Digital Trends

Samsung T609

July 17th, 2006 | by Vince Veneziani

The first thing you’ll notice about Samsung T609 is the color. This flip phone comes in a pearl white that shimmers and has a distinct feel to it. Upon flipping the phone open, users will notice that the screen and keypad do not lay flat against each other at a 180-degree angle. The T609 has a slightly tilted display, which is easier to view than most phones. This configuration also allows for users to talk easily with the phone up to their mouth. As weird as it might sound, it’s been a while since we came a cross a phone with talking in mind, rather than an emphasis on features. 

Samsung did a great job with the UI on this device. It is very similar to the one found on the T809, T509, and other T-series phones. Incredibly easy to use and very easy to navigate, people looking for a fast interface without clutter will be very pleased with what this phone has to offer. The keypad is also practical with numbers, a basic d-pad, and a few other buttons. The keys are raised off the device and have a plastic, toy-like feel to them. In this case, that is a good thing.

Text messaging and using instant messaging on the T609 is beyond easy thanks to the keypad. You know which keys you’re pressing and there is no menu delay whatsoever. With companies like Motorola trying to integrate everything into a stylish keypad, some ability to communicate is lost in the quest for style. Samsung has created a phone that users will be glad to communicate with and glad to be seen with. 

If you’re a fan of taking pictures with your phone, the 1.3 megapixel camera included takes great shots in most lighting conditions. The pictures come out terrific and are worthy of sending to your e-mail or a friend’s phone. There is also a music player included like the T809 from Samsung, which plays songs you’ve downloaded either via Bluetooth or put onto a microSD card. This feature is a bit excessive to most, as true music lovers will most likely be using a digital audio player (DAP) of some sort. However, the option to have tunes on the go with your phone is there if you want it.

You also have the ability to keep in touch with your friends using the T609. Samsung provides AIM, ICQ, Yahoo!, and MSN Instant Messaging built into the phone. It’s designed well and is handy for quick IMs on the go. Those looking for basic phone features such as a great 262k color screen, good call quality, and basic web browsing will find all that and more inside the T609.