Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Subscribe
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Subscribe
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile

    Samsung i330 Strikes Up the Bands

    Written by

    Marge Brown
    Published March 10, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Samsungs newest PDA/phone combination, the dual-band Samsung SPH-i330 ($500 street), is markedly sleeker and more refined than its predecessor, the well-received Samsung SPH-i300. The i330 is dark gray and silver, weighs 5.8 ounces, and measures 5.8 by 2.5 by 0.8 inches (HWD) but feels smaller because of its comfortable sculpted design. The unit has 16MB of user RAM but no integrated QWERTY keyboard and no slot for removable media. It gains points for its tri-band radio (analog, CDMA digital, and 1xRTT)—an important feature for business users—its integration with the Palm OS 3.5 Address Book, and its bundled accessories that include a second battery, a spare stylus, and the most cleverly-designed case we have seen for a combo device.

      Samsung rates the standard battery for 2.5 hours of talk time and four days of standby. The extended battery adds 0.6 ounces to the i330 but increases talk time to 5 hours and standby to six days, another important asset for business users. You can charge both batteries simultaneously in the standard docking cradle/charger. The travel charger costs an additional $40.

      The i330 is a pleasure to use as a PDA and for voice calls. Its even reasonably good for accessing the Internet. (We tested our unit on the Sprint PCS Vision network.) The device is not so large and clunky that youll look or feel odd holding it to your ear. The 2.4- by 1.6-inch (HW), 256-color touch screen is average. Visibility in daylight is acceptable, but the display is brighter when viewed indoors using the backlight.

      The integrated speakerphone turns on with the tap of an icon during voice calls. We like the voice quality for both sides of a speakerphone conversation, but the speakers power is greater than the microphones sensitivity, so you cant speak from as far away as you can hear. Because of this, we wouldnt recommend placing the device in the middle of a table for a group conference call.

      You can tap on entries in the Palm address book to make calls, and you can access the normal Palm applications during voice calls If the phone number of the incoming call matches an address-book entry, the callers name and number displays. For data entry, youre limited to the Graffiti area or the tiny Palm virtual keyboard, so the i330 isnt as convenient as some of the Handspring Treo communicators with their real keyboards, which work better for SMS messages and e-mail.

      The Handspring Blazer browser is good, but whatever the browser, youre always better off using information services and Web sites specifically formatted for portable devices. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to collapse the Graffiti area for added screen room; you would have to convert the Palm applications to be aware of the extra room, but more real estate could be particularly helpful with the browser.

      The market for phone-PDA combinations is growing slowly as manufacturers balance the inevitable compromises. Like the new Kyocera 7135 smartphone, the Samsung SPH-i330s dual-band support is a clear advantage over single-band–only CDMA models like the Audiovox 2032 and Handspring Treo 300. As with most combo devices, the i330s lack of a removable media slot means that you wont use this device for listening to MP3s or viewing digital images. For cell phone and Palm OS PDA users who dont mind this, the Samsung i330 is a reasonable choice.

      Marge Brown
      Marge Brown
      Marge Brown, a PC Magazine Editor, has worked in the technology field for twenty years, as Director of Technology at The Travelers Companies, as an independent Managed Health Care technology consultant, and as owner of Brown Consulting Associates, the family's freelance technology writing business.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.