These cutting-edge clamshells offer smartphone power in a compact design. Do the Samsung SGH-T719's BlackBerry capabilities make it a winner, or will the Windows Mobile-powered Cingular 3125 grab the prize?
Review summary of the Samsung SGH-T719:
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Full Samsung SGH-T719 Review:
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Round 1: Making calls
This is a close one. Both the Samsung SGH-T719 and the Cingular 3125 boast top-notch call quality, though our calls sounded slightly cleaner on the 3125. The two handsets both pack in conference calling, although again, the 3125 managed our group calls a bit better. While both phones support voice dialing, the T719's recognition is speaker-independent, which is a big plus in our book. Both phones support live, while-typing searches of their respective address books. And while reception was better on the 3125, the speakerphone on the T719 was a little louder. At the end of the day, this category is just too close to call.
Winner: Tie
Round 2: Sending e-mail
Both of these phones are capable messengers, able to synchronize with Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino servers. Both can handle POP3 and IMAP4 with ease, as well as other popular e-mail services such as Gmail and Yahoo, although the T719 stands out with its BlackBerry Connect capability (making it the first clamshell in the U.S. compatible with BlackBerry servers). But while the Cingular 3125 makes much better use of screen real estate, displaying more than 200 characters at once, compared with a paltry 76 characters on the T719's e-mail viewer, the T719 scored major points with its larger, more capable SureType keypad.
Winner: Samsung SGH-T719
Round 3: Productivity
As a handset running the Smartphone edition of Windows Mobile 5.0, the calendar application on the Cingular 3125 will look familiar to Outlook users, though both the 3125 and the T719 use a similar scheduling paradigm. Synchronization was more reliable in our tests of the 3125, and the phone's calendar is more pleasing to the eye thanks to the higher resolution display and superior handling of all-day appointments. On the other hand, keying our events into the calendar was a better experience on the T719, thanks to its SureType keyboard. Ultimately, however, the 3125 wins out with its ability to display (if not edit) Office and PDF documents, a feature that's sorely lacking in a BlackBerry-enabled phone such as the Samsung handset.
Winner: Cingular 3125
Round 4: Multimedia
The Cingular 3125 simply outclasses the Samsung SGH-T719 when it comes to multimedia functions. Though both phones can access 2.5G EDGE networks, the 3125 can load complicated pages, such as The New York Times homepage, while the T719 reduces even the Google mobile Web page to a simplified format. Though both phones can use MP3 files for ringtones, the 3125 packs more memory, 64mb versus 21mb on the T719, and provides a slot for microSD cards, even though the slot is inconveniently located behind the battery. Each phone sports a 1.3-megapixel camera, and while quality was even for both, the T719 stumbles by placing the camera lens on the clamshell hinge and then forcing you to dig into the menu to rotate the image for a self-portrait.
Winner: Cingular 3125
Round 5: Design
While both of these handsets are thin flip-phones, the design similarities end there. Much has been made of the Cingular 3125's resemblance to a "Star Trek" communicator, and we definitely liked the clean look of the device and its sharp external screen. The Samsung SGH-T719 looks clunky compared to the 3125 and lacks a color external screen, but it is a bit thinner than the Cingular clamshell. The wide, flat buttons on the T719's keypad were much easier on our fingertips than the RAZR-like keys of the 3125, and we appreciated the SureType layout, especially when we were typing long e-mail messages. Navigation was also much easier on the T719, thanks to its large soft keys and a comfortable five-way button. Though the 3125 might turn more heads, the T719 is better designed when it comes to sheer usability.
Winner: Samsung SGH-T719
And the winner is...
Although the Samsung SGH-T719 breaks new ground with its BlackBerry Connect capabilites and easy-to-use SureType keyboard, the Cingular 3125 is a sharp phone with a better screen, a more capable OS, and a bigger arsenal of productivity tools. BlackBerry fans who send a lot of e-mail from their phones may want to look to the T719 as a replacement for their bulkier BlackBerry devices, but power users who want to view documents and surf the Web will be better served by the adept 3125.
Champion: Cingular 3125
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Samsung SGH-T719
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Score: 60% When: September 2006 Worth: $100 - $300 Carrier: T-Mobile
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Samsung's slim new SGH-T719 packs BlackBerry power in a thin clamshell form factor. Should you toss your old, bulky RIM device? Read our review before making the switch.
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