Smartphone Thoughts: Plugged In with the Samsung i320 Smartphone

Figure 15: The Samsung i320 mass storage Smartphone.

Here's something that I wish more device manufacturers would put on their devices. Under Settings / Connections / USB you can toggle the connection type between the standard ActiveSync connection and that of a mass storage device. Why would anyone want to do that? Well, let's say you want to hook up to your machine at work and download a manual to share with a client, or transfer music/pictures from a machine that doesn't have ActiveSync onto your phone. This makes it really easy to do that. Also, given that a lot of people are going with Exchange sync, this gives you a way to move files onto the device without using ActiveSync. What I don't like about this feature, is that you still need that proprietary cable in order to do the transfer. So that means you have to carry around Samsung's special cable on the off chance that you might need to transfer files to your phone. If Samsung had chosen to use the more standard miniUSB then it would be less of a concern since these cables can be found in close proximity to almost any computer these days.






Figure 16: The Accessories bundle.

Samsung added more than just a couple extra applications on this phone. When you browse into the Accessories folder on the device, you'll see a nice selection of applications and not just the same boring old Calculator and Modem Link. Don't worry, they're still included, but you'll also find Samsung's Program Launcher (that we talked about earlier), SIM Manager, Smart Converter, Stop Watch, Task Manager, and settings for WOW XT. Further more, under the Organize folder in the Start menu you will find an Alarm application (capable of handling 5 different alarms), D-Day reminder application, and a World Clock. It's nice to see some simple extra applications included on the device. I like having these basics things loaded and ready to go on a new device. It's not like they take up a lot of room or anything.


Conclusions
Overall, the Samsung i320 is a great Smartphone and it's one that I'm proud to add to my collection. Sure, the battery life of the device is easily the worst of any Smartphone I have used, but it can still make it through the day without concern. As long as you can remember to plug in the device when you go to bed everyday, then you should be fine. I understand that it's not the most convenient scenario, but it's certainly not the end of the world either. The only other thing that I really don't like about this phone is the fact that it's just Tri-Band. I haven't noticed any increase in dropped or missed calls, but I can clearly see that reception in my most frequented areas has gone from 4 bars to 2 or even 1. I wish I knew why Samsung decided on going with just a Tri-Band setup for this phone. I can't imagine that adding the extra frequency would add much more in design, testing, or cost. Perhaps the extra frequency added a significant drain on the battery. :? ;) I think the i320 would find significantly more success if Samsung could find a way to increase the battery life and improve the Tri-Band configuration. The device is a dream to carry around thanks to it's small light weight design.

Mike Temporale is the Managing Editor of Smartphone Thoughts. During the daylight Mike masquerades as an IT Consultant focusing on Business Intelligence and .NET solutions for Enterprise and large business. He spends his evenings with his lovely wife where they read Dr. Seuss books over and over again to their two hyperactive children.