Messaging, Internet, & Connectivity
Editor Rating: 
4.5
Shine supports SMS and MMS messaging as well integrated POP3 and IMAP4 email. Messaging support is more robust than usually found on a standard phone, but not quite as advanced as what smartphone users are used to. I was able to send and receive text and photo messages with no problems, and also quickly configured the handset to access my personal email accounts over GPRS/EDGE data connections. The style-conscious professional who needs to check messages on the go but wants a chic phone will appreciate Shine's email support. 4.55
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Messaging support also includes a good implementation of T9 predictive text, and a feature that automatically saves messages to the Drafts folder when they're abruptly cancelled mid-composition. Additionally, the phone keeps a list of contacts to whom you've recently sent messages, a handy little feature which heavy texters will appreciate.
Instant messaging is not supported out of the box.
Shine supports GRPS and EDGE data transfer for Internet connectivity. I used the phone with both T-Mobile and 3G-compatible Cingular SIM cards and was able to access Email and Web services by configuring the phone according to settings available on the providers' websites.
The browser built into Shine actually handles HTML Web sites in addition to mobile-optimized Web sites. While the browser isn't on par with best-in-class mobile browsers, I was pleasantly suprised to find HTML support. I was able to load most Websites (provided they weren't too Javascript heavy), though more complex sites took awhile to render and navigate. While you'll want to stick mainly to WAP sites for information retrieval on Shine, it is really nice to be able to access HTML-only sites in a pinch.
One of the advantages to an unlocked phone is that you can download and install whatever third party applications the phone can handle, regardless of whether or not your service provider is getting a cut of the action. Opera mini is one of my favorite third party apps, and I was able to download and run this Java-based Web browser on Shine without any problems.
As mentioned, Shine is a tri-band GSM phone which supports the 900/1800/1900 bands and both GPRS and EDGE data transfer. The phone is unlocked and will work on any compatible GSM network both stateside and abroad. Note that while the handset will work with Cingular 3G SIM cards, data speeds will be limited to EDGE, not the faster HDSPA (3G) protocol. A 3G version of Shine, the KU970, was recently released but not available for this review.
Bluetooth is supported on Shine, including object exchange and audio device support. The phone paired easily with mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets and worked well for voice calling and stereo music playback. Shine can also be tethered to a computer via USB or Bluetooth for use as a data modem. Shine features 50MB of built-in memory and a microSD slot for expansion via removable memory cards. No card is included in the retail packaging, and cards up to 2GB in size are supported.
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