As time goes on, we get closer and closer to having one portable device that incorporates all of our other devices. If you could carry all of your portable devices (cell phone, mp3 player, PDA) together, you would have quite a mess of expensive electronic gadgets around you. More and more electronics manufacturers are coming closer to developing one portable device that can effectively manage the tasks of all these devices. Cell phones have evolved from simple portable telephones to phones with cameras, video capabilities, digital organizers and more currently, mp3 functionality. Although many cell phones have incorporated mp3 functionality, they have all been somewhat limited. The latest attempt from Samsung has come the closest to producing a quality cell phone and mp3 player that fully function.
Samsung UpStage
The unique feature setting the Samsung UpStage apart from its competition is its two sided interface. On one side you have your cell phone and all its functions, on the other you have an mp3 player and all the features you would expect to find there. Samsung has effectively brought these together but also kept them separate on the same device; something most cell phone/mp3 manufacturers have yet to do. The Samsung UpStage is available through Sprint for around $149 with a two-year contract.
Phone Features – The phone side of the UpStage is pretty typical and doesn’t feature anything incredibly groundbreaking. It serves well for a cell phone and has many of the same buttons and features that are common with Samsung phones. Overall, the phone is a decent size and remains slim and thin which is impressive considering the dual sides. The screen is on the small side but this helps reduce a bulkier phone and many of the functions use the flip side of the phone which features a larger, better quality screen.
MP3 Features – The mp3 side of the Samsung UpStage turns out to be much more exciting and revolutionary than the phone side. The screen is much larger and of higher quality, the touch pad that controls the screen is very impressive and the limited buttons actually make it simpler to use. The phone has a microSD slot on the side where you can also find the “flip” button that allows you to switch from one side to the other
The Bad – There are a few holdups on this phone just as any other. Some more serious than others but nothing so detrimental that it’s not worth considers. First of all, the battery isn’t replaceable by the user which means if you have this phone for an extended length of time, you may run into some additional costs on top of just purchasing a new battery. Secondly, the phone book only holds 500 contacts which may be enough for some users but most phones accommodate a higher amount of phonebook contacts. One of the biggest issues for media lovers will be the single speaker on the phone side of the device. It’s not high quality or placed in a very good position.
- Submit site to relevant directory categories: Home Electronics, Cell Phone Directory
