Samsung SCH-R350 Freeform User Reviews

Artemus posted on 10 Feb 2010, 19:02

Good 8.3

Freedom with the FreeForm!

What a fantastic gem of a mobile device!  I agree with a few others on here; this, in my opinion, can serve perfectly as the "poor man's" Blackberry or "Smart" phone...just picked this up today after a solid week or so of "doing my homework" and deciding which phone to go with...I've only ever owned Samsung phones in the past, they've always provided top-notch quality in my opinion, and I needed something with the sleek look and most of the apps of a Blackberry but of course not the hefty price tag.  That's where the Freeform came to my mobile rescue.

Features are above average, darn near great...QWERTY keypad is a bit small in size, but the keys are raised and easy to press so that's a bit of a moot point...MP3 player app is outstanding, especially given the fact that one has the option of installing up to a 16 gig SD memory card for expansion options (customized ringtones here I come!)...screen size is great considering the overall size of the device...camera shots are crisp, clear and good in detail...Bluetooth capability is a nice touch, and works pretty well for the price one pays...for the record, do NOT be fooled by the teeny-bopper naysayers on here, the web browsing is simply phenomenal!...but where this beauty truly shines is in what she's meant to do, and that's in the message arena...

"It is true what many of you have heard"...there is a 160 character limit, but here's the thing:  that's not all that serious.  That simply means...  

What a fantastic gem of a mobile device!  I agree with a few others on here; this, in my opinion, can serve perfectly as the "poor man's" Blackberry or "Smart" phone...just picked this up today after a solid week or so of "doing my homework" and deciding which phone to go with...I've only ever owned Samsung phones in the past, they've always provided top-notch quality in my opinion, and I needed something with the sleek look and most of the apps of a Blackberry but of course not the hefty price tag.  That's where the Freeform came to my mobile rescue.

Features are above average, darn near great...QWERTY keypad is a bit small in size, but the keys are raised and easy to press so that's a bit of a moot point...MP3 player app is outstanding, especially given the fact that one has the option of installing up to a 16 gig SD memory card for expansion options (customized ringtones here I come!)...screen size is great considering the overall size of the device...camera shots are crisp, clear and good in detail...Bluetooth capability is a nice touch, and works pretty well for the price one pays...for the record, do NOT be fooled by the teeny-bopper naysayers on here, the web browsing is simply phenomenal!...but where this beauty truly shines is in what she's meant to do, and that's in the message arena...

"It is true what many of you have heard"...there is a 160 character limit, but here's the thing:  that's not all that serious.  That simply means that one has to use (gasp) proper grammar skills and (double gasp) shorter sentences when texting...two things that are quickly becoming the enemy of this digital age...but if one can overcome this grammatical obstacle, one is free and clear with the Freeform...

The only two things which Samsung could improve upon here in this writer's opinion are the camera and the lack of video imaging...granted, the camera is a beauty and gets the job done at 1.3 MP, but with this device coming in this late in the game, so to speak, one would think the MP size could be at least slightly increased...also, it is a bit of a disappointment that there is no live video option, especially considering I have a six-month-old daughter to keep up with...but that's more of a personal preference than a mark against this phone.  Besides, at the end of the day this is a communication device, not a camcorder...

All in all, a terrific phone at an outstanding price! (Retails for $79 U.S. currently, purchased mine on-sale for $62.50 after tax)...and, courtesy of Metro PCS, $50 a month flat rate that gets me, basically, unlimited everything!  Again, this is the perfect choice for those who do not desire to be a part of the "suit-and-tie" crowd, those who simply cannot afford the IPhone's or Droid's ridiculous price tags, or those who are addicted to the message-side of mobile devices.  Highly, highly recommended!

Pros

• Great Screen Size
• Perfect Messenging Device, esp. text
• MP3 Player
• Expandable memory a nice touch
• 1.3 MP camera
• Bluetooth-ready
• Best quality for the price, hands-down

Cons

• Camera is "only" 1.3 MP...could be stronger
• No video capture feature
• Menu is not truly fully customizable

Morgan Droz posted on 07 Feb 2010, 01:58

Excellent 9.7

Really?

I got my little dynamo about 2 days ago, and I must say i am impressed, mind you this was a huge upgrade from my old Kyocera flip phone. Picked the little guy up for $79.00 at a Metro PCS store, and you just can't beat the price. Features: nice size and weight and attractive design. Camera works great, but, as other have pointed out, no video capture.Optional card slot to increase memory is a nice touch, although, I don't think I will need it. Navigation is intuitive and straight-forward, although the keyboard is teeny tiny, but functional.Nifty built in programs like Loopt, Navigator, IM adn Metro webNot too many complaints, considering the price, but here you go...-Lack of customization in main menu-no video support, -lacking web browsing-pc studio program very hard to work with (luckliy, i don't need it)So, Overall, I would give the phone A+++The value and features far outweigh any minor complaints. If you are looking for a "smart" phone, but don't have the dough, pick up this little guy, It is well worth it.- 

trista posted on 26 Jan 2010, 18:22

Excellent 9.3

really good looks like a blackberry

Its not a blackberry and it dosnt have all the aps that the blackberry aps but this phone is veryy good i doont have this phone yet but my sister does and i think it has very good aps like the yahoo messanger app and the navigatorr me and my sister had to use that a couple days ago and it really worked the camera is okk and its just good with everythingg.. ima bout to have this phone on friday... its gonna be great :)

Pros

• verry good

Cons

GLMK posted on 04 Jan 2010, 10:22

Good 7.7

Not a Blackberry, but still a good phone.

Like many we tend to budget ourselves on what we want in a phone. Sometimes you have to cut one thing to get another or balance it. I like this phone for the screen size, though the buttons are a little tricky to use. Playing music is a plus, browsing is OK. GPS, other features are great. The only thing I don't like is that you can not play videos on this phone or video type stuff while browsing. For instance going to You Tube or sites with flash videos, the phone can not play them. Another plus is no moving parts! Flip, slide and pop open phones live a dangerous life with me.

Pros

• GPS though a bit sluggish at times. Size of the screen. Sound and size. Music player is nice to have around. MicroSD card abilities.

Cons

• Unable to play videos independently or on websites. Software CD PC Studio that comes with it has a LOT of bugs. Even the download site this PC Studio software really is bad.

Mz.hellokitty posted on 31 Dec 2009, 14:30

Excellent 9.7

Awesome

This web site has helped me so much it has made the diccison to buy  this phone very easy i am 13 and the demand for you to have a cool phone... i think this phone is great from all the reviews i read the only con for me would be the camera is only a 1.3 megapix, every thing about the freeform is great and for a $119.00 the phone is just awesosme.......

Drafhixa posted on 31 Dec 2009, 08:51

Excellent 10

Great Phone

I must say I am impressed with the Freeform from Samsung. I had the Messanger II and didn't like that phone at all and decided to give Samsung one more try, I'm glad I did. The phone itself is a good size with a decent keyboard and even with my sausage fingers texting is manageable. The layout for accessing features on the phone is good, however I am still disappointed that Samsung does not allow the user to change the menu shortcuts to their preference, hopefully something they will correct in future offerings. The phone is packed with useful tools such as a calendar, alarm clock and memo pad for those with failing memories like myself (getting older sucks) as well as a calculator, stop watch and converter for weights and measurements, not that I would personally use those a great deal but there nice to have just in case.

Screen size is decent as well as the font it displays, no need for a magnifying glass to see whose calling or texting you. Battery life is good for an average user and as always a car charger is never a bad idea for just in case. The phone does have a Micro SD slot and will accept up to a 16gb card, that's a huge amount of storage for music, ringtones and pictures. The ringer is loud, crisp and clear as well as call clarity supported on the Metro PCS network. With apps like the web, GPS navigation, email and IM services among others this "almost smartphone" is plenty smart for my needs. I admit...  

I must say I am impressed with the Freeform from Samsung. I had the Messanger II and didn't like that phone at all and decided to give Samsung one more try, I'm glad I did. The phone itself is a good size with a decent keyboard and even with my sausage fingers texting is manageable. The layout for accessing features on the phone is good, however I am still disappointed that Samsung does not allow the user to change the menu shortcuts to their preference, hopefully something they will correct in future offerings. The phone is packed with useful tools such as a calendar, alarm clock and memo pad for those with failing memories like myself (getting older sucks) as well as a calculator, stop watch and converter for weights and measurements, not that I would personally use those a great deal but there nice to have just in case.

Screen size is decent as well as the font it displays, no need for a magnifying glass to see whose calling or texting you. Battery life is good for an average user and as always a car charger is never a bad idea for just in case. The phone does have a Micro SD slot and will accept up to a 16gb card, that's a huge amount of storage for music, ringtones and pictures. The ringer is loud, crisp and clear as well as call clarity supported on the Metro PCS network. With apps like the web, GPS navigation, email and IM services among others this "almost smartphone" is plenty smart for my needs. I admit it's not in the iPhone and Blackberry realm but if your not in the suit and tie crowd what else do you really need ? 

At $119.00 the price is very reasonable for a phone of this caliber, my only complaint if you can call it that is I found myself wanting a little more from the camera. At 1.3 megapixels It does a decent job but there's room for improvement, as well as the lack of video capture. With up to 16gb of storage support one wonders how Samsung missed the opportunity to truly put this little workhorse over the top.  

All in all the Freeform was a late comer in 2009, but a nice surprise to be sure. I think it's a very good phone and with a little tweaking here and there could become the poor man's Blackberry.

Pros

• Good design
• QWERTY keyboard
• Good features
• Useful Apps
• Micro SD support

Cons

• 1.3 mp could be improved
• Lack of video capture

Susie posted on 29 Dec 2009, 12:15

Excellent 10

Best Phone EVER!

I am obsessed with this phone. I got it a week ago and i'm in love with it! i love texting on it because it is made so easy. Also, I love how has a spot for a micro sd card. This makes it easy to have my own ringtones on the phone. I also can add the pictures from my phone to the computer easily without the need of a cable. The reviews on this phone are so harsh. It truelly is a great phone!i got this phone with the NTELOS service.

Pros

• light, good size
• QWERTY keyboard
• chat messaging
• mircro sd card, up to 16 G
• easy to lock
• simple

Cons

• only can text 160 words. but who really cares? when someone sends me a text that is more than 160 words i still get the whole message, just in two seperate texts. which is no problem for me.

CORY posted on 29 Dec 2009, 10:31

Good 8

very nice "almost" smartphone

got this phone to replace my samsung messager 2 which i did not like......like everything about this phone, very lightweight, slim, keypad buttons are raised so easy to type.....would recommend this phone to anyone and its cheap too only $119.....i liked it so much and so does my wife....she got the red one for her.  We have Metropcs service.

Pros

• easy to use qwerty keyboard
• very light and slim
• great battery life
• plays mp3s
• the self portrait feature is great (my messager didnt have one)
• ringer is nice and loud and clear too

Cons

• pictures look dull on phone but once transfered to computer look good
• other than that ^^^^^, nothing!!

shabe posted on 26 Dec 2009, 00:01

Excellent 9.3

Awesom

This phone is Awesome i got it on thursday..its worth buying.before buying it,i would see reviews and people would say Cr*p about it.thats not even true.for example that the phone couldnt send pic messages!!and guess what?The phone COULD send pic messages!And oh the keyboard is not that bad,Anyone could get adjustd to it!

Pros

• Texting.Im.E-mail.Camera.

Cons

• ....

Free From Reviewer posted on 06 Dec 2009, 23:50

Excellent 9

Not bad at all

This phone has what I like with my METROPCS service:
great battery life
business look to oit
nice non glare screen thats not TOO BIG.
easy menu/windows
very decent speaker
web browser function is very good
SAMSUNG makes about the best messaging phones around.

What i dont like:
small keyboard but manageable. (what do you expect for 119.00)
must lock it or you will dial while in your case/pocket.
chirping battery notification when charging even when turned off. Dont charge next tp your bed at night.

When you talk 500o-8000 minutes a month for onlt 45.00 how can i complain with a nice phone like this.

Pros

• good looking
• clear sounding speaker
• battery life
• nice visable screen

Cons

• small keypad
• toggle function on keypad
• must lock it or mis-dial while in pocket.

Anonymous posted on 06 Dec 2009, 17:29

Excellent 10

Love it!

I love this phone i just got it today, and i cant stop using and i am used to a computer keyboad and it is set up like one, so i am as fast as ever now txting. I love love love love this phone. i would reccomend this phone to anyone i love it a lot                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

I love this phone i just got it today, and i cant stop using and i am used to a computer keyboad and it is set up like one, so i am as fast as ever now txting. I love love love love this phone. i would reccomend this phone to anyone i love it a lot                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

summerlovin23 posted on 06 Dec 2009, 01:54

Good 7.7

Good.

I think now a days with technology soaring even beyond our imaginations, people just are expecting a little too much.
This is actually a pretty simple easy to use qwerty keyboard phone. It doesn't have any fancy applications or views but it gets the job done. It looks like a smartphone but without the high price plan. Now, I work for MetroPcs and we are currently carrying this phone.. So out of all the phones in stock I went with this one. I also have an iPhone with AT&T and honestly, yeah it doesn't have all the cool apps, but if you aren't cell phone savvy this is perfect.



Don't be too quick tp judge on things, especially by people in this review.
Go see it for yourself before you actually make a decision.

Pros

• Easy to text and navigate through.
• Option of "chat" text style
• Supports up to 16 GB memory card
• MP3 player
• Cool look & feel
• To Do list option
• Set picture ID
• 1.3 megapixel camera
• Many camera style options

Cons

• Nothing that makes it unbearable to withstand

ekinci posted on 05 Dec 2009, 03:06

Average 6

dont buy this phone if you wanna live longer

I just bought this phone today and returning it tomorrow.
when you use the phone it gives you such a big headache i cant imagine what it does to our braincells.
will return it tomorrow.
dont buy it unless you wanna die from some brain damage immediately.
i triedit with bluetooth aswell than it gives less pain but still dangerous.

Anonymous posted on 27 Oct 2009, 22:03

Poor 4.3

Frustrated

I recently purchased a Samsung Freeform and plan on returning it tomorrow.  The sales associates all recommended this first, since I told them I do a lot of texting, but didn't need a smart phone.  I like the phone features and the look of the phone, but there is one MAJOR flaw.  You can only have 160 character texts to both send and receive.  It's not so much the sending part, but the receiving part.  People would send me greater than 160 character texts and I would not receive them (and they would receive no notification that it didn't go through).  I called an Alltel associate and she researched it and stated that this was true and the first that she had heard of it.  I would NOT recommend this phone if you like to text more than 3 lines. 

Pros

• good if you like to text quickly

Cons

• bad if you like to type/receive more than 3 lines of text

Anonymous posted on 28 Sep 2009, 11:39

Average 5.3

just a phone with keypad

Only got this phone, since at the time, was the best phone that alltel had with keyboard, but is not consider a "smart phone".  As a phone, it works, dials, sends text fast, speaker is good, easy to use quick keys.  Have not synched with blue tooth to see how good that works yet.  Some things that i found to be a problem:~ittity bitty keys, which is more harder to see, but is doable to text.  I'm sure this phone is made for a tweenbopper texter roaming the malls.~cheap, already put a dent in the screen.  still usable, just annoying.~to unlock phone is not the best way. and you def. want it lock. bottons are easily push in pocket.~when recieve a text, goes into IM view, but the keypads don't light up.  So you have to exit out, and then manual txt them when you are in the dark.  (its hard enought to see the keys in light, but in the dark, forget it.)~camera quality could be better~was hoping it had video camera, (personal prefrences)~you are only allowed 3 alarms.some things i like:~quick keys, (you can program them to what you want, and easy to do)~keyboard, i refuse to go back to t9n~screen is big and easily viewable~texting IM style~battery life seems above par then my past phones.~hearing is clear and crisp.  even with 1 bar or less.so overall, this phone works for my wants and needs.  I would perfer the Enve3, but verizon is to expensive.  So with alltel, at the time, is the best choice for a phone with keyboard.  I am...  

Only got this phone, since at the time, was the best phone that alltel had with keyboard, but is not consider a "smart phone".  As a phone, it works, dials, sends text fast, speaker is good, easy to use quick keys.  Have not synched with blue tooth to see how good that works yet.  Some things that i found to be a problem:~ittity bitty keys, which is more harder to see, but is doable to text.  I'm sure this phone is made for a tweenbopper texter roaming the malls.~cheap, already put a dent in the screen.  still usable, just annoying.~to unlock phone is not the best way. and you def. want it lock. bottons are easily push in pocket.~when recieve a text, goes into IM view, but the keypads don't light up.  So you have to exit out, and then manual txt them when you are in the dark.  (its hard enought to see the keys in light, but in the dark, forget it.)~camera quality could be better~was hoping it had video camera, (personal prefrences)~you are only allowed 3 alarms.some things i like:~quick keys, (you can program them to what you want, and easy to do)~keyboard, i refuse to go back to t9n~screen is big and easily viewable~texting IM style~battery life seems above par then my past phones.~hearing is clear and crisp.  even with 1 bar or less.so overall, this phone works for my wants and needs.  I would perfer the Enve3, but verizon is to expensive.  So with alltel, at the time, is the best choice for a phone with keyboard.  I am happy with it, and no major bugs as compared to what a lot of people reported with most of alltel non smart phones. no powering down for no reason, no slowing down after some use, no freezing, etc.