what's playing with Music ID song-recognition software, and find out what's hot with The Buzz music news portal. (A MEdia Max subscription bundle is recommended for accessing AT&T's Internet, video, and music services.)

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T's MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

With the power of Windows Mobile 6, you can easily stay in contact via email as well as edit Word and Excel documents.

Phone Features
Glossier than its predecessor, the Samsung BlackJack II impresses immediately with its striking looks, thin frame, and larger 2.4-inch LCD screen (320 x 240 pixels, 65K colors). The Samsung BlackJack II makes every aspect of your life look easy. The full QWERTY keypad gives you every letter at a touch. And the Jog Wheel lets you quickly access, scroll through and select whatever you're searching for.

With Windows Mobile 6, the BlackJack II brings a powerful personal computer experience to the small screen. The BlackJack II helps you keep track of schedules and contacts through Outlook Mobile, browse the Internet by using Internet Explorer Mobile, as well as manage Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents using Office Mobile. Windows Mobile 6 also supports HTML e-mail so that you can view and compose e-mail messages in their native format with live links to Web sites, support for images, tables and bullets.

BlackJack II will be among the first Windows Mobile 6 devices from AT&T to support Microsoft's System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, which offers companies an end-to-end solution for managing and securing Windows Mobile devices. Employees will also have access to company information and a line of business applications from a single, secure place behind the firewall by using a cutting-edge Mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN).

In addition to a robust feature set, BlackJack II provides access to multiple e-mail accounts, both personal and business, through Microsoft Direct Push technology with Outlook Mobile and AT&T Xpress Mail, which includes most major POP3/IMAP providers. The BlackJack II also offers over-the-air synchronization of contacts, calendar and task lists with Microsoft Exchange Server or AT&T Xpress Mail.

This phone provides Bluetooth version 2.0 wireless connectivity, and includes profiles for mono and stereo headset, handsfree, dial-up networking, object push, file transfer, and basic print. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server. It also offers USB 2.0 wired connectivity and USB mass storage capability.

Other features include:

Memory expansion via MicroSD cards up to 4 GB
PIM tools: Calendar, clock, world time, alarm, currency converter, unit converter, calculator, stopwatch
Instant messaging via AOL, Windows Live, Yahoo!
Hands-free loudspeaker and microphone
Fast loading HTML browser; RSS reader
2.0-megapixel camera with 4x zoom and multi-shot capability
256 MB ROM / 128 MB RAM

Vital Statistics
The Samsung Blackjack II weighs 3.52 ounces and measures 4.4 x 2.3 x. 0.4 inches. Its 1700 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 7 hours of talk time, and up to 14 days of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as 850/1900/2100 WCDMA (3G) frequencies.

Powered by Windows Mobile 6

Windows Mobile 6 adds power to your mobile office with up-to-date e-mail delivery and automatic synchronization of Outlook calendars.

Edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets on your phone, just as you would on your desktop/laptop PC.
Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 updates the Windows Mobile 5 platform with a number of handy features that make searching through email, editing Microsoft Office documents, and staying on top of your most important communications even easier. Emails can now be viewed in their original rich HTML format and now offer the ability to visit embedded links. It also includes Windows Live for Windows Mobile, which provides a full set of Windows Live services, such as the Windows Live Messenger IM application, which now enables you to chat with more than one person at one time or send a file. This device runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional, which is designed for smartphones with touchscreens

With Windows Mobile 6, your phone will finally be able to emulate the power and features of your PC's Microsoft Office suite. You'll be able to neatly view, navigate and edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets in their original formatting--without affecting tables, images or text--as well as view PowerPoint presentations.

Microsoft Office Word Mobile features include spell-check, Find and Replace commands, bulleted lists, text formatting, and support for tables for the first time.
With Excel Mobile, you're not just confined to editing charts: with the new Chart Wizard you can create charts quickly and easily.
PowerPoint Mobile allows you to view the full presentation, rehearse timings, check the order and any live links you may have in your presentation. You can then email comments back to the team or communicate via MSN Messenger for an immediate response.
After creating or editing a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, you can synchronize it with your PC and it will automatically be converted to the PC version.

All Windows Mobile 6 powered devices include Direct Push Technology for up-to-date e-mail delivery and automatic synchronization of Outlook calendars, tasks and contacts through Microsoft Exchange Server. It also offers a set of important device security and management features that include the capability to remotely wipe all data from a device should it be lost or stolen, helping ensure that confidential information remains that way.

Customer Reviews:

Updated but not in my top 5........2007-12-17

I have been searching for a new phone that does work email, can send/receive picture messages, send/receive short videos, can accept or reject meeting invites and updates my calendar over the air (aka everything the iPhone can't do). The BlackJack II is the second phone I am now using after getting rid of my iPhone (the first was an Blackberry 8310).

What does the BlackJack II do well?
It is thin. It looks good. It does email and calendar updates wonderfully (MS Exchange based). It does IM with AOL, MSN and MS Communicator flawlessly. The GPS feature is amazing with Google Maps (free add-on). It does IMAP email systems well (aka gmail) although some html formatted emails don't come through very well. Hardwired email and camera buttons nice. I like the dedicated silent button and cannot live without this since I have had it with the Treo and the iPhone.

What does it need help with?
The web browsing experience is slow even though the phone is 3G. I think this is due to the IE being a slow browser. The jog wheel has one speed (you can't tweak how fast it scrolls) and is very slow when scrolling. The battery life is about a 70% of a day if I only do voice and text messaging (aka no GPS directions, no heavy web browsing and Exchange Push feature is disabled or set to auto check email every 5 minutes instead). The text messaging is pretty sloppy cause it doesn't format the messages into a cohesive thread like the Treo 6xx/7xx and the iPhone does. You have to dig through menus to get to contacts for messaging. The camera picture quality is pretty bad relative to iphone and blackberry (slightly lower quality then Treo 680). The little door that covers the AC adapter port is flimsy and gets in the way when charging (feels like it will break within a few months of use). The LED cannot be turned off and blinks when ever a new email arrives from "any" email account configured on the device. I wish i could change the color of the LED (right now only pink) or at least tell it to only light up when i get a work email & not when personal email arrives. Better yet, allow me to have the LED light up and stay on when I miss a phone call or text message. It's of very little use but has potential. The keyboard is not as nice as the Treo but feels substantial and a bit refreshing after using the iPhone soft keys for 9 months.

There are other annoyances that are more related to Windows Mobile features but I'm trying to stick to the hardware only. One quirk I will mention that I can't live down is the fact that it takes the camera 5+ seconds to come up after pressing the dedicated camera button, which is super frustrating when trying to capture moments through the day. The iPhone and Treo both took pictures within 2 seconds or less. Seems most tasks that should be faster and easier just aren't in WM6.

So, there it is. If I can be of any further help, please let me know. I plan on switching back to the iPhone once it has full sync support for Exchange email and calendar features, but until then, it looks like the BJ II is the phone for now.

Sleak, stylish, and powerful.......2007-12-15

My only caveat to this review is that I'm a smartphone newbie. That said, I have a hard time finding anything I didn't like about this phone.

Starting with the looks, it's one of the few smartphones that I wouldn't feel embarrassed taking out of my pocket in a trendy restaurant or bar. That's another great thing, it actually fits in my pocket! I previously had a Samsung t509, one of the thinnest phones made, and the change hasn't been as bad as I suspected: it's not long enough to jam into my leg when I sit down, and not so wide that I can't put anything else in my pocket. Add to that the shiny black and metal frame, and your Blackberry toting friends will be hanging their heads in shame. It is amazingly smudge attracting, but I'm not overly worried about that. One good wipe-down a day takes care of the problem. I've heard some complaints about the scroll-wheel in the middle (it scrolls pages up and down), but to me it felt very much like the one on an iPod, which seems to work great for Apple. I've liked it so far, and it really helps you cruise through webpages quickly. The camera isn't awesome, there is a pronounced lag between clicking and having the image capture. However, I did notice that the "click" sound actually comes after the capture, so it's not as slow as the phone makes it seem. Still, it's something that could have been improved on.

Under the hood, this thing has been a dream too. It takes forever to start-up, which had me worried, but once it is switching between tasks is really easy. Setting up both my internet and work emails were a snap (under 3 minutes, combined) and messages get pushed through quickly. Page load times are pretty snappy (5 seconds for a new page, 2+ for a link) and downloads absolutely scream. Google Maps, about 500 KB, took less than 3 full seconds. Another handy feature that I've really enjoyed is the built in GPS. With the free download just mentioned you'll get maps and directions in pretty much no time. Locating the satellites takes a little bit, and they won't track well when you're at freeway speeds, but it works really well for directions and in-city driving.

The software hasn't been an issue for me yet, as I know a lot of people dislike Windows Mobile. It's fairly intuitive, but there are a lot of steps involved for tasks that don't have a shortcut on the home page (it displays the 6 most often used programs at the top). Syncing with my PC was a breeze after loading the included software, nothing got screwed up that I noticed.

In short, while it's not a mobile, do-everything PC replacement, it does pretty much everything you need away from the office (or home), and does pretty much all of them really well. Some miracle anti-fingerprint technology would be nice, as would a snappier camera, but other than that I think Samsung hit the nail on the head with this one.

Excellent Entry Level Smartphone.......2007-12-09

Its an excellent smartphone for what it does. If you want a good quality entry level smartphone then this is the one for you. The battery life is good- spending a day texting and making a few calls only made it lose one "bar" on the battery life meter. This is my first experience with Windows Mobile, and I have to say I love it. Its got a good interface, and as an added bonus you can play with the registry if you're so inclined. Doing so allowed me to get past the 300kb ringtone limit that was originally imposed on it.

Design wise, its a sharp looking phone, however you should be prepared to deal with fingerprints on the black one. I ended up buying a holster + "Screen Patronus" screen protector to keep it as clean as possible.

The camera does leave something to be desired. The images come out blurry at times and can look a little "faded". This is unfortunate as I assumed Samsung would have put a good camera in it.

The Keyboard is very nice and easy to type on. No complaints there.

All things considered, its a great entry level phone. I'm a college student, and it does everything that I'd ever want it to do. I can't say how well it would satisfy a business user, but the casual consumer will be delighted by this phone.

Samsung Blackjack II Red Wine Smartphone (AT&T)

Average customer rating:

Overall good, but marred by lots of annoyances

Samsung Blackjack II Red Wine Smartphone (AT&T)

Manufacturer: AT&T
ProductGroup: Wireless
Binding: Wireless Phone

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Product Features:

Quad-band/3G smartphone with Windows Mobile 6 for MS Office document editing and easy Outlook email and contacts
Internal GPS receiver with support for TeleNav software; music and video downloads and streams via AT&T Mobile Music and Cellular Video
Full QWERTY keyboard; Bluetooth stereo music streaming; 2.0 megapixel camera; MicroSD expansion
Up to 7 hours of talk time, up to 14 days of standby time
Includes: Charger, USB Cable, Battery and Getting Started CD

ASIN: B000YT96G6
Release Date: 2007-11-23

Amazon.com Product Description

The Windows Mobile 6 Professional operating system offers a familiar office experience and the ability to read and edit in applications such as Word or Excel as well as review PowerPoint presentations. You can also receive Outlook email and update your contacts and calendar on the go. Other features include quad-band global connectivity. And you'll be able to get to where you're going fast with the integrated GPS receiver and support for TeleNav GPS Navigator software. Other features include Bluetooth connectivity for headsets and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion, speakerphone, instant messaging, and simultaneous voice and data capabilities.

Other features include:

Memory expansion via MicroSD cards up to 4 GB
PIM tools: Calendar, clock, world time, alarm, currency converter, unit converter, calculator, stopwatch
Instant messaging via AOL, Windows Live, Yahoo!
Hands-free loudspeaker and microphone
Fast loading HTML browser; RSS reader
2.0-megapixel camera with 4x zoom and multi-shot capability
256 MB ROM / 128 MB RAM

Microsoft Office Word Mobile features include spell-check, Find and Replace commands, bulleted lists, text formatting, and support for tables for the first time.
With Excel Mobile, you're not just confined to editing charts: with the new Chart Wizard you can create charts quickly and easily.
PowerPoint Mobile allows you to view the full presentation, rehearse timings, check the order and any live links you may have in your presentation. You can then email comments back to the team or communicate via MSN Messenger for an immediate response.
After creating or editing a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, you can synchronize it with your PC and it will automatically be converted to the PC version.

Customer Reviews:

Overall good, but marred by lots of annoyances.......2007-12-18

I've had this phone for about a week now, and I'm overall happy with it, but there are so many problems it has that detract from the experience. This is my first foray into smartphones, and I wanted something pocketable that synced with my company's Exchange server. I actually bought a T-Mobile Shadow first, but returned it because of three main reasons: slow mobile internet, the keyboard, and short battery life.

I'm happy to report the Blackjack does much better in all three areas. I never paid attention to what 3G was until I tried using the internet on the Shadow: the small screen with a slow processor, on a slow GPRS connection is a frustrating experience that negates the benefit of having mobile internet. Furthermore, the keyboard on the Shadow is just useless for typing in non-English words, like user names, e-mail addresses, passwords, etc. Finally, I found that even with minimal use, the Shadow was down to 2/3 bars battery life after a day. Talking to other people, I found that all smartphones have awful battery life: two days without a recharge is considered good, but still the Shadow's battery life is unacceptable for me.

The best thing about the Blackjack II is the blazing fast 3G internet. Even though the processor is still slow and takes time to render the page, I've still found it to be a great benefit. Lately I've been using it to look up product reviews and pricing while shopping in stores. The reception is also good- I can get a 3G connection from pretty much anywhere, whether in a high-rise shopping mall, in a basement store, or in my office at work. It's also fast enough that even if it had WiFi I wouldn't bother using it. The full keyboards is much easier to use too. Finally, even after a day of moderate usage of the internet, my battery is still at 3/3 bars. Also, I'd like to mention the wine red version I have has a nice, textured back. The standard black one has a cheaper-feeling fingerprint-prone plastic back.

The Blackjack II is far from a perfect though. The biggest annoyance in my view are how the device has been crippled. The way AT&T and/or Samsung have crippled the device are symbolic of the way wireless providers try to cram their business agendas down the consumer's throat instead of focusing on what the customer wants.

The biggest loss here is that the GPS seems to be intentionally crippled (search for "Blackjack II GPS"). There also seems to be problems with the reception on the GPS itself. With my device, I found that the GPS works out of the box with Google Maps, as long as I'm not around tall buildings. Windows Live Search however, requires a software hack, which is pretty ironic. So, I think the main problem is the reception isn't great to start with, but the fact that not all software works makes it hard to determine if it's a software bug, or if it's something I'm doing. But when it does work, it works great. I plan on mounting it in my car and trying it out there instead of spending money on a dedicated GPS.

Another crippled piece of the device its version of Java. Java is necessary to run the GMail app as well as the Opera browser (which is way better than IE Mobile), but Cingular/AT&T decided to put all sorts of security restrictions on Java. Basically, every time the app does anything with the internet, you need to approve it, kind of like that Mac commercial where they make fun of Vista ("approve or deny?"). It is possible to get around this with some major software hackery, but this is by no means easy, and even then there are just other problems.

Finally, there are two keys that go straight to some AT&T/Cingular web pages. I would love to re-assign those keys to something I use a regular basis, like Google Maps, but they not customizable. Again, I'm forced to hack the device to make it do what I want. And to add insult to injury, the "CV" key goes to a Cingular Video site which looks like it's permanently broken.

The rest of the things I don't like are just about Windows Mobile. They are simply too numerous to write about them all. Basically the UI sucks, lacks polish and requires major use of the directional pad to do anything. Compare it to the iPhone and Windows Mobile looks stone-age, which is pretty pathetic for something that's on version 6. If I were to sum it up, I would say Microsoft has set its bar at a "barely passable" user experience, whereas Apple focuses on giving a great experience.

So, overall it's a keeper, but I'm still frustrated about AT&T/Cingular still insist on putting selfish silly limitations on their phones instead of just making the customer happy, and how Microsoft continues to ship crap software and catch up only when someone like Apple or Google ships software that's actually desirable. In spite of all this though, the Blackjack II is saved by its awesome internet connectivity, and the semi-useful GPS that only works in the suburbs.

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