Samsung Behold II T939 Review

Introduction:

Not too often do we see successor devices gaining much more attention than their original predecessors, but the Samsung Behold II T939 has a larger following thanks to its connection with Android. The original handset debuted less than a year ago with little fanfare behind it except for being T-Mobile's first TouchWiz-powered handset with a higher than normal 5-megapixel camera. Shortly afterwards, much of the Samsung Behold's fire was extinguished after the release of the camera-focused Samsung Memoir. Now we have the Behold II setting its sights on the rapid popularity of the Android platform while offering a new interface perspective to really set it apart from all the others out there. With so many Android handsets saturating the market in recent months, the Samsung Behold II may need to really stand out in order to capture the rising audience interested in the open platform – especially T-Mobile customers who already have their choice of robust pickings.

The package contains:
•    Samsung Behold II T939
•    Charger
•    USB Cable
•    Carrying Case
•    Stereo Headset
•    2GB microSD card with adapter
•    User Manual
•    Service Guide

Design:

The Samsung Behold II doesn't scream anything spectacular from a design perspective – you've got the usual slate form-factor to accommodate its touchscreen. Comparing it to the original handset, it's a bit longer (4.57”) while the rest of the dimensions remain relatively the same. The slick plastic exterior feels good in the hand, but doesn't exude the premium materials seen on the Motorola DROID or HTC Hero. Luckily the construction seems solid enough all around to make us believe that it can withstand a good deal of normal wear and tear. Thanks to the plastic housing, it is lightweight (4.2 oz) enough to hold in the hand effortlessly and fits snug into a pocket.



You can compare the Samsung Behold II T939 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Even before turning on the phone, we know the level of radiance we were expecting with the Behold II's 3.2” AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. To that avail, we weren't disappointed with its resolution of 320 x 480 with support for 16 million colors. The AMOLED display truly emits wonderful rich colors that's sure to keep your eyes fixed on it while black levels are nearly dead on – you may have a difficult time knowing if the screen is on or off because of it. At every angle you place the device, you'll still be able to view the screen without a hitch. The same cannot be said when using it outdoors in direct sunlight where it'll make it almost unreadable unless you use your hand to shield it. Near the top right portion of the screen, you'll locate both the light and proximity sensors which aid in the conservation of power. The Behold II continues Samsung's tradition of being a key player in offering one of the newer screen technologies for its handsets.



There's plenty of front facing hardware buttons on the Behold II that execute a variety functions. We like the plastic buttons surrounding the circular directional pad that emulate the milled metallic look – all well sized and have a solid tactile feel. These buttons include the home, send, end, menu, back, and cube – the latter being the one heavily featured. The sole thing to be found on the left edge is the adequate sized volume rocker while the right side houses the lock and shutter keys. All have a solid button feel with the shutter key having two levels of press. Fortunately, Samsung has decided to go with a standard microUSB port and 3.5mm headset jack that are both found on the top edge of the phone. Flipping it over to its back will reveal a map of the world design, giving it somewhat of an appeal for some, but still not as nice looking as the one we witnessed with the Samsung Jet.  Also tucked away in the rear is the 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and speaker phone. Sliding off the back panel will give you access to the battery, SIM card slot, and microSD slot – we would've preferred a spring loading microSD slot located elsewhere on the phone to make it more convenient.