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Preview: Samsung M610

First Look Video Comments  100+  

Nov 27, 2006, 9:00 AM   by Eric Lin

Our hands-on preview of Sprint's latest flagship phone, and the thinnest clamshell available in the US.

Physically, the m610 is quite unique when it's closed. It doesn't really look like a phone, but it doesn't really look like anything else either. It is an incredibly thin assembly of matte black plastic with a soft-touch rubberized finish. Nothing looks technological about it unless the external screen happens to be on. But once you open the m610 (This phone deserves a name, not an old fashioned model number.) then the phone is revealed.

The first time you open the m610 you are faced with a warning sticker telling you how not to hold the phone. No experience could be less pleasant. While it is wise of Sprint and Samsung to explain the best way to hold the phone for optimum reception, it would have been better to design the phone so that such a sticker was not needed. If there's a problem, change the design, don't change the person.

 

No matter how you wind up holding the m610, it feels odd in your hand - a bit like the original RAZR design. The soft touch finish does help to make your grip a bit more comfortable, however the wide, paper-thin shape is still odd to hold.

The hinge starts out very solid, but it develops some wiggle rather quickly. It does not seem like it will crack or break, but the flex that develops definitely detracts from what otherwise seems like a solidly built phone.

The QVGA screen is the m610's shining star, and the keypad below it one of the few disappointments. The screen is bright and sharp; it makes most every task a joy. The keypad is totally flat and only provides the slightest tactile feedback - a slight click when you press a key. There is no way to feel your way around the flat keypad, not even the navigation keys, so you'll need to look down for even the simplest tasks.

The battery lasts about two and a half to three days with normal use, although it will drain much quicker with Bluetooth on, even if there is no headset or computer connected. Signal strength was good and the m610 passed the vault test with flying colors. It even held a signal in one of Sprint's few remaining dead zones in San Francisco.

The 2 megapixel camera takes sharp, well balanced pictures, and features a new easier to use interface. Our only complaint is that the viewfinder is still set to "full screen" by default, which has been common on many Sprint phones. This means you see a portrait orientation preview, even though you are taking a landscape orientation picture. You can change the viewfinder to "wide screen" in the camera settings panel.

Other than the new viewfinder, the software on the M610 is the same as on most newer Sprint handsets. All of the menus and software look the same and are arranged the same in the menus. A few applications like the browser have been updated, but you would not know except that now they feature new capabilities. For example, you can now can visit some desktop formatted websites.

 
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Comments

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This forum is closed.

monkeyracer

Nov 27, 2006, 4:25 PM

It does have a name, not just the Alphanumeric designation

In alot of sprint internal e-mails and paperwork, it's referred to as the Samsung M610 Glint.

The nickname glint sucks, but at least it's a little easier to say than emm-six-ten.

Suggestions for a better nickname?
the samsung 'squint'...b/c that's what u have to do to read the external display or to use the keypad ๐Ÿคฃ j/k this looks hot
I think that is more of a pre-production name for the phone. Like the hybrid phones had code names I believe the ic502 was the Racer while the ic402 was the Racer Lite or something along those lines. If the name of the phone was supposed to stick it w...
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ya sure do, as i have stated in other posts, im gonna call it the Machete, and i think most people who like/want this phone will agree with me that the name fits this phone well.
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i think the best name anyone's come up with so far for this phone in this thread in onyx...i just wanted to comment that i think it would be simply poetic for samsung to release a phone identical to this one (e.g., with at least all the features this ...
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CBCamp87

Feb 25, 2007, 5:33 PM

How to Create ringtones.

I've been spending numerous hours trying to figure out how to make my own ringtones, then some how get them on the phone. I realize that most are 30 sec and such.

I primarily didn't know if you could do it through the memory card or if it had to be through usb. Either way... I've just had a horrible time trying to do this and would like some help on the subject.
pizzer

Dec 12, 2006, 11:41 AM

Its not easy to tell whats going on?

๐Ÿคจ

What does this guy think we are... morons?
"Like, oh my gosh, wh-wha-what is this thing that I just took out of the box that I got at the Sprint store??"

๐Ÿ™„

Come on! I mean seriously... its a pretty sweet phone as anyone can tell. I understand the guy is trying to be non-bias and review the phone from the most objective stance possible, but I mean REALLY... to act in the video as if a user that picks this thing up is not going to know that the damn thing is a phone?!?!? What the hell did they think they just bought from the Sprint store... a paperweight? HAhaha... the guy was like, "oh, but if you see at the top of this black square, there is a hinge, and then there are buttons on the side, and THEN, oh, theres the OLED...
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LOL you kill me ! ! ! ๐Ÿคฃ
Sprint74

Nov 27, 2006, 11:16 AM

No Way!

This thind isn't as good as the blade....i'll be keeping my blade ๐Ÿ™‚
How is it better than the blade?
I have the blade but I would love a version with a longer battery life and a GPS that works.
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Yeah I'm keeping my Sanyo 7500 over this looks to fragile plus that warning sticker LOL


now when the IC902 comes out then i will have something to think about
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In no way is the 7500 anywhere near comparable to the M610 as far as features go. If you are happy with the 7500 that is great, but be realistic.
Jorin

Nov 30, 2006, 4:36 PM

Handling Instructions...

I don't think the sticker over the main display telling the customer the best place to hold the phone is out of line in any way! The tag is not saying that you're not gonna get signal or the phone will be innoperable if you hold it wrong. Its simply saying you'll probly get slightly better performance. And lastly THIS IS NOTHING NEW!(At least not to be complaining about it now) This sticker appears on most new Sprint phones including some with external antennas.
Honestly we're gonna call this a "con" about the phone. Its the thinnest phone in the country! I'm not a phone designer or anything but I would assume things have to be placed pretty strategicly in these things! ๐Ÿ˜›
webwevers

Nov 29, 2006, 11:45 AM

Data Sheet for Samsung M610

I just found a data sheet on the Samsung website and it says that it only has a 1.3 meg camera. It also says that it comes with a data cable. When you click on the whats in the box link that is not listed. What gives? I called Sprint CS again today and was told that this phone has not be released yet. They do not know when it will. I told them that it was on there web site for ordering and they said that was a mistake. They do not have the phones yet.
Here is the link for the data sheet.

http://www.samsungwireless.com/techtrain/tekweb/Misc ... »
That's the MM-A900's spec sheet. Samsung doesn't always change them.
Eriond

Nov 29, 2006, 10:27 PM

Anyone know if it can sync with Outlook?

I hope so, but can anyone confirm? I need the calendar and contacts functions.
SprintLynchburg_VA

Nov 27, 2006, 9:31 AM

Antenna Stickers

All of the sprint phones we carry have the antenna sticker, if your finger is on a stub antenna it will still mess with reception, since antennas are moving internal, its even more important to show people where their antenna is. I think the placement in the bottom, in such a long phone, is natural to not hold the phone on the bottom, just like the RAZR. No matter the phone design, w/ internal antennas its always possible for the customer to be touching the antenna. I don't see the sticker as a flaw, but intelligent in the way of being informative.

Anyone remember grabbing the bunny ears on your TV set and messing with the signal? Same concept.


My two cents
Okay a customer got a phone through telesales, and brought it in screaming and cussing, that we specifically sold him a defective phone, it literally took me ten minutes of coddling him, for him to settle down to explain his issue. His phone wouldn't ...
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Jonathanlc2005

Nov 29, 2006, 12:10 AM

need more pics

one with it next to the razr, t509, or a900
one with camera quality
tv landscape?
Louie718

Nov 28, 2006, 12:17 PM

Telenav

Does the phone support Telenav 5.0 ?
I really hope so, because I have the Samsung M500, and it works on this phone flawlessly...

Thanks!
sprint has said the m610 supports LBS, so i would have to assume it supports telenav.
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tuolumne

Nov 28, 2006, 12:16 AM

Stereo Speakers / Magnesium?

First of all, does this handset have two stereo speakers, or does everything including the speakerphone come out from the earpiece grill?

Also, is it entirely soft plastic or is it reinforced with magnesium in some places like it's GSM Ultra 9.9 cousin?
VCI_Cell

Nov 27, 2006, 1:01 PM

Menu System

I'm not sure "finally" was the descriptor you were looking for when discussing the menu system, guys. You've been able to use the D-pad to hop between the different menus without reverting to the main menu on Sprint's Samsung phones since the a500 -- maybe even the a460, I can't recall -- back in 2002.
WOW! i never, ever, noticed that before. looking back at screen shots from my previous reviews, i see what sprint did now was add arrows and feature the little indicator that you can move horizontally more prominently. i seriously never had seen that....
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elndon

Nov 27, 2006, 1:41 PM

Vibrating alert?

Does this phone have a vibrating alert?
yes. and unlike many other sprint phones, you can turn on vibrate separate from the volume. so you can have it buzz you even if you like a medium volume.
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garcongrec

Nov 27, 2006, 5:21 PM

OLED have caller ID?

Does anyone know if the external OLED screen has caller ID, or does it only display time, signal strength, and battery life?
it definitely has caller ID
 
 
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