Digital Trends

 

So we know this phone can be used as a music player, digital camera, and more, but how does the Samsung A990 fare when making phone calls? Thanks to Verizon, your calls are very clear and only get dropped occasionally (a problem when in certain indoor areas like malls), but the voice on the other end is not always crisp. Imagine not hearing enough highs but having a decent amount of lows and mids—that’s what you’ll be listening to during a conversation on the A990. But don’t go dismissing this phone yet, because the calls are extremely clear. You’ll be able to understand your party perfectly and calls do not seem to break up often.

 

The interface is nothing new. Since this is being marketed as a VCAST phone from Verizon, it uses the standard VCAST interface that phones like the LG VX8100 and Samsung A950 come with. It’s simple, easy to use, and pretty plain-Jane. Nothing really new has been added and you shouldn’t be expecting any radical changes.

 

If you plan on listening to music, go ahead, but don’t expect anything phenomenal from this phone either. As I stated, you have to use the over-priced Verizon VCAST service for downloads or you’ll be converting your MP3 collection to WMA files and then transferring them over.

 

What really makes this phone stand out above all other phones is the camera. Pictures taken with this device are of stunning quality. It truly can become a digital camera replacement for you if you still are using a low-end 3.2 (or lower) megapixel camera. Unfortunately, the flash on this phone isn’t too hot and is still LED-based, making it weak in dark photos. The interface is very similar to that of a professional-grade digital camera and is easy to navigate and sort through.

 

The Samsung A990's 3.2 Megapixel Camera

 

The lens on the back has a protective cover you slide up and down to take pictures with. Just flip the screen over, open the lens, and you’re ready to take pictures of friends, family, or whatever you’re interested in. Colors are rich and vibrant and come out well. I wouldn’t throw out my 6-megapixel digital camera at home yet, but my old Canon camera is definitely out of the picture (pun shamefully intended).

 

One really annoying feature, though, that must be pointed out to consumers considering buying this phone is the camera’s shutter button. If you hold the button down for more than a second or two rather than just tapping it, it switches over to camcorder mode for shooting video. This is a horrible problem that—until you get used to the flaw—will have you going nuts wondering why your pictures keep coming out as video clips.

 

Image Courtesy of Samsung