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Product Review: Samsung IP-A790 Smartphone

By Mark Long
May 31, 2005 7:00PM

http://www.toptechnews.com/story.xhtml?story_id=13300002QGM4

One major disappointment is that the handset's unrivaled global-roaming capabilities come at a steep price. But globe-trotting road warriors at companies with deep pockets will find that the A790 is about as versatile as they come.


The Samsung A790 is a world-class smartphone with the ability to access CDMA networks in the United States as well as to roam freely over GSM networks in the rest of the world.
Available from both Sprint (IP-A790) and Verizon Wireless (SCH-A790), the new quad-band cellular handset offers globe-trotting road warriors the unrivaled convenience of being able to receive and place calls in more than 100 countries while maintaining a single telephone number.

Under the Hood

Measuring 3.5 x 1.97 x 1.0 inches and tipping the scales at 4.7 ounces, the Samsung A790 is based on Qualcomm's MSM6300 chipset, which has been designed to enable dual-mode operations over GSM (1800 MHz/900 MHz) and CDMA2000 1X (1900 MHz/800 MHz) networks.

On the outside of the handset is a 65K-color TFT external display that features a resolution of 128 x 96 pixels. The case flips open to reveal the unit's main TFT screen, which delivers 265K colors at a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels.



The unit's standard Lithium-ion battery is capable of delivering up to 3 hours of continuous CDMA talk time or up to 3.5 hours when operating in the GSM mode. An extended battery is also available for the handset that boosts CDMA and GSM talk times to 4.7 hours and 5.2 hours, respectively.

In addition, the requisite global positioning system chip is onboard to enable E911 calls to be placed from any cellular location where this wireless emergency service is offered.

Multimedia Capabilities

The Samsung A790 integrates an embedded VGA camera with built-in flash that enables the user to snap still images and to record short MPEG-4 video clips at 15 frames per second. The handset's imaging abilities are further enhanced through the incorporation of a self-timer as well as the requisite controls for adjusting image brightness and color tone.

The built-in media player allows the viewing of streaming video and audio programming on demand. In addition, the A790 incorporates a Voice Memo Recorder that is capable of recording and playing back memos, notes or reminders.



On the downside, the handset's voice and multimedia services cannot be accessed simultaneously. For example, if a call is received while the Sprint PCS Vision service is active, the call will be forwarded to voicemail. Although outgoing calls can be placed at any time, they will automatically interrupt any Sprint PCS Vision session that is then taking place.

Software Highlights

The Samsung A790 incorporates a voice-activated internal phone book that is capable of storing up to 500 contact phone numbers, e-mail addresses and Web site URLs. Numbers are dialed automatically by simply saying the name for any phone book entry.

Additionally, the user can say the word "status" and the phone will audibly respond by giving the phone's signal and battery strength.

The handset incorporates an airplane mode that will allow many features to remain operational when the user is in an airplane or in any other environment where wireless transmissions are prohibited. Moreover, the unit's password-protected lock prevents unauthorized access to the unit.

The Samsung A790 gives the end-user the ability to instantly send and receive e-mail and SMS text messages as well as engage in Instant Messaging sessions. The handset also includes predictive T9 text-entry software that will enable the end-user to quickly tap out text messages on the unit's standard phone keypad.

Accessing the Web

Handset users will be able to access Web content whenever the phone is operating in the CDMA mode. The bottom line of the handset's display presents the soft-key shortcuts for navigating around the Web, corresponding to the left and right buttons located directly below the unit's display screen.

The handset's four-way navigation control is used to scroll up and down to see the contents of the entire Web page. Sprint PCS Vision subscribers have access to financial news, weather reports and entertainment content from sites such as CNNtoGo, Bloomberg, The Weather Channel, USA Today and Forbes.

By signing up to receive Verizon's new Wireless Mobile Web 2.0 service, subscribers can access their Yahoo Mail from the Verizon Wireless Today home page. Moreover, subscribers who elect to define their personal preferences on Yahoo can have the latest financial news and weather reports of interest sent directly to their handsets automatically.

In addition, Mobile Web 2.0 subscribers will be able to purchase music and even movies that can be downloaded to their phones.

The High Price of Global Roaming

One major disappointment is that the handset's unrivaled global-roaming capabilities come at a steep price.

Sprint has established a flat-rate price of $1.50 per minute for placing or receiving calls in those countries that are included under the carrier's long-distance GSM plan. However, calls places in countries where CDMA and AMPS frequencies are supported will demand a surcharge of $.50 to $.99 per minute on top of the long-distance charges.

When traveling abroad, Verizon subscribers will be placing their calls over the Vodafone international network, which encompasses cellular sites in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific. The tariff amounts to $1.29 per minute in most overseas countries, except for the Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Latvia, where calls cost $2.49 per minute.

Verizon also offers international text messaging in most countries at a price of $0.50 to send or $0.05 to receive.

The Bottom Line

Sprint's IP-A790 is available online at a price of $369.99 following the application of a $50 Web discount. Verizon's SCH-A790 is available for $349.99 when the buyer signs up for a two-year service agreement. Verizon's Mobile Web 2.0 service is priced separately at $4.99 per month in addition to regular airtime fees.

Globe-trotting road warriors at companies with deep pockets will find that the A790 is about as versatile as they come. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give Samsung's quad-band, dual-mode handset a 3.9 rating.