Samsung Highlight T749 Review

Introduction:

We've seen a substantial amount of TouchWiz powered devices from the number two phone maker in the world. Luckily for T-Mobile subscribers in the US, they've been introduced to the widget based interface in the form of the Behold and Memoir – both packing serious megapixels in their cameras. The latest TouchWiz phone for T-Mobile, the Samsung Highlight T749, takes all the things we love of the two previous and makes an emphasis on being more streamlined to the general audience. It might not have imposing specifications, but it may win over some users with its slimmer and pocketable look.

The package contains:

•    Samsung Highlight
•    Charger
•    Hands-free Headset
•    USB Cable
•    User Guide
•    Start Guide


Design:

Samsung doesn't stray far away from the usual slate form factor which dominates most of their touch screen lineup. The one thing that stands out is the patterned design on the battery cover of the Samsung Highlight T749. Different shades of blue are used for the casing – it gives off a tough plastic feel when held. Even the screen gives off that same feeling – the thin piece of plastic does little to protect it from accidents. It's not the most durable material, but we don't have any qualms about it on this device. The dimensions are similar to the two previous TouchWiz handsets we've seen come out for -T-Mobile. We noticed that it's on the heavier side when held in the hand; due to the larger battery. Overall the design works well for this kind of phone, except that the screen is prone to scratches.



You can compare the Samsung Highligh SGH-T749with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The 3” LCD screen really shines  in performance – it's vivid, clear, and undeniably displays 262k colors beautifully. It will definitely turn heads because of the widget driven interface. Text is easily distinguished thanks to the 240 x 400 pixel display. Although it magnificently lights up in indoor settings, you'll have to shield it when viewing in direct sunlight. Even increasing its brightness to the maximum setting, it's still somewhat unviewable unless you go into the shade.

Three buttons are found directly below the screen; the send, end, and back/clear keys are pronounced and well sized. We didn't have any problems getting a feel for them thanks to their excellent tactile feel. The same goes with the volume rocker on the left edge which was ample in size. The dedicated camera and lock/unlock buttons are located on the right side with the proprietary charging/USB port. The speaker phone is found next to the 3-megapixel camera on the back towards the top portion of the device. The microSD slot is placed inconveniently under the battery – requiring you to physically remove the battery of the Samsung Highlight T749 in order to insert a card into the slot.