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Samsung Instinct-M800 Review - Conclusion



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Noah Kravitz
Posted on Friday, June 27, 2008
by Noah Kravitz, Editor in Chief, PhoneDog Media
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Conclusion

Editor Rating: 4.5
5 
4 
I could go on and on and still forget something.  Instinct does a lot, and it does most of it quite well.  Since Sprint is virtually begging for the comparison, I’ll put it this way: Instinct does more than iPhone does, but iPhone looks better doing it.  Instinct lacks iPhone’s overall polish, smoothness, and horsepower, and it’s Web browser can’t compete with Apple’s Safari (Apple put a serious processor and integrated flash memory in their handset, and it shows).  But Instinct also offers nearly every feature under the cellular sun, runs on a faster data network, and has a few neat tricks up its sleeve - like that voice command and live search system.

But enough with the comparisons.  Taken on its own merits, Instinct is a very good device and definitely one of the best media-centric handsets currently available on a US carrier.  I’d like to see a more robust Web browser (Opera mini for Instinct could be killer), Mobile IM, and the ability for Instinct users to use purchased songs as ringtones on the device - though that last request may be impossible thanks to licensing agreements - but otherwise there’s not much that this phone doesn’t do.  Call quality issues popped up a few times, and I don’t think I ever experienced the full speed of EV-DO Rev. A during Web browsing, but I think that’s basically the end of my complaint list.  Oh, wait, where’s the flash for the camera? 

Okay, seriously, that’s it for the complaints. Instinct’s a solid, solid media phone and a great option for Sprint customers.  This is the flashy, feature-rich phone that Sprint users have been waiting for, and by and large it delivers.  $129 is a bargain for a device of this quality, and $70/month for unlimited data, messaging, Sprint TV, and GPS along with 450 minutes (or $100 for unlimited minutes) isn’t a bad deal by today’s standards, though there’s no less expensive option for anyone not interested in all of the extras. 

No one phone is going to be all things to all people, and Instinct enters a field of touchscreen media phones now crowded by the likes of the iPhone, LG Vu, LG Dare, and forthcoming BlackBerry Thunder ... and that’s not counting unlocked GSM phones suitable for use on AT&T and T-Mobile.  Instinct will hold its own against any of the current generation of media phones; whether or not it’s the one for you, only you can decide.  But it’s certainly worth a serious look.

Samsung Instinct

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