Samsung BlackJack II Black AT & T Cell Phone

Good when it actually works

By wakachicka  Aug 14, 2009

Pros: Java, Youtube capability on Internet Explorer, Video Camera

Cons: Buttons and scroll wheel wear out very fast, battery life, Slow Windows Mobile Operating System

I got this phone as a replacement for a standard LG clamshell phone I had used for 3 years. I wanted to have a way to browse the internet faster without having to deal with text menus and a regular keypad without a touch menu as included on the Iphone. The Blackjack seemed like a great and sound investment in comparison to the Iphone 3G or the Blackberry Curve. After 9 months of heavy use the device refused to power up correctly and the scroll wheel stopped responding .I sent it back to AT&T for a replacement which was covered under warranty. I get back the new device but with in a month the power button breaks. Now I am on my third device in a year! These cellphones are lucky to last 9 months much less 4 weeks. I am regretting ever getting this device somewhat since if it breaks constantly I have to always reload all my bookmarks and programs which is a complete pain. The phone is extremely delicate but more sturdy than an Iphone. The flimsy construction is one of its major weaknesses. Windows Mobile also slows down if you have 3-4 applications running. Even the Contacts list or Recent calls counts as programs running in the background and weigh it down considerably. This cellphone is not a multimedia powerhouse. Plus exiting out of Internet Explorer's browser is annoying because you have to use the Task Manager which can be accessed by pressing the power button. However, as a I mentioned before regular use of this feature wears it out faster and could even break it leaving the user without a way to power up the device and having no choice but to send it in for replacement. This creates more lost time and data that can unfortunately can't be recovered. I would not recommend this phone to anyone looking for cellphone that is made of strong material and can withstand extreme stress. Drop this device once or twice and you will have to deal with slow down in applications and inferior quality. Samsung continues to roll out these devices in the Blackjack family, but quite honestly I can't bring myself to even bother with them in the near future.