Samsung A237 Black
 | Regular Price: | $199.99
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The Samsung A237 Black Cell Phone
Combining functionality with convenience, the A237 is a recent entrant from the Samsung labs that offers a balance between features and value for money. The shape is a rounded, flowing clamshell, with the standard inner and outer screens, in this case a two inch 65K color display on the inside, and a one-inch monochrome one on the outside. Taking advantage of EDGE class 10, this phone goes it one better from the usual clamshells by offering internet based services as well as the usual multimedia packages. It arrives preloaded with three messenger services as well as a web browser, and best of all; it’s a mere 3.4 by 1.7 inches. The battery is efficient as well, as it manages to last for about three hundred minutes of conversation or about ten and a half days if left to its own devices – now that’s excellent performance
Technical details
- Quad Band (850/900/1800/1900) for GSM, GPRS and EDGE (class 10, which translates to about 70Kb/s); supports web browsing (inbuilt browser)
- Bluetooth® 2.0 ready
- Instant messenger capable; Windows Live™, AOL® and Yahoo® messenger services preloaded
- PC synchronization
- USB cable and software is sold separately
- VGA camera with four resolutions and 2X digital zoom; multimedia messaging capable as well; however, only 3 MB preloaded memory to save images
Product details
- Dimensions; 3.4 inches x 1.7 inches x 0.8 inches, 2.9 ounces weight
- Battery life; 300 minutes talk time, 10.5 days standby time
- Internal screen 1.8 inches, 65K colors, 160x120 pixels
- 500 contact phonebook, with space for five phone numbers per contact, as well as email address and notes; SIM card can support another 250 contacts
- Reject list- a list of numbers for which the phone automatically rejects calls
- Supports polyphonic ringtones, and can also play MP3’s
Product description
Great Design
The A237 Black has a flowing clamshell design, with screens on the outside as well as the inside. The outside screen is monochrome and shows basic information such as the date, time, battery and signal strength, and also serves as a caller ID display for incoming calls. The camera lens is right above the outer screen; unfortunately the external screen can’t be used as a viewfinder for the camera because of its low resolution and the fact that it can only handle four colors. The phone also has a combined headphone jack (standard) and charger port, so only one accessory can be used at a time. The internal screen is a bit better; at 1.8 inches and 65,000 colors, pictures also become possible, however given that this is a low-end phone, a little graininess and lack of detail is to be expected. The navigation is fairly simple, with a four way toggle used with a central OK button, a set of standard Answer call/End call buttons, and two user definable keys, and the standard numeric keypad.
Features
The A237 Black comes with an inbuilt contact book with space for 500 contacts, each holding up to five phone numbers, an email address as well as a notes function for trivia. The SIM card increases this to 750 contacts, and a new feature allows these contacts to be assigned one of ten polyphonic ringtones that are available preloaded.
As far as media goes, Samsung has packed quite a few features into this phone - aside from supporting MP3’s and other multimedia files, the A237 also comes bearing a voice recorder and a VGA camera capable of taking pictures in four resolutions, from 640x480 pixels to 128x92 pixels. Other picture filters include four-color options (monochrome, black and white etc), as well as the standard night mode for boosting ambient light. White balance and exposure settings are also available which makes the camera a little more useful than those generally found on cell phones. An exposure meter also comes in handy, and there is a useful timer function for those occasional self-portraits.
Internet friendly and with a preloaded WAP 2.0 browser, the A237 allows you to browse websites, check your mail, receive and send files, and to jazz up your phone with personalized backgrounds, ringtones, and other associated decorations. And if you happen to be one of those who don’t see the point of using the Internet on a two-inch screen, fear not, the A237 Black still allows you to send and receive multimedia through its MMS services.
Usability
For a subscriber with an absolutely basic connection, this could very well be what you’re looking for. Since all internet telephony/WAP 2.0 connections would require extra services to be activated via the provider (AT&T), the functions one expects out of a basic package are making and receiving phone calls, sending and receiving messages (both text and multimedia), and perhaps a little light entertainment on the side from its MP3 player. Sound quality on the speaker is acceptable; keeping in mind of course, that the speaker is about the same size as that on a pair of headphones.
The phone has a convenient any-key-answer function, and since the phone’s outer display brings up the caller ID this amounts to little more than flipping the phone open to answer a call. The sound rockers are on the left side of the phone, and the buttons (both on the keypad and elsewhere) are sized well enough to use without looking. Bluetooth is available as well, and can be used to connect to wireless accessories, and to transfer files between phones. Call quality is generally good; however, at louder volumes the phone has a tendency to produce a distortion, although not bad enough to interrupt conversation.
Other handy features include a vibrate mode and an airplane mode (which drops all network connections when activated), an alarm clock and a calendar and the usual garnishing of a calculator, a currency and unit converter, a world clock, and a tip calculator – all very convenient. There are a few Java based games as well such as Pac Man, Tetris and Solitaire; unfortunately only the demo versions are preloaded, and a subscription must be purchased (via the inbuilt browser) to download more games or upgrade the demos to full versions.
In aggregate, this phone can be classified as a workhorse - it will get you communicating, it will allow you to check and send emails and messages, it might even play you a few songs, but if it’s glamour and glitz you’re looking for this is not the phone for you. High-end applications are unlikely to suit this phone either, given its basic memory capabilities, which would suggest that it’s more suited to those who just want to keep in touch with others.
If what you’re looking for includes durability, convenience, and value for money, the A237 Black definitely deserves some attention.
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