Samsung MM-A920
Average Ratings
Don't Hate
I have had many phones from the sanyo 8100 to the samsung a880 and I gotta tell ya this phone is the best! For those complaining because it can't connect through usb shut it up, it makes up with the expandable memory. I have not experienced one problem with this phone, it puts more popular phones like the Razr to shame, it may not be paper thin but it's worth every penny so don't hate.
Am I just spoiled or is this a crappy phone?
Not sure of the answer. This phone has a lot more CONs than PROs, that's for sure. I thought I was doing something wrong with practically everything I do w/this phone.
PRO: speakerphone has clarity. This relates to the Media Player, which is good.
The My Favorite option helps navigate, once you set it up.
CON:
Some clenches in finding phone numbers - the directory does not move FIND letters, until you indicate for it to.
The Media Player is expensive unless you set up your own mp3's on the microSD / TransFlash card. Don't dish out 2.50 - 3.00 a shot for Sprint's music. And that's even with VisionPlus.
The camera took 5 steps backward from my earlier Sanyo 8100 (except size has increased). Now I want Zoom, as it shrinks everything. The video is useless - whatever finally tapes is much darker than real light. Same with the pics.
If I could do it all again - I'd go with the Treo.
Neat features but poor reception
Based on all the great reviews here, I bought two a920's only to find their reception to be much worse than our old Sanyo phones.
Pros:
The phone does have lots of capability. Display is sharp, bright, colorfull. Bluetooth works fine, video, music playing etc. all fine. Its great to be able to add removable memory and load up with mp3s or get your pictures off.
EVDO speeds are great for web surfing etc.
Cons:
Although reception was decent in most areas around our town, reception at my house is much worse than our Sanyo 4900 or 4500 phones. Sound frequently cuts off in poor reception areas. The 920 won't necessarily drop the call even if you can't hear anything either party is saying. At that point I'd rather it drop the call.
Data connection speeds were also slower than the 4900 due to poor coverage.
Also ran into some problems with the phone hanging or crashing when running some applications. Was playing a video in the media player and cancelled out caused the phone to reboot. I couldn't reproduce it. Running some other application it got hung making a request. I couldn't find any key that would respond other than powering off the phone. The display 920 at our local Sprint store also happened to be hung up in some application. Couldn't even turn it off.
The useability is ok, but some things could have been better. It does really well recognizing speech for voice dialing, but you can't initiate it with the cover closed. You have to flip it open and hit one or more keys inside. If I have to hit so many keys while looking at it, I may as well dial it myself.
Ringers are either too quiet or too shrill. It encourages you to download a better ringer.
The 4900 has an option to speak to you as a ringer and announce who's calling. I like that feature of our 4900 thats missing in this phone.
Overall, we would have kept this phone if the reception was decent. There's no other phone currently offered by Sprint that combines EVDO, bluetooth and removable memory.
On my second one, with a fatal flaw
I am on my second A920 (first replaced by Sprint).
Incoming calls - about every 5 to 10 calls, I say "Hello".. the person calling hears me, but I don't hear them. Eventually, either I or they hang up, then 10 seconds later, the caller tries again. Usually, on the second try, I hear them, but sometimes it's two or 3 tries.
I originally had been blaming bluetooth, (Plantronics 640) but eventually, I completely disabled it on the handset and the headset, tried some more, and it still gave problems.
I'm surprised more people aren't complaining about this. Really, it's Sanyo's fault - if they offered a bluetooth model, I'd have bought that, and I wouldn't be stuck with this Samsung.
Pros -
- Reasonably good feature set
- Good Speakerphone
Cons
- DOesn't work properly (and still acts up, with the latest firmware (May 2006).
- Won't lay flat on a desk, when flipped open. The weight of the display makes it perch up a bit, see-saw style, instead of lying flat on it's back, even if the power cord is plugged in for ballast.
Best Samsung ever
I have to give this phone the full five stars! In 6 years in the cell phone industry I have had more than my fair share of handsets, but I have to say that this phone certainly takes the cake. After reading the instruction manual to figure out quirks like the EV-DO icon changes color when the phone is not connected to power vision rather disappearing like on older handsets. That being said the Blue tooth is among the best on the market and the sound quality can't be beat.
The most important feature to the phone though has to be how durable and rugged this phone is. It has sustained several drops to the floor and more than once the phone has been brutalized by a toddler and the phone still looks like it did the day I bought it. Couple that with the battery life and I think the 920 is one amazing phone!
Good phone
I went from a sanyo 7400 to the samsung 920 and there isn't too much of a difference in reception. I was very hesitant to leave the sanyo family. I have had sanyo's for as long as I can remember and they had been nothing but great for me. But after the switch, I think the 920 has just as good reception as any sanyo. I would definitely recommend this phone. I love it.
OverRATED
I honestly give this phone a 3.0 out of 5.
First off, Sprint only offers Power vision in major cities. IF power vision is NOT offered in your area, you speeds will be faster than most other cells, but not enough to watch TV without having to rebuffer every 20 seconds.
The online Sirius radio and other companies that offer radio to your phone will still work, BUT if you are listing to it, you will not be able to receive ANY phone calls. Anyone who calls will be automatically is place into voice mail. Sprint also charges 2.50 per song, thatâs a MAJOR RIP. They need to come down on their prices. My advise, Buy from other online sites and load them into the phone using the memory card.
This phone might have a better reception than the mm-a900, but it still is lacking more than most phones. I used to be able to walk into a large department store with my old Sanyo and still be able to use my phone. This phone has Major problems trying to find signal.
The camera take some VERY beautiful pictures, but it take a few seconds to load the camera, and you have to hold the camera PERFECTLY still, or your picture will be blurry. All the phones I have seen in the past had very quick camera and you could take a picture without having to be so still.
I really donât hate this phone. I like it a lot. I just read a lot of the comments on this site before I purchased and was a "little" disappointed.
I like this phone because of the sound quality. This phone has stereo speakers that do sound better than any phone I have ever seen.
IT does have a transflash card so you can pack on over a hundred songs into it. The online radio it offers really rocks.
The camera, like I said, does take really good photos.
IT does have bluetooth! I thought I would never use it, but now that I have this phone I use it a LOT.
The phone ROCKS, but it is not perfect.
Samsung Supurb!
I have had this phone for a couple of weeks now. I bought it out right for 299.99 because this phone has all the features i need. All I have to say is that this phone is awesome! definitly supurb! This phone has everything for the everyday user and gives you good quality. I would highly recommend this product for anyone who loves music and wants good call quality. I really enjoyed this phone and have no problems with it.
PROS:
MP3
1.3 megapixel
fast speed internet
good call signal
good voice quality
bluetooth
SD card compatible
PROS:
you would have to hold the camera still to take a shot, even the slightest movement will distort the picture.
Perfection
Simply put this handset is the best model I've ever owned to this date. I have been in the wireless industry for several years, so I feel my opinion should help. Sound quality on ringers and mp3 player, clear and not distorted. Comes with a 32 Mb trans flash card and you can upgrade to a 512 Mb no problem. Camera quality is super, 1.3 mega pixel and even print a copy via pictibridge. Other than pda phones the is a great model.....
