Samsung BlackJack II (SGH-i617) Review

The Samsung Blackjack II

This is the easiest device to use on the planet. I just got mine today and within a few hours I could set up all my contacts, use the calendar, go on the internet, make calls, send and receive text messages and more. The package comes with a getting stared CD, which I haven’t used yet. I’ll probably use it in the next couple of day because I would like to receive my emails on the Blackjack 2 and on the computer at home. My dad’s friend has the Blackjack 1 and he did exactly this so it shouldn’t be that hard to follow.

If you are in a 3G covered area the internet is really fast even on web sites with a lot of graphics. Like most other phones, the internet is a little watered down but you can still get the necessary info from the site you are at. I looked around on mlb.com just as fast as I can at home with high-speed internet. Mlb.com has a lot of graphics and if you don’t believe me check it out on your desktop at home.

The Blackjack 1 has a scroll wheel on the right hand side but the Blackjack 2 has a D-Pad that doubles as a scroll wheel. It makes navigating through the phone very easy. The home screen is very intuitive. It has everything that you use on a consistent basis: Date and time, IM options, your scheduled appointments for the next day, and says if you have a new message. The home screen also has a bar at the top, which shows the 6 most recently used applications (ex: contacts, settings, my stuff, messaging, and calendar). These will change as you use different applications. There is also a menu where you can choose 1) Normal 2) Silent 3) Vibrate 4) Outdoor 5) Automatic. These selections all pertain the how loud the ringtone is.

The camera is 2.0 Megapixel where as the Blackjack 1 only has 1.3 Megapixel. It also will record videos at least 1 minute long but if you want to send a video in a message, the time is limited to about 40 seconds. Under the QWERTY keyboard, there are shortcuts for Media Net (you can access the URL of your choosing from here as well), Cingular Video, turning the volume to SILENT, Camera and Messaging. The battery is also improved. My dad has the Blackjack 1 and he was forced to buy the extended battery. There is no need for this unless you use the Blackjack 2 24/7. Not needing the bigger battery reduces the weight.

I also like having a button dedicated only to turning the power on and off. It’s located on the top. Looks aren’t that important to me but this phone looks REALLY good.

Setting up the speed dials was a little tricky at first but once you set up the first one, it’s easy.

Overall, this is an awesome device.

Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.

The phone is great, especially for email and other communication needs. The GPS is nice and the form-factor is ideal. Being on 3G helps a lot too.

The camera is a let-down and the video quality is worse, but overall I’m pleased.

Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.

I just received the Blackjack II and it’s not really what I expected. It’s pretty and has a lot more features than most phones and that’s about it. I love using the internet on it though and the messaging. But before I purchased it, I read reviews and now having the phone it’s not what I expected. But it’s good enough for me.

Rating: 7 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.

Overall the Blackjack 2 is a great Smartphone, its small/mobile and works as advertised. My main gripes with the phone are with the build quality… when pressing the keys on the qwerty, they don’t feel like they’re giving quite right, and the call and hang up buttons sound like they are squeaking a little bit when I push up and down on them instead of directly down. Despite these problems (which plague just about every Smartphone w/ moving keys)… it’s a great device.

Rating: 7 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.