on November 4th at 8:20 pm 
Samsung BlackJack - general
The Samsung BlackJack has a beautifull design. We can’t be wrong by saying that this is the most beautifull smart phone out there. In our opinion, the Motorola Q kinda lost its title. But of course, this is only a matter of taste. The Samsung BlackJack has a nice looking black case with a grip friendly finish that resembles the Dash’s. It looks serious, sexy and breathes “business” through all its pores. Its dimensions place the Samsung BlackJack amongst the thinnest QWERTY smart phones, this making the phone easy to hold and operate with one hand only. The cell phone measures 4.4 x 2.3 x 0.6 inches (compared to the Motorola Q - 4.5 x 2.5 x 0.4 inches, the Dash - 4.4 x 2.5 x 0.5 inches) and weighs 3.5 ounces (the Q - 4 ounces and the Dash - 4.2 ounces).
Samsung BlackJack - display
The Samsung BlackJack’s display is smaller than the Q’s or the Dash’s due to its small dimensions. This doesn’t mean that the readablilty or the image quality had to suffer. On the contrary, the BlackJack has the highest resolution for the same number of colors. On the 2.25 inches display (the Dash has a 2.4 inches, the Q 2.5 inches, not to mention the 8525’s 2.8 inches display), 65k colors blend in 320 x 320 pixels resolution. The Q, the Dash and the 8525 have a 320 x 240 inches resolution and the same number of colors. The images on the Samsung BlackJack look bright, crisp and sharp. The display is bright enough for a good readability even in sun light.
Samsung BlackJack - inputs and outputs
Under the display there is the navigational control that consists in Talk and End buttons, a Today button, two soft keys and a back button. In the middle there is the four-way navigational toggle. Here, the small dimensions of the Samsung BlackJack have the hardest word to say: the navigation is somewhat cramped and not so ergonomical to use. It forces the hand into unnatural positions and this is felt after a few hours of use. By comparison, the Dash has bigger keys and the Motorola Q the most hand-friendly “navigational array”. The keyboard underneath it is easy to use. The Q-like ovoid keys are tactile and have an ergonomic display. The number keys are colored in gray for an easier recognition.
On the right side of the Samsung BlackJack there is a MicroSD card slot, covered by a plastic lid (that is pretty hard to use and kinda blocks your way when inserting or taking out the card). Anyway, it’s easier to use than the Dash, where the MicroSD card slot lies behind the battery cover. On the right side also there is a BlackBerry-like navigational wheel that doubles as a selector when pressed. Also, a BlackBerry-like feature is the Back button that lies under the wheel. The wheel and the Back button have other functions as well: when pressed for a few seconds, they bring up a quick launcher (the wheel) and activate the camera (the Back button).
On the right side there are the volume rocker and the headset/charger jack. On the back of the Samsung BlackJack there is a 1.3 Megapixel camera with a self-portrait mirror. The Samsung BlackJack has also a proprietary port for USB connection with the PC.
Samsung BlackJack - features and performance
The Samsung BlackJack is 3G cell phone. This means that you will be able to get internet acces at high speeds and also, you can enjoy the Cingular Video and Cingular Musice services with almost no delays or interruptions.Like the Motorola Q and unlike the 8525 or the Dash, the Samsung BlackJack does not have a WiFi connectivity. This will surely set back some of its potential buyers. So, no free internet on a free hot spot.
The Samsung BlackJack runs on Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition (like the Motorola Q and the Dash). So, you can view, but not edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF documents with the help of the Picsel Viewer Suite. The 8525 runs on the Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition and thus, it has the Microsoft Office Mobile (that also lets you edit those documents).
The Samsung BlackJack has well implemented e-mail capabilities: corporate or personal e-mail pose no problem to it. POP3, IMAP and SMTP, push e-mail - it has them all. Instant messaging is also supported.
On the fun part, the Samsung BlackJack is equiped with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. This will let you play MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, WMv, MPEG-4 file types.
The Samsung BlackJack is good where the Dash and the 8525 fail; and that is the camera. The BlackJack took nice pictures with vivid colors, nice contrast and good edges. The camera has a self timer and 2X zoom plus a couple of handy options for white balance, effects and frames. Shooting video is also good on the Samsung BlackJack. Don’t expect something to leave you breathless but better than the Dash or the 8525.
The call quality was good on the Samsung BlackJack. We heard and were heard very well both on the phone and on the speakerphone.
The battery lasts 5 hours of talk time and 10 days of standby time. This is a good time for its capabilities and the great screen.
Samsung BlackJack - final note
The Samsung BlackJack is a sexy, smart cell phone. A great display, Bluetooth 2.0, push e-mail, 3G support are its pluses. On the minuses we would count the lack of the WiFi capability and the cramped navigation. Overall, this is a great cell phone and it is worth every penny you pay for it; plus it counts both as a business cell phone and as a leisure device.
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