In a three-way fight to the finish, the new dual-hinge U740 and its Verizon Wireless teammate the LG enV take on T-Mobile's Sidekick 3.
Review summary of the Samsung SCH-u740:
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Full review of the Samsung SCH-u740:
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With unique, playful designs, and full QWERTY keyboards, messaging phones do more than make calls, but avoid the stodginess of full-fledged business phones. Aimed at a younger audience who prefer texting over calling, messaging phones should turn the idea of a phone on its side, literally, and include all the features that high school and college students want, without breaking the piggy bank. For this battle royale, we looked at three phones that are physically unique. You can't edit Word documents or synchronize to your corporate desktop with ActiveSync, but we judged these phones based on their messaging prowess, and the fun extras they feature.
Design
The Sidekick 3 has an addictive design; once you have flicked open the screen, you want to do it again and again. It is the largest of the three phones, but this also means it has the largest keyboard. Unfortunately, its dim, bland screen pales compared to the vibrant screens on the other two phones. Though we like the idea behind the enV's design, a candy bar that transforms into a QWERTY messaging phone, it is a little large for a candy bar, and its screens are disappointingly small for its candy bar and messaging functions. The SCH-U740 has the smallest keyboard of the bunch, but it is also a very slim phone. As a clamshell, it is reasonably sized, and comfortable to hold to your head. As a messaging phone, it is petite, but we think this works for the phone. The dual-hinge design is clever, and though it is not as fun as the Sidekick's spring-loaded flipping action, the phone feels well built and sturdy. It is also the only one of the three that could fit comfortably in a jeans pocket.
Winner: Samsung SCH-U740
Menus
While the LG VX9900 enV’s physical design is certainly eye catching, its menu system couldn’t be more boring – basically, we’re talking the same menus you’ll find on most any Verizon Wireless phone. And while the U740’s top-level menu has a photorealistic flourish, its submenus are all Verizon, all the time. Not only are the menu screens bland, they’re also tricky to navigate. Mobile Web browsers looking to surf on either the U740 or the VX9900 must choose "Get It Now," which sounds more like an online shopping option, then "News and Info," then go to "Search" on the homepage that pops up, then choose "Enter a URL." Nowhere are the words “Web” or “Internet.”. Messaging phones have a unique audience, and messaging addicts use their QWERTY keyboards more than their earpieces. The phones user interface need to reflect their messaging pedigree, rather than simply borrowing a confusing interface from more basic handsets. The Sidekick is a completely different animal than any other T-Mobile phone, with a user interface that is intuitive, fresh, and inviting to messagers. Unlike the buried functions on the Verizon Wireless phones, the Sidekick offers top-level menu access to popular features, with menu listings such as "Web Browser" and "Text Messaging," that make sense at first glance. For this clarity, the Sidekick 3 is our clear interface favorite.
Winner: Sidekick 3
Messaging
The phones were mostly similar in their messaging capabilities. All the devices could display a full 160-character incoming SMS message. All had instant messaging clients for MSN, Yahoo, and AIM. The LG enV is the only phone that can support MSN's Hotmail, while the Sidekick can access POP3 and IMAP accounts, though neither phone could handle Gmail, our personal e-mail of choice. The SCH-U740 can access POP3 and IMAP, and has presets for Gmail and Yahoo mail. The Samsung phone cannot access Hotmail, but is the only phone in the bunch that can access corporate e-mail accounts from Exchange and Lotus Domino servers, using a separate program installed on your desktop. Though we're not fans of additional monitoring software, the extended e-mail capabilities of the U740 were clearly the most advanced of the bunch.
Winner: Samsung SCH-U740
Multimedia
The Sidekick 3 has a clear disadvantage with multimedia, as it lacks 3G networking for streaming audio and video content. The Samsung SCH-U740 and the LG VX9900 enV both browse Verizon Wireless' V Cast network, so they have access to much of the same programming. Both phones can show video full screen, and both have built in GPS to use VZ Navigator. The Samsung phone has dedicated music buttons on its face, but surprisingly lacks stereo Bluetooth, which the enV supports. The Internet browsing experience on the enV is what truly clinched the category. The phone handled The New York Times homepage better than either of its competitors, and displayed Web page text and pictures best on its clear, bright screen.
Winner: LG VX9900 enV
Calling
Call quality on all the phones was about even; each suffered minor issues, and you won't fool anyone into thinking you're not on a cell phone, no matter which phone you choose. We were disappointed by the reception we got from the Samsung SCH-U740, when we had no problems with the VX9900 on the same Verizon Wireless network in lower Manhattan. With its candy-bar design, the LG enV was easiest for dialing, especially compared to the jumbled number pad on the Samsung phone. Though Verizon offers a subscription-based contact list backup application for the U740, the Sidekick 3, with its dedicated, online Desktop Interface tool, was much friendlier, and best of all, it is free for Sidekick owners.
Winner: Sidekick 3
Accessories
Once again, we're using this category as a cheap shot at Verizon Wireless, which refuses to bundle any accessories with their phones. Both the enV and the U740 can access the V Cast store, and though purchasing a song also gives you a copy for your PC, neither phone comes with the necessary microSD card for storing music, nor a USB cable for transferring music files. The SCH-U740 did come with a headphone adapter, but it accepts only 2.5mm jacks, and not standard 3.5mm headphones. The Sidekick comes with a 64MB miniSD card, which is low capacity, but at least a start. Also, it comes with a standard USB cable, instead of the proprietary cable required for the Samsung device. Finally, the Sidekick comes with a carrying case and wrist strap, which at least shows that T-Mobile is making an effort, instead of making a buck.
Winner: Sidekick 3
Value
The Sidekick 3 is the most expensive of the bunch, at $200 with a contract, but it's only $10 more expensive than the LG enV, which is $190. The Samsung SCH-U740 is usually $190, but Verizon Wireless is offering an online discount, bringing the phone to $140. However, the initial price of the unit is only part of the picture. For plans, we chose $40/month calling options, which gave us 600 minutes on T-Mobile, and 450 minutes on Verizon Wireless. Both carriers included nights and weekends at this price level. For messaging and internet use, T-Mobile offers unlimited text messaging and Web browsing for $20, with an accompanying voice plan (or $30 for data with no voice). Verizon Wireless charges $15 for V Cast services, which includes Web access and V Cast for videos and music store access (though songs start at $0.99). A messaging plan will run you an extra $10, which includes unlimited messaging to Verizon Wireless customers, but outside of the network you only get 500 messages, and then pay $0.10 per message. Verizon also offers larger messaging packages. We like the availability of the 3G network, and find the $15 reasonable for high-speed data access, but Verizon Wireless needs an unlimited, all-carrier messaging plan tailored to these phones. For Verizon Wireless devotees, we think the Samsung SCH-U740 is a better deal than the LG VX9900 enV, but with its unlimited messaging and browsing, we think the Sidekick 3 ends up the better value overall.
Winner: Sidekick 3
And the winner is . . .
In our original duel between the Sidekick 3 and the LG enV, we liked the enV's multimedia capabilities, but preferred the Sidekick on almost every other category. Here, the new SCH-U740 has messaging capabilities that are more advanced than either older phone, and though we think messaging is the most important category, the complicated setup and required additional PC software kept the Samsung phone from being our runaway favorite. In terms of design, we like the dual-hinge form, we think it’s a unique take on the hidden QWERTY keyboard that isn't as fun as the Sidekick, but manages to be much slimmer than either previous contender. Still, with a much better interface, better calling options, and the unlimited messaging package, we think text addicts would prefer the Sidekick 3.
Champion: Sidekick 3
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T-Mobile Sidekick 3
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Score: 56% When: July 2006 Worth: $200 - $350 Carrier: T-Mobile
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This long-awaited update to the ubiquitous Sidekick II boasts a sleeker design, a build-in MP3 player and Bluetooth. Will it become the latest "it" phone?
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