Samsung Saga i770 Phone, Blue (Verizon Wireless) Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall, I'm pretty happy with my Samsung Saga. This Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional smartphone works well enough that it has untethered me from my desktop computer for many functions - checking work and personal e-mail, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the weather; updating my personal calendar and tasks; and editing some basic documents. Mobile web-browsing is a decent experience on the included Opera Mobile and Internet Explorer Mobile web browsers. Windows Mobile 6.1 offers a nifty auto-complete feature which works across the phone's web browsers, Word Mobile and the internal e-mail program, that suggests words as one types.
Some technology-savviness is a requirement for owning this phone; it takes some fiddling to configure the phone to one's preferences. Configurability is one of the Windows Mobile's strengths; especially that of the "tiled" front-screen "Today" interface. The "tiles" show more information than traditional icons. I've configured the front-screen of my phone with a Google Search box; the calendar tile -- which shows my next two appointments; and the task tile -- which shows the number of my regular and high-priority tasks. Also available are a messaging tile -- which shows the number new text messages, MMS messages, e-mail, and voicemail; and a pretty "Samsung Today" - which gives the phone a cute, but simple, mobile phone-like interface.
With the recent release of Google Sync, the Saga can also perform (wireless) push synchronization with one's Gmail's contacts and Google Calendar account. One nice feature is that the synchronization schedule may be customized for peak and off-peak times, and that these times may themselves be customized.
The Saga works best for those who have Microsoft Office 2007. Office Mobile 6.1's default file formats are Office 2007, and the phone's various personal productivity features -- calendar, tasks, contacts, notes, etc., synchronize best with their respective folders in Outlook. OneNote Mobile notes get their own notebook in OneNote 2007. Samsung's PC Studio software allows Windows XP users to synchronize the phone's contacts with Outlook Express (via the Windows Address Book), but this feature is not supported in Windows Vista. Windows Vista users apparently must have Microsoft Outlook or use Google Sync for contacts and calendar synchronization.
There is an unevenness to the Samsung Saga and its underlying Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system. While the Saga has a very good keyboard and productivity applications, the phone's keyboard lacks a delete function ([Fn][Backspace] in many other phones). The use of a stylus is still necessary to select blocks of text. While the e-mail program properly displays inbound formatted e-mail - bold, italic, tables, etc., the program only supports plain text for outbound e-mail. The phone can either ring or vibrate for incoming calls, but can't do both simultaneously. The Samsung Saga uses a proprietary USB data connection, which does not consistently charge the phone. Files are only synchronized if they are on the phone; files on kept on a storage card cannot be synchronized. The Saga also seems to have weaker signal reception than other cell phones. My Saga couldn't find a signal where my wife's Samsung Gleam had two "bars" of signal.
Dialing contacts and voicemail access did not work for me out-of-the-box; I had to turn off assisted dialing and add a # sign, for each feature to work, respectively. While Opera Mobile and Internet Explorer Mobile are competent web browsers, browsing regular-sized web sites is still done best on a desktop or laptop computer. Opera Mobile lets users zoom into and out of sections in regular-sized web pages, while Internet Explorer requires users to scroll through the web page. Both methods are slow. It is best to surf mobile versions of websites (such as m.amazon.com) on a Samsung Saga.
There are two accessories that will make one's purchase of the Samsung Saga more enjoyable -- a Bluetooth headset and the extended battery. While the standard size battery makes the phone attractively slim - slim enough to slip comfortably into one's front pants pocket, the standard battery limits the phone to "light" usage. Get the extended battery right away if you plan using the phone on purchasing this phone; otherwise plan on carrying around a travel charger because the battery drains quite rapidly with intensive usage. The extended battery adds about forty percent more capacity -- 1800 mAh, versus 1300 mAh for the standard battery, and makes the difference between "light" and "moderate" use of the phone. One must also be mindful of open but dormant data connections (including Bluetooth), because these also contribute to battery life issues. A Bluetooth headset is important because the phone notifies Bluetooth headset users of incoming phone calls, but those using wired headsets must rely on the phone's ringer -- which may not be heard in a noisy public environment, or if the phone is kept in a jacket pocket.
People who are willing to tinker a little bit under the hood will find Samsung's Saga i770 an affordable, utilitarian phone. Those who have Microsoft Office 2007 (or at least Outlook 2007) will be able to make the best use of this phone.

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A productivity powerhouse for on-the-go, fast-paced business communications, the Samsung Saga enables you to enjoy Verizon Wireless's reliable CDMA/EV-DO service here in the U.S. as well as access GSM wireless services in more than 200 destinations worldwide for voice and 150 global destinations for data. The Saga combines a full QWERTY keyboard with a large 2.55-inch touchscreen that makes it easy to to send email, text and instant messages. And with the power of the updated Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, you'll stay easily connected to your business and personal data on the go with support for a wide variety of email accounts as well as the ability to edit Microsoft Office documents.
You'll be able to snap still images and videos wherever you roam thanks to the 2-megapixel camera, which includes NightShot capabilties that enhance the camera's capabilities in dark environments. You'll also benefit from the phone's A-GPS receiver, which enables you to access Verizon Wireless's VZ Navigator service for turn-by-turn directions. Other features include Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion (to 16 GB), access to mobile email and instant messaging, and up to 5 hours of talk time.
Global Connectivity With the Samsung Renown, you'll be able to connect to wireless networks from Europe to South America to Asia thanks to its quad-band GSM/EDGE/GPRS connectivity. It comes pre-installed with a SIM card, so customers who plan to travel abroad can activate global service at the time of purchase or by calling Verizon Wireless prior to leaving the U.S. For those who travel abroad frequently, the company's Global Value Plan offers discounted roaming charges on calls made to and from 130 countries.
Verizon Wireless Service With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, you'll enjoy fast access to the Internet and Verizon Wireless's multimedia services (additional charges applicable), with average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.)
With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access Verizon Wireless's VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps that can be quickly panned and zoomed. Other features include weather updates for a location without knowing the ZIP code, optional rerouting based on current traffic conditions, and a gas finder feature for finding recent gas prices in your area and getting directions to gas stations.
With BroadbandAccess Connect (subscription required), you can use your smartphone as a modem for your notebook when you connect the two using a USB cable--or open a Bluetooth connection--enabling you to access the Internet or your company intranet. The tethered modem capability is ideal when you're traveling and need to use your notebook to check email, access corporate networks, or download large files like presentations and reports. And with BroadbandAccess Connect, you won't have to buy an extra PC Card or other devices.
Wireless Sync always-on email service (subscription required), you can stay connected and get the job done while away from the office--without a delay and in a secure environment. Email is delivered to your device in real time across the National Enhanced Services Rate & Coverage Area, and you get the ability to forward large attachments via email as well as access both your personal and corporate emails on one device. Wireless Sync offers strong security with AES encryption (Advanced Encryption Standard) technology so that unauthorized parties cannot access or alter application data transmitted over wireless networks.
Personalize your phone using the VZAppZone, a mobile marketplace that allows you to browse and purchase content and add-on applications. You'll get weather updates for up to five locations, news updates from Reuters, and a storefront for discovering and downloading ringtones, wallpaper and applications.
Phone Features The Samsung Saga features a large 2.55-inch LCD touchscreen with a 320 x 320-pixel resolution and a 65K color depth, which you can interact with using the included stylus. It sits above an innovative optical mouse that replaces the standard five-way navigation pad, which places a mouselike cursor on the screen. You'll be able to scroll through phone menu options just as you would with your PC's mouse, and press the optical mouse button down to open menu items. You also have the option of turning off the optical mouse to a more standard navigation pad. It's complemented by send/end keys, two soft navigation keys, Windows key, and OK button. The full QWERTY keyboard includes a number row that shares space with the letter keys (highlighted in white).
The phone has an internal user accessible memory of 110 MB (with 256 MB of ROM and 128 MB of RAM), and it's expandable via optional MicroSD memory cards up to 16 GB in size. It has a virtually unlimited phonebook size, and you can store multiple numbers, email addresses, and instant messaging address as well as birthdays, notes, and a picture per entry. The phone also displays the most recent 90 incoming/outgoing/missed phone calls.
With Wi-Fi connectivity, the Saga lets you move seamlessly between your corporate WLAN, home WLAN and local hotspots. Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.
The 2-megapixel camera shoots images in four resolutions (ranging from 1600 x 1200 to 160 x 120 pixels) with a choice of three quality settings. It also features white balance controls, self-timer, three shutter sounds (including silent), and color effects that can be added using the in-phone image editor. The phone can also capture video clips, which are capped at 30 seconds for sending via MMS messaging or recorded for as long as you have available memory up to up to QVGA resolution.
Stay in touch with friends while you're on the go using SMS text messaging. When used in combination with the phone's built-in still camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The phone also comes with a built-in web browser for downloads and mobile web browsing. T9 predictive text entry technology makes it easier for entering text while composing email and text messages.
Business users can choose from several popular platforms to access your corporate e-mail. The Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional platform offers seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook information including email, contacts, calendar and to-do lists. You can access and edit email attachments using mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. In addition, this phone supports scores of industry-specific applications as well as Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM), an enterprise-grade mobile device management solution that also provides security, mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) and software distribution for Windows Mobile devices enabled for Windows Mobile 6.1.
Other features include:
View, edit, create Word and Excel files; view only PowerPoint and PDF files; view, extract, create ZIP files
Web browsers: Opera Mobile and Internet Explorer Mobile
Voice command capable
Windows Media Player compatible with MP3, MIDI, AAC/AAC+, WMA formats
Digital video formats: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV
Compatible with ActiveSync 4.5 and Windows Mobile Device Center
Support for 72-chord polyphonic ringtones as well as real-music ringers
USB 2.0 connectivity
Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BPP (basic printing profile for text, email), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), HID (support for mice or joysticks), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures), PBA (transfer contacts)
Hearing Aid Compatibility = M4

Vital Statistics The Samsung Saga weighs 4.59 ounces and measures 4.88 x 2.44 x 0.53 inches. Its 1300 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 325 hours (13.5 days) of standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/1900 frequencies as well as Verizon Wireless's EV-DO data network; it also has quad-band GSM connectivity (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) for roaming outside the United States.
Powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1 offers a number of handy features that make searching through email, editing Microsoft Office documents, and staying on top of your most important communications even easier. Emails can now be viewed in their original rich HTML format and now offer the ability to visit embedded links. It also includes Windows Live for Windows Mobile, which provides a full set of Windows Live services, such as the Windows Live Messenger IM application, which now enables you to chat with more than one person at one time or send a file.
With Windows Mobile 6.1, your phone will finally be able to emulate the power and features of your PC's Microsoft Office suite. You'll be able to neatly view, navigate and edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets in their original formatting--without affecting tables, images or text--as well as view PowerPoint presentations.
Microsoft Office Word Mobile features include spell-check, Find and Replace commands, bulleted lists, text formatting, and support for tables for the first time.
With Excel Mobile, you're not just confined to editing charts: with the new Chart Wizard you can create charts quickly and easily.
PowerPoint Mobile allows you to view the full presentation, rehearse timings, check the order and any live links you may have in your presentation. You can then email comments back to the team or communicate via MSN Messenger for an immediate response.
After creating or editing a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, you can synchronize it with your PC and it will automatically be converted to the PC version.

All Windows Mobile 6.1 powered devices include Direct Push Technology for up-to-date e-mail delivery and automatic synchronization of Outlook calendars, tasks and contacts through Microsoft Exchange Server. It also offers a set of important device security and management features that include the capability to remotely wipe all data from a device should it be lost or stolen, helping ensure that confidential information remains that way.

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