AT&T Samsung BlackJack II with Windows Mobile 6 Standard
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Contents |
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Introduction
For me, the original BlackJack was as close to the "ideal" of what I want in a Windows Mobile phone than I've ever come. Sure it didn't have GPS, WiFi, or decent battery life (with the standard battery), but it was attractive, thin, snappy in terms of performance, and easy to use from a form factor perspective. I was elated when I heard tell that AT&T would be issuing a successor to the BlackJack, dubbed (fittingly) the BlackJack II. I have high hopes for this device, and what is to follow is a thorough evaluation of the successor to my favorite device yet. Read on to see if it's a worthy successor!
WHAT'S HOT Let's talk specs. For comparative purposes, I'll show the specs of the original BlackJack (in parentheses) following each spec for the BlackJack II. The device packs a 260Mhz (220MHz) processor, with 256MB (128MB) ROM, and 128MB (64 MB) RAM. It has a 2.4" (2.3") landscape QVGA screen, with a front rotary scroll wheel (side scroll wheel) and a slot for a microSD card (ditto). It also has Bluetooth 2.0 (ditto) and has a SiRF Star III GPS receiver built in (no GPS). The battery is rated at 1700mAH (the original came with a standard at 1000mAh and an extended at 1800mAh). On the back, there is a 1.9MP (1.2MP) camera. The operating system is Windows Mobile 6 Standard (Windows Mobile 5.0 for Smartphone).
Review Date: December 26, 2007
Picture Highlights
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| In hand, the device feels high quality, and a bit slippery too (there is no rubbery coating on the rear as found on most newer phones). It's almost identical in size to the original BlackJack - just a tad wider and a smidgen shorter. Also notice the light at the top of the device that blinks in several different colors depending on various system notifications. I couldn't find how to turn this off, though. | Here's a shot of the original BlackJack on the left, and the second version on the right. |
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| This is the standard Home screen that comes on the BlackJack II. | Here's what the 2D view looks like in TeleNav. You can also do a 3D view. |
Overall Impression
To be frank, I'm disappointed. This is hardly an upgrade. Sure I appreciate the GPS, and the redesigned casing looks flashy, but in terms of Ease of Use, the BlackJack II fails miserably. I find it cumbersome navigating the device. If you've never used the original BlackJack and are looking at the BlackJack II, your experience won't be as frustrating as mine. But if you're coming from the original, hoping to see improvements, you'll be let down.
Rating
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