Samsung Alias U740 Review

Messaging:

The main design feature of the U740 is the QWERTY keypad, which is used when composing Text Messages. First you must flip open the phone sideways (clamshell) and then press the bottom-left softkey button to access the Message menu. From there you can select what type of message you want to send (text, picture, video, sketch, postcard, or email). When selecting Text Message, you start by entering the destination cell phone number. Then you can use the QWERTY keypad to begin typing the body of the message. This should be a relatively easy task, but this is not the case. Due to the small size of the keys, and them being so close together, we often pressed the wrong one by mistake, and would then need to delete it, which takes time. We also noticed that the “P” key was the difficult to press, due to the raised plastic that is next to it. Entering in punctuation was also a problem, since it is not laid out the same a normal keyboard. The overall functionality of the QWERTY keypad on the U740 is more difficult to use than we would have hoped, and does not compare to the better designed keypad on the enV. For heavy Text Message users, we believe the enV to be a better choice. The U740 can also send picture and video messages to other capable cell phones and E-Mail addresses. It is accomplished in similar fashion, except that a picture or video (stored on the phone or MicroSD card) is attached to the message.


Connectivity:

The U740 supports Bluetooth Version 1.1 and allows up to 20 pairings. Supported profiles include Headset (HSP), Handsfree (HFP), Serial Port (SPP), Dial Up Networking (DUN), and Object Push (OPP) for vCard. We were able to get about 25 feet of static-free use with our Jabra v250 headset. Unfortunately, the U740 does not support Bluetooth Stereo A2DP, which limits listening to MP3 files to the phones stereo speakers or wired headphone.



Internet:

Web browsing is also limited to the included WAP 2.0 browser, which uses Verizon’s Mobile Web service. It will provide basic information for News, Weather, Sports, and Entertainment. You may also enter in a WAP or HTTP address. Most WAP site will load in under 5 seconds while in an EVDO coverage area, but HTML site can take 30 seconds or longer to load depending on content. Also, most HTML site will not format correctly and will not be fully featured (no java or active-x). Because of the limited functions of this browser, we can only recommend going to WAP sites.