Samsung a707 SYNC Red Phone (AT&T) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Samsung Sync SGH-A707 is by far the best cell phone I've ever owned, and even though I've had it over a month, I'm still excited to have it. It's not perfect, there are some problems which I'll list, but the Sync SGH-A707 has all the features I could want in a cell phone, except for one major omission, voice dialing, and everything works well.
My number one criterion for a cell phone is voice quality. No matter what extra features the cell phone comes with, in the end I use it as a phone and I need excellent voice quality both for transmission and reception. The Sync SGH-A707 delivers. I've had no fuzzy calls, no fade-outs, and no dropped calls. All my calls have been clear on my end and when I've asked, I've been told my voice can be heard clearly at the other end.
The phone is large, but not too large and the weight is right. It fits exactly perfectly in my hand and the ear piece lines up with my ear while the microphone is right in front of my mouth. However, if you send a lot of text messages and are a speed texter with your thumb, you will have to get used to the phone's width. Since it is slightly wider than other phones I've used, it slows me down somewhat trying to stretch my thumb across the keys to enter a message. But I don't see this as a problem.
The Sync's screen is large, awesomely colorful, and the menus are easy to use. It's too bad you cannot change the order of the menus, however there is a configurable menu that is accessible from the Options key so you can put your most frequently used menu items up front. The keyboard has a four-way navigation key with a button in the center. You can configure what functions each of the four arrow keys brings up but you cannot change the function of the center key. When you are not in any menus, the center key always brings up the web browser. I don't have use for a web browser on a cell phone, the screen is too small, so I'd prefer it to call up a menu. But that's not changeable.
The Sync has six profiles, or modes, that change the way the phone operates. The profiles are Normal, Silent, Driving, Meeting, Outdoor, and Airplane. The Airplane profile allows you to listen to music, watch videos, play games, use the calendar or calculator or other programs but disables the cell phone function so you can use the Sync on a flight. The Outdoor profile sets the volume controls on maximum and causes to the phone to ring loudly and vibrate when calls are received. The Meeting profile silences the phone totally and causes the front screen to flash when a call or text message is received. You can switch quickly and easily between the Silent and Normal functions by holding in the hash (#) key for 3 seconds.
The Sync SGH-A707 comes with a 2 MP camera which takes fairly decent photos and movies for a cell phone, remember, it's not a camera, it's a cell phone. You can take a photo with the clamshell closed or open. Since it can take a 2 Gb microSD card you can take a lot of photos or movies and save them on the SD card.
The Sync can receive XM satellite radio (for an extra fee, of course), mobiTV (again, for an extra fee), and has an internal MP3 player and can take a 2 Gb microSD card which can hold several hours of music. The sound quality is good for a cell phone; remember it's not an iPod, it's a cell phone. I've loaded it up with tunes and listen all the time. It also can play movie files but I can't imagine who would want to watch movies on a 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm screen (one and three-eighths inches by one and seven-eighths inches). The MP3 player has external controls so you don't have to open the phone to pause or skip a song, however the controls are so very sensitive that if you lightly touch them they activate. Every time I put my phone in my pocket I end up either skipping a song or pausing. The phone corrects for this by making the controls inactive after 30 seconds. So once I start a play list I have to hold the phone for 30 seconds until the outer controls become inactive before I can put the phone in my pocket. To reactivate the controls you have to hold a side button in for 3 seconds. That means if you want to skip forward a few songs you first have to hold a side button in for 3 seconds to reactivate the controls. Or you can open the lid of the phone and use the inside controls. This feature is annoying, but it's even more annoying to have such extremely sensitive controls on the outside of the phone that you have to be careful what you touch.
The two most major negatives for the phone in my opinion are the lack of voice dialing and the very badly written user manual. Whoever designed this phone and left out the ability to do voice activated dialing is an idiot. Why would I want to use a hands-free bluetooth earpiece and then have to open the phone to dial it? If you want a phone with all the features of the Sync A707 and you absolutely require voice activated dialing, buy a Nokia N75. The N75 is almost an exact duplicate of the Sync A707 with the differences being that it has voice activated dialing, it lacks the stereo bluetooth capability that the A707 has, and to access the N75's microSD card you have to open the battery case, while the A707's microSD card can be accessed from the side of the phone. (For me, I'd have had to pay $95 for the N75 while I got the A707 for free so I chose the A707.)
The second major negative is the lousy user manual. It is obtuse and doesn't explain everything about the phone, and what it does explain, it doesn't explain well. For those of you who own the phone, did you know that pressing the hash key (#) and holding it in for 3 seconds will quickly switch the phone between silent mode and normal mode? This is a feature I use all the time and it isn't mentioned once in the manual. I know about it because it is a feature of all Samsung phones that have a silent, vibrate capability. In many reviews of this phone that I've read online I've seen comments that it's too bad the phone is missing some capability that I know the phone has. But the reviewer didn't know about it because you can't find it in the user manual or it's not explained well in the user manual. For example, a reviewer here recently said the outside screen shuts off and you can't see the time unless you open the phone; in fact, if you press the left side volume key you see the time. (You can change the outside screen to stay lit longer but it sucks battery.)
In conclusion, on the whole, in spite of it's faults, I love this phone and I'd strongly recommend it to anyone.

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If you're looking for superior multimedia capability wherever you go, look no further than the Samsung SYNC SGH-a707, one of Cingular's first high-end 3G flip phones. This high-speed, media rich phone features quad-band world phone connectivity, while its domestic UMTS and HSDPA capabilities will allow you to download data at speeds only dreamed about before. In fact, because the a707 supports the HSDPA protocol for high-speed data transfer, you'll be able to stream TV and high-speed video, and more, straight to the a707. Packaged in a stylish clamshell design, the a707 phone is the ultimate multimedia device, and the perfect complement to Cingular Wireless service.
DesignThe a707 design takes the standard clamshell form factor to the next level with its impressive media and data capabilities while maintaining a stylish and cool exterior. A large 240 x 320 full-color display with over 262,000 colors dominates the inside of the top cover. The outside cover of the handset sports a supplementary external display that can display time, call information, battery and signal strength, and more. The external screen can even be set to display a large analog clock. A TransFlash/MicroSD memory card slot is located on the right side of the phone while a 2.0-megapixel camera lens is housed above the external display. Most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's control pad. Lastly, charging and USB data cable ports are placed on the bottom of the phone, keeping the phone's design compact and portable.
Calling FeaturesThe a707's internal phone book can hold up to 1000 contacts while the phone's picture ID system allows you to assign pictures to your most common callers. It also supports polyphonic ringtones, and comes stock with unique ringtones built right into the unit, while more ringtones can be downloaded from Cingular Wireless' MEdia Net service. For times when you want to be discreet, there's a vibrating alert, and a built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear.
Because the a707 is Bluetooth enabled, wireless headsets can be configured with the phone for total handsfree operation.
Messaging, Internet, and ToolsThe a707 is a messaging and wireless Internet powerhouse. With UMTS and HSDPA support built right into the phone, you'll be streaming and downloading at speeds so fast your head will spin. When used in combination with one of Cingular's MEdia Max plans that supports Cingular Video and MobiTV (additional Cingular charges apply), the a707 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.
Into sending and receiving pictures, text, graphics, and sound and video via messages? When used in combination with the phone's built-in still and video cameras, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. Instant messaging is also supported via AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and ICQ (Cingular messaging charges apply). There's also a built-in Web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. Cingular's MEdia Net service lets you do more than just stream videos--it lets you receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more. A predictive text entry system that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit--a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.
Getting on the Internet with your laptop or PDA is easy with the a707. When used with a Cingular data plan and the phone's Bluetooth or USB data capability, the phone can be used as a wireless modem for laptops and PDAs.
A number of handy software tools are bundled with the a707 including a voice memo recorder, a calculator, a calendar, and an alarm clock. Use the phone's Bluetooth capability to set up a wireless link with a Bluetooth accessory or connect to a computer or hand-held device to exchange and synchronize data.
Imaging and Entertainment With features like 29 MB of built-in memory, and a preloaded mp3 player, the a707 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 a707 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 (additional Cingular charges apply).
The phone's 2.0-megapixel camera features still photo and camcorder capabilities, so you can capture all those soon-to-be priceless memories. Capture stills and then send them to your friends via MMS messaging or email, or to your PC via USB or Bluetooth. The a707 also supports custom graphics for wallpapers so you can dress up the phone to suit your fancy. Support for Java gaming is built into the phone and games are available for download via the Cingular MEdia Net service.
The a707 also sports an airplane mode feature, which allows you to safely use the non-wireless functions of a phone (such as music, games, or organizer functions) on an airplane during flight.
UMTS Wireless Broadband CoverageLearn 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-a707 weighs 3.49 ounces and measures 3.72 x 1.99 x 0.65 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4 hours of digital talk time, and up to 240 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 850/1900 WCDMA frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

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