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Samsung Magnet a257 Phone, Orange (AT&T)

Samsung Magnet a257 Phone, Orange (AT&T)

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Brand: Samsung
Category: Wireless


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Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars 9 reviews
Sales Rank: 22671

Color: Orange
Media: Wireless Phone
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 0 x 0 x 0

Model: A257
UPC: 635753476903
ASIN: B0028Y4SWM

Release Date: December 22, 2007
Features:
   Affordable messaging phone with full QWERTY keyboard for easy typing on the go
   Compatible with AT&T's EDGE data network; access to mobile email, text/picture messaging and instant messaging
   Bluetooth for handsfree devices; VGA camera for still photos; 64 MB memory (non-expandable); personal organizer
   Up to 5 hours of talk time, up to 250 hours (10+ days) of standby time
   What's in the Box: handset, battery, charger, quick reference guide, user manual
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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com Product Description
Nicely affordable and stylishly appointed with a bright orange case featuring an easy-to-grip soft-touch finish, the Samsung Magnet for AT&T is a great choice for messaging mavens thanks to its full QWERTY keyboard. You'll be able to keep up with friends and family while on the go using text messaging, mobile email, and instant messaging via popular services including AOL, Yahoo! and Windows Live (messaging charges apply). Other features include a VGA camera for capturing still photos, Bluetooth for handsfree devices, speakerphone, support for downloadable Java applications, pre-loaded games, and up to 5 hours of talk time.



The Samsung Magnet is an easy-to-use, texting machine with full text, picture, video, and IM support.


Other features include Bluetooth for handsfree devices and a VGA camera for snapping still photos on the go.
AT&T Service
This phone provides quad-band GSM coverage (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) for voice as well as GPRS/EDGE connectivity for receiving data. AT&T's EDGE network offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it's fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including full picture messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go.

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T's MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

Phone Features
A solid, basic phone that gets the job done with a minimum of hassle, the Samsung Magnet has a large 2.2-inch LCD screen with a 220 x 176-pixel resolution and a 65K color depth. Sitting below the display is the handset's navigation pad that's complemented by a dedicated email key as well as standard send/end and soft navigation keys. The full QWERTY keyboard includes an integrated numeric keypad for easy dialing as well as dedicated keys for one-press access to the camera and messaging application.

The built-in phonebook can store up to 500 contacts, and it supports multiple phone numbers per contact entry, caller groups, and picture/ringer ID. The phone has a 64 MB internal flash memory, which can't be expanded.

Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset and handsfree car kits.

The Magnet offers a full range of email, text, and multimedia messaging options. It includes support for mobile email services such as AOL, Yahoo!, and Windows Live (messaging charges apply). You can also keep up with your instant messaging buddies using the built-in IM application that connects to those same services.

Other features include:

  • VGA digital camera for still photos with multiple resolution options (640 x 480, 320 x 240 and 220 x 165 pixels), 4x digital zoom, brightness adjustment, and self timer (3, 5 or 10 seconds)
  • Organization tools: Calendar, Calculator, Note, Task and Currency Converter
  • AT&T Answer Tones enables your friends hear your favorite song or funny phrase when they call you (additional charges applicable)
  • Ringtones: MP3 and 64-chord polyphonic
  • Any-key answer
  • Multilingual text display (English, French, Spanish)

Vital Statistics
The Samsung Magnet weighs 3.09 ounces and measures 4.29 x 2.32 x 0.47 inches. Its 800 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 250 hours (10+ days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.

Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
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4 out of 5 stars Good, unique little phone, especially for basic calls and texting   August 27, 2009
atlnative29 (Atlanta, GA USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I was looking for a phone I could easily slide right into financially after the 4th Moto Razr I blew through and I found that in the Samsung Magnet. It's not 3G but I didn't need that nor the added cost AT&T plugs on your bill per month to have it. The Magnet was the perfect new phone to replace my Razr and won't cost me more per month in my plan. I like the qwerty keyboard and I find texting much easier than before. Sure, you have to get used to the smaller keys but are raised convenience and overall, I like it. Also, I typically use two hands to text on this one (yes, you can use one hand), but it discourages me from using while driving and that's a plus as we all need not text while driving. I was very guilty of that. Sound volume great on the phone, just be careful on speaker not to have the volume up to high if you're on hold. I almost blew an eardrum when the person came back on. Yikes. Phone tones are cool and different and all the menu keys are pretty straight forward. I didn't pick up the manual once to figure anything out. Phone looks and responds like a PDA and I get comments all the time on the cool color. It's like a rich & vibrant beachy burnt orange which is so different than any phone out there. Great color for girls and guys. Picture quality on the camera not the best but it's not bad either. The only other thing is that I initially kept hitting the WAP (browser) center button which was a kind of a pain, but getting more used to it. I think that had to do more with the fact that my old Razr's center button acted as main menu button.

Pros - looks, sound quality, texting easy, querty keyboard, uniqueness, cost sensible
Cons - picture quality, no 3G offered, keyboard keys are small but effective, center button not menu button - might take alittle getting used to


4 out of 5 stars Great phone for what it is   March 8, 2010
C. Brown (Cincinnati)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I have had this phone for about 2 weeks and have mostly good things to say about it. My experience with this phone has been remarkably different than many of the other reviewers here.

Let's start with some negatives. First, I do agree that the keys are tiny. Serious texters with high-speed thumbs could have some problems with this. But average texters (like myself) can use it with ease. Second, the image quality is mediocre and the camera only does photos (no video). Then again, people who are even remotely serious about pictures won't be relying on their phone to take them, so this wasn't an issue for me. Third, no 3G, so if you plan on surfing the web, this isn't the phone for you.

The good. It was free after rebate. Size and weight really cannot be beat. Sound quality for me has been fantastic in every respect. Outdoors where its noisy, windy, etc. I could hear just fine and others could hear me. Same with talking in my loud car on the highway, no problems at all. Sound quality on speaker phone is also quite good. Battery life has also been impressive. Granted, I don't talk for hours and hours every day, but I was able to go over 3 days without a charge. So, I don't know what other users have been using their phone for, but average talk times will still get you several days without charging.

The verdict: Just know what you're getting. This is a solid phone with a full keyboard. No more, no less. I was looking for a phone that looked good, had good sound quality, good battery life, and a QWERTY keyboard. I didn't need to surf the web. I didn't need to shoot video or take Pulitzer Prize winning photos. This phone is for people who use their cell phone mainly for talking and some texting. If that sounds like you, this phone would be a good choice.


3 out of 5 stars Cute phone but not practical   June 3, 2009
Diane Kiko (Kent, OH)
15 out of 19 found this review helpful

I just received this phone yesterday. I was excited to get a "real" phone that I could do some serious texting on. This isn't it. The keys are really tiny (even for my small fingers) and I kept hitting the wrong keys. It's being returned for a full-length slider keyboard. Keep trying, Samsung.


2 out of 5 stars Another reason to hate AT&T   January 9, 2010
Pranil R. Patel
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

- Recently upgraded my service plan for a new SIM card because my service was bad (they dont reissue new SIM cards for old att users), and was informed that my unlocked blackberry could not be used without a dataplan. Needed a new phone, so I searched around for the least silly looking phone that would handle my texting/basic pda functions.

- Fails at texting: the conversations are not threaded, which is annoying. The keypad is horrible because the keys need alot of force to register. So if you're used to texting very quickly, messages will come out with random letters missing

for example, if you try texting "probably" too fast, you may end up with "prbbly" because the keys are too slow to respond to successive taps

- Fails as a PDA: the calendar is horrible because it does not set appointments under the times listed under each day. For example, if I click under 5pm on monday, it still brings up 8am on monday. This is obviously annoying to correct. In addition, the alarm for each appointment needs to be manually set (what is the use of setting an appointment that doesn't give a reminder?). Worst of all, sometimes the phone starts pranging out and saying that i missed appointments from days past. I then have to go back and delete all the past appointments in order to keep the phone from draining its own battery out like an emo kid in a bathtub.

- Fails as a phone: horrible speakerphone/reception. No quick way to turn up the volume on the phone if there is trouble hearing.

- Overall pretty frustrated at the lack of decent PDA phones available without data plans. The reason why this phone still gets 2 stars is because it is very cheap and has very sturdy construction.


2 out of 5 stars More of a toy...   November 3, 2009
N. Hammond (Rochester, NY USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

My personal opinion is that this phone is more of a toy than a phone. If all you want to do is text and have a QWERTY keyboard, it's fine, I suppose. There is no memory expansion, it feels a bit clunky in use (not in actual feel... it's pretty sleek/slim) and it just seems really cheap. Nowadays, you can get so much more for next to nothing. I'd not recommend this for anything but giving your 12 year old.

Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
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