While not unique, the dual sliding Exclaim is certainly a rarity in today’s market. Slotted to replace the Rant, the Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 has a similar feature set but the dual slide design allows for a screen that’s a full half inch larger. It retains the 2 megapixel camera, microSD expansion up to 16GB and Sprint’s One Click UI. There is a heavy emphasis on social networking here, with preloaded Facebook and MySpace tiles, and a new Twitter tile. Included in the box you’ll find an AC charger and a 512MB microSD card.
Design:
Available in both raspberry and blueberry, the muted colors offer personality without being over the top (we’re looking at you, Sanyo.) Like the Rant it replaces, the Exclaim is on the heavy side. It is a millimeter thinner and shorter, 4mm wider. Still, the in-hand feel is very similar; it is larger than most but feel solid.
You can compare the Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
The Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 has a 2.6” display
Now lacking a keypad, the front is dominated by the 2.6” display. Not only has it gotten bigger, but it is now QVGA which makes for a crisper picture. It looks much better than the Rant, and we didn’t have any issues reading it in direct sunlight. Below it is a navigational cluster similar to the Rant: the 5 way d-pad is flanked by three keys on either side. On the left it is- from top to bottom- a soft key, Speaker and Talk, and on the right a soft key, Back and End.
Sliding up reveals a traditional 12 key dialpad. The keys give good feedback, though some may not appreciate the flat keypad. To differentiate the keys there are fashionable dividers, but the design doesn’t look right and threw us off a bit. A common issue with sliders is overhang interfering with the top row, but this is not a problem with the Exclaim. The keys are generously sized, and we rather enjoyed using it.
Sliding to the side brings to life the four row QWERTY keyboard. The first thing we noticed is that the backlight is much brighter than the Rant, a complaint we often heard. The soft keys in landscape mode have been moved from the display to the keypad, and since the phone is shorter overall this leaves less room for the keyboard. Still, the keyboard is easy to use and we were quickly typing accurate messages.
The left side of the Exclaim simply has a volume rocker at the top. The right is busier, with the microSD slot, microUSB charging port and a camera key. Unfortunately it only has a 2.5mm headset jack, which is found on the top. The back is mostly battery door, with the 2.0 megapixel camera perched and centered at the top.
The sliding mechanisms of the Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 feel very solid. There is just the right amount of resistance, but once it gets going the slide is very smooth. There is a very reassuring click when either slide is opened and closed. All in all the Exclaim is reassuring in the hand, a trait we have come to expect from Samsung devices.
Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 360 Degrees View:
UI, Phonebook and Organizer:
The Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 runs Sprint’s One Click UI, which was debuted last October with the Rant. We gave a full rundown at the time, and still enjoy it very much. As far as carrier UIs go, this one is by far the best. Unique to the Exclaim is a twitter tile, which allows for easy tweeting from your homescreen. MySpace and Facebook also have preloaded tiles, though they have been available to add on other One Click phones. The main menu has the familiar 12 icon layout that most Sprint phones feature at this point, nothing new to report.
Samsung’s phonebook is pretty average. It allows for everything you’d expect to see, including IM names and memos, but nothing more. As the line between smart and dumbphones continue to blur we would have much preferred to see some more detail available, as with the Motorola contact layout which allows you to add more personal information such as birthdays and addresses. Nuance takes care of the voice dialing.
Other features remain standard as well. The user is given a basic personal calendar, and exchange calendars are supported by the Sprint Mobile Email program. The latter feature is very cool, but we just don’t see many people who have an Exchange account using a phone like the Exclaim. Other basic amenities include an alarm, calculator, world clock, memo pad and voice memos.
Messaging and Multimedia:
Again, everything is pretty much the same here. Text messaging is threaded so the user sees conversations in their inbox, not messages. The included IM client supports AIM, Yahoo and Windows Live Messenger. Sprint Mobile Email is one of the better email clients we’ve seen for basic phones. It supports most everything you can throw at it, including Exchange, but unfortunately uses POP instead of IMAP.
As an EVDO phone the Exclaim features all of Sprint’s multimedia offerings; Sprint TV, Radio and Music Store. With support of 16GB microSD cards it acts as a decent on the go mp3 player, though we don’t think it will be replacing many iPods. The Rant’s 2 megapixel camera performed well for what it was, and the Exclaim does the same. Colors were a bit muted, but detail was good for a mid-range phone.
Multimedia
Performance and Conclusion:
Sound quality on the Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 was good but not great. Users could tell we were on a cell phone, and on our end they sounded a bit distant and hollow, but conversations were still clear enough. Battery life has surprisingly decreased by over an hour, down to 4.75 hours from 5.9. The size remains the same at 960 mAh, so we’re not sure why there is such a dramatic decrease.
All in all the Samsung Exclaim SPH-M550 is a worthy replacement to the Rant. The form factor is not new, but still unique and not just more of the same. Build quality is top notch, and we enjoyed using both keypads. The larger display is always a welcome addition, and small updates to the One Click UI bring added functionality. We’re not sure if these minor improvements justify the $80 price tag on contract, but while high by Sprint standards it’s in line with comparable models such as the enV3.
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