The Samsung Trace is supermodel thin, yet it packs in a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and memory expansion. Philip Berne takes the T519 off the runway for a real-world road test.
Review summary of the Samsung SGH-T519:
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 Samsung has certainly succeeded at designing an ultra-slim phone packed with modern features, but the Trace stumbles when it comes to the basics. Fashion-conscious chatters interested in the slimmest of phones may forgive the so-so call quality, but the slippery buttons and poor use of screen real estate will deter IM addicts. And while Bluetooth, a microSD slot, and a 1.3-megapixel camera are all impressive features for a phone this slim and light, we can't help but be disappointed by the mediocre calling quality and lack of voice dialing. Release: September 2006. Price: $1.
Pros: The screen is fantastic, and the phone itself is remarkably slim and light. Impressive number of features packed into such a slim handset.
Cons: Messaging doesn't take advantage of the beautifully clear screen. Call quality is mediocre. Slim design and slippery keys makes dialing and typing difficult and uncomfortable.
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54%
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Full review of the Samsung SGH-T519:
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Calling - Good
While we were relatively pleased with the Trace's overall calling features, we found voice quality on the quad-band handset to be surprisingly mediocre. Digital artifacting is audible on both ends of the call, leaving a muddy impression of the sound. The speakerphone is a little too soft at top volume to be usable except in a quiet room or car, and there are no voice dialing options. Conference calling is easy: you can search your contact list during a phone call, and joining the two calls is a top-level menu function. We also liked the Trace's live-searching capabilities in the phone's address book. That said, muting a call involves digging through a settings menu, which is a bit of a hassle. Finally, while the ultra-slim design of the phone lends itself well to, say, a jeans pocket, holding the phone to your ear for a long period of time may cramp your hand.
Messaging - Very good
While the Trace's screen is slightly larger and brighter than its predecessor, the SGH-T509, we wish more screen real estate had been devoted to the threaded conversations in the phone's instant messaging apps. The T519 (like the T509) supports MSN, Yahoo!, AIM, and ICQ, but only three lines of text are visible at a time, with just 20 characters per line. SMS fares better, at 115 characters total, but still falls short of a full 160, and you can't change the font size to fit more text on screen at once. MMS messages are easy to create, but Samsung has made sending messages somewhat confusing by hiding the "send" function beneath a menu instead of dedicating a soft key, an odd choice that we've seen repeated on other Samsung phones.
Odds and ends
The phone packs some surprising features in its slim figure, such as MP3, WMA, and AAC support, microSD memory expansion (conspicuously absent on the T509), Bluetooth, and a 1.3-megapixel camera (compared to the VGA snapper on the older phone). Even more striking than the ultra-slim body on the phone is the bright, clear, and colorful screen. Colors pop; pictures look crisp with hardly a jagged edge. Dark black tones make menus a joy to scroll through. The Trace's keypad is truly a problem, though. Whereas the buttons on the SGH-T509 were slightly raised, the keys on the Trace are so flat, they're almost glassy. At some angles, they are impossible to read, which may make text messaging difficult for amateur typists. Even worse, the slim, smooth texture on the five-way navigational button makes it almost unusable. We found it all too easy to select the wrong menu item, or press the cancel button below the five-way when we meant to press down.
Related phones: Slim Samsung phones
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Samsung SGH-T509s
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When: October 2006 - $200 Carrier: T-Mobile
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Available now on T-Mobile, the newly dubbed SGH-T509s keeps the same features as its predecessor but updates its look with a plum shell.
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Samsung SGH-T629
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Score: 55% When: September 2006 Worth: $100 - $250 Carrier: T-Mobile
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A sleek slider that boasts Bluetooth, 1.3-megapixel camera, and an MP3 player, the SGH-T629 is full of fun features. But how good is this fashionable handset for making routine calls?
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Price and availability
The Samsung SGH-T519 is available now from T-Mobile for free with a two-year service agreement.
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