Samsung Blackjack-2-SGH-617 Black Review - Usability & Performance

Usability & Performance

As a phone, BlackJack II was a solid performer.  Signal strength was good, voice quality was generally quite good, and callers said I came through clearly on the other end.  I found the integrated speakerphone to be so-so; sometimes calls sounded fine (if a bit hissy) while other times voices were garbled and folks on the other end said they couldn’t hear me so well.  The phone paired up just fine with both mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets, and also worked well with the included wired earpiece.  Samsung uses a proprietary headphone jack, so if you want to use a third-party headset you’ll have to get an adapter.

Windows Mobile is not my favorite mobile platform, but BlackJack II ran it pretty well all the same.  WinMob 6 ships with Microsoft Office Mobile Suite, which supports viewing and limited editing of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.  There’s also a PDF viewer onboard.  Combined with HTML Email support, these features give WM 6 a nice shot in the arm, productivity-wise.

On the other hand, Internet Explorer mobile is still a pretty terrible Web browser.  That’s not BlackJack II’s fault, though, and a quick download and install of Opera Mini or Mobile will get the most out of the phone’s access to AT&T’s HSDPA data network.  Armed with Opera Mini, my BlackJack served up a very fast, solid Web browsing experience wherever I had a 3G signal.  There’s no WiFi connectivity on this handset, which isn’t a problem so long as you stay within 3G coverage areas; the larger battery meant that I didn’t have to worry about draining the phone’s battery unless I was doing some serious, steady Web surfing.

BlackJack II packs more memory and a faster processor than its predecessor, and the new hardware translated to noticeably better performance.  The integrated GPS worked well with Google Maps for Mobile, and the two-megapixel camera is an upgrade over the original’s 1.3 MP shooter spec-wise, though image quality is still middle of the road for a cameraphone.  There’s no flash for the camera, but there is a self-portrait mirror. 

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