Samsung SGH-i320n

Description

 With its impossibly slim profile, large bright screen, matte black casework and carefully considered design, the i320N QWERTY is undoubtedly the most stylish smartphone in the push e-mail parade. For such a compact frame the chassis feels quite solid.

 The Samsung i320N runs the latest Windows Mobile 2005 Smartphone Edition operating system, so a hoard of applications, such Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Internet Explorer, MSN Messenger and document viewers for Word, PDF and PowerPoint files are included. Samsung has pitched the i320N as a business phone, but it is quite capable of handling multimedia tasks as well. For instance, Windows Media Player can synchronize music and video from your desktop media library to your i320N and the rear-mounted dual speakers are more than loud enough for an individual to listen to music. A set of headphones are included in the sales package, but the i320 uses a proprietary connection, so you can't connect your own headphones instead.

 Push email functionality is included and like all Windows Mobile smart phones, it's very easy to configure for mail servers that run Microsoft Exchange 2003. The i320N also works with standard POP3 email accounts and will auto-configure settings for the likes of Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo! Mail.

 The i320N is a tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz) smart phone, but there is no 3G support. For connectivity, the i320N offers infrared, USB 1.1 and Bluetooth 1.2. Although the i320N runs the standard Windows Mobile interface, Samsung has added a nifty extra feature; a status bar that sits across the bottom of the screen. Scrolling through it shows media, messages and emails, missed calls, scheduled appointments and other shortcuts. This is an excellent addition as users don't have to use the menu as often as they normally would on a smart phone.

 The i320N has a 1.3 megapixel camera, with 6x digital zoom and a flash. Multimedia capabilities such as the music playback (supports album art displays), camera and camcorder functions worked wonderfully though, and it won't disappoint you there.

 Photos can be saved to the phone's internal memory (120MB) or on a microSD card. The i320N runs fairly swiftly thanks to a 400MHz processor, 160MB of system ROM and 64MB of RAM. It's one of the faster Windows Mobile smart phones we've reviewed, so switching between applications is effortless.

 

 Measuring 115mm x 111mm x 59mm and weighing just 95g, the i320N is one of the slimmest smart phones on the market that includes a full QWERTY keyboard. It's finished in a matte black plastic that hides fingerprints well. The i320N display, although an unorthodox size, is clear and bright and was easily readable in direct sunlight. The QVGA screen has a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and its vibrant, clear display is ideal for taking photos or watching videos. Battery life for the i320N is rated at 3.5 hours of talk time and 140 hours of standby according to Samsung's figures. However, Samsung conveniently includes a second battery in the sales package, complete with a hard plastic cover to protect it when it's not in use. An AC charger is included in the box, but you can also charge the phone with the USB cable when it's connected to a PC.