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A Smart New Cellphone

To look at the new Samsung SPH-I330 you might not immediately recognize that it"s much more than just another cell phone. While not particularly small (compared to many of today"s ultra-miniature models) the I330 is not obtrusively large either. It"s clearly a well-designed phone that fits very naturally in the hand. With rounded edges, modern rubberized sides and very natural curve lines, there"s just not much in the way of clues to make a casual observer realize that the I330 is part of a newer breed of "smart phones." Despite its size and elegant styling, the I330 is actually a full-featured cellular phone combined with a completely functional Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that runs the popular Palm Operating System (OS). As a phone, the I330 is a well-crafted and durable piece of equipment. Features such as speed-dialing, voice dialing, a comprehensive and easy to use call log and the built-in speakerphone make this phone a pleasure to use. Of these features, the ability to use the I330 as a "hands free" speaker phone (great for those times when you"re stuck on hold) and the voice dialing capability ("call office") are the types of features that you never realize you need until you have an opportunity to use them for the first time. As a Palm-based PDA the I330 offered no resistance when running all of my assorted Palm-OS software. The processor was surprisingly quick, the display well lit and easy to use, and the infrared port worked well, even for sending large amounts of data to my notebook computer. From a design perspective, external menu and function buttons are recessed enough to avoid accidentally triggering unwanted functions but still very accessible and easy to use. The I330 comes with the same Palm Desktop as any other Palm-based PDA and data synchronization with industry standard contact managers functions the same. The only drawback for some will be the size of the display, which is very large for a cellular phone, but smaller than most standard PDAs. If you"re an avid cell phone user, who needs occasional use of a PDA, then the Samsung I330 will likely represent a perfect solution for checking schedules, reviewing, to-do lists and looking up contact information. Power users who enjoy working with spreadsheets and other large documents on a handheld device may prefer a traditional PDA. The Samsung I330 is priced at nearly $500 and available from Sprint PCS. While expensive for a phone, the value and functionality realized by replacing two pieces of standard business equipment with just elegant solution is immeasurable. Visit www.sprint.com for pricing and specifications.


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