Samsung Propel (SGH-a767) December 1st, 2008 | by Stewart Wolpin
Full Review - More Testing and Conclusion
One drawback to the Propel’s design is the tiny dial pad numbers integrated Blackberry-style into the QWERTY keyboard. You'll have to be careful while tapping out phone numbers. Thanks to the QWERTY keyboard and the software’s easy-to-fill forms, new contacts are easy to add. The space for email even has a hard encoded @ sign, saving a second or two of keyboard hunting and pecking. Web On AT&T's HSDPA 3G network, Web pages usually loaded within five seconds. You use the directional pad to easily navigate pages, and the keyboard to input new URLs. If text is too small, you can zoom the page size, too. There are pre-configured settings for most major email services except, oddly Gmail, and there doesn't seem to be any way of configuring a non-listed email domain. Camera You have to slide the screen up – the camera lens is on the rear of the screen – to take pictures. A small, dedicated camera key on the bottom row of the keyboard serves as the shutter button. The Propel takes surprisingly robust 1280 x 960 pixel pictures both inside and outdoors, which is impressive considering its mere 1.3-megapixel sensor and lack of flash. Indoor pictures must be well-lit, but are relatively well-defined, and crisp outdoor shots offer plenty of color. Unfortunately, the sun can bleach out the viewfinder. Battery Life Samsung rates the Propel's battery for 5 hours of talk time and 10.4 days of standby. Conclusion The Propel has a great (and hopefully soon-to-be-imitated) form factor, an above-average music player and camera, and plenty of other extras, all for a great price. But a bad LCD screen, missing earbuds and lack of 3.5mm jack nearly ruin an otherwise well-designed phone.
Phone Functionality
A sample image taken with our Samsung Propel review unit
Pros:
• Great form-factor
• Above-average camera and music player
• QWERTY keyboard
• Push email
Cons:
• No 3.5mm jack
• No included headphones
• Poor LCD screen
• No Gmail email configuration
by Patrick on November 8, 2009:
“The phone is fine. Internet, reception, keyboard, texting and screen are fine. You're maybe looking at a few hours of battery life if you're on the internet a lot. The slider seems to be coming loose. But as long as the phone lasts, I'm happy with it....” More...