Samsung has updated its popular line of BlackJack smartphones with a new model, named Jack. The Samsung Jack retains many of the features found on earlier BlackJack smartphones, such as excellent e-mail handling and good call quality, and adds a few new features, too. The Samsung Jack features a sportier rounded design and a new, lower price tag. It costs $99.99 when you sign a new two-year service contract with AT&T.
Design
The Samsung Jack is small and lightweight. It measures 4.4 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by .5 inches thick, and weighs 3.5 ounces. It's very similar in size and appearance to the BlackBerry Curve line of phones.
The Jack sports a two-tone chrome and gray design that looks both modern and professional. You get a 2.4-inch screen that feels slightly cramped, and its 320-by-240 display looks a bit muted. But the worst part about the design is the crowded, slick QWERTY keyboard. The rectangular keys are spaced very closely together, and I found them just too slippery for my taste. I often found typing more difficult than necessary.
Making Calls
Call quality was very good in my test calls. Voices sounded loud and clear, both on the handset itself and over the speakerphone. The phone is light enough to hold during long calls, too, and was very comfortable to hold next to my ear.
Software
The Samsung Jack runs version 6.1 of the Windows Mobile operating system. That means you get the familiar Windows-like environment, as well as a host of productivity apps, including the mobile version of Microsoft Office. While this Office suite is handy to have, using it on the Jack can be a challenge, given the phone's small screen and tight keyboard.
Another drawback is the lack of any on-board applications store, like you get on the iPhone, Palm Pre, Google Android phones, and newer BlackBerrys. Microsoft reportedly is working on its application marketplace for Windows Mobile phones, but it's not available yet. Still, you will find plenty of third-party software available for the Jack; you just have to go out and find it on your own.
Browsing the Web
The good news is that the Samsung Jack supports AT&T's speedy HSDPA 3G network, as well as Wi-Fi wireless networks so you have plenty of options for high-speed Web browsing.
The bad news is that the browser, Internet Explorer Mobile, remains a mixed bag. Some pages looked very good, but others were mangled enough to be unreadable. I do like how you can easily zoom in and out on Web pages with the click of a button, though.
Messaging
The Jack's s-mail handling is excellent. Adding e-mail accounts is a breeze, and the included e-mail client keeps different accounts nicely organized. It supports POP3 and IMAP e-mail accounts, and will sync with desktop Outlook accounts. It also comes with AT&T's Xpress Mail e-mail client, too.
The Jack supports both text and MMS messaging, and comes with AOL, Windows Live, and Yahoo Messenger instant messaging clients installed.
Camera, GPS, and More
The Jack includes a 3.2-megapixel camera that captured some decent photos; it's a noticeable improvement over the 2-megapixel camera found on the BlackJack II. It also captures video clips, and includes support for AT&Ts Video Share service. (This $5-per-month service allows you to make video calls, but only to other Video Share users.)
The Jack includes built-in GPS and comes with the AT&T Navigator app pre-loaded. This $10-per-month service delivers accurate and timely spoken driving directions to your phone. The biggest drawback of using in on the Jack is trying to see the maps on the phone's relatively small screen.
Additional multimedia features include access to AT&T Music, which lets you purchase songs directly from your handset. The Jack, though, does not include a standard headset jack, so you'll have to use Samsung's included adapter to connect your headphone. Alternatively, you can pair the phone with a stereo Bluetooth headset.
Video services include both AT&T's CV service, which offers a collection of pre-packaged video clips (both short clips and some full episodes) and MobiTV, which offers access to a selection of live mobile TV stations.
The Samsung Jack offers a good mix of features for both work and play, and it comes at an affordable price. I like the smaller, sportier design, too. I just wish keyboard were a bit easier to use.
