Samsung Jet S8000 Review

Introduction and design:

There are 365 days (generally), 8,760 hrs or quite a few minutes and seconds a year. Thousands of things happen in that amount of time, even in the cooped up world of cell phones. The truly significant events, however, are scarcer than hen´s teeth. There are several major exhibitions, where manufacturers fall over backwards to show off their new creations, the latest iPhone follow-up and a dozen of less noteworthy happenings, where top of the range devices put up a first appearance. That´s why there is no way that something like the Samsung organized “Unpacked” go unnoticed. It took place in three major cities around the world and the end result was the announcement of the Samsung Jet S8000. Well, the official info showed up shortly before the actual event came about, but still, the whole thing was interesting enough to follow.

So, that´s how the Jet was born – with quite a noise and massive hype coming from the manufacturer. They call it “smarter than smartphone”, emphasizing on its snappy processor (800 MHz), multitasking capabilities and Microsoft Exchange support. With a 3.1-inch display, 5-megapixel camera, DivX/Xvid support, Wi-Fi and 2 GB built-in memory, the device comes with features qualifying it as a modern, mid-range handset. It also sports a special menu, made after a 3D cube. As a whole, what it delivers make it a direct competitor to the LG ARENA KM900 in the category of feature, multimedia-rich cell phones.

So, let´s recap – decent features, lots of promises and big words. Does the Samsung Jet S8000 live up to the expectations though? We´ve got a final, retail version in our hands and we intend to answer the question. Let´s first take a look at what´s in the box.

The Samsung Jet S8000 comes wrapped up in what´s become quite characteristic of major manufacturers lately (save Acer), i.e. a really small box. Well, we need to think about the environment and be economical of our means and all that after all, don´t we? Aside from the phone itself, what you also get in the pack is a software CD, manual, microUSB cable to connect it to a computer, charger, earphones (with adapter that allows to control sound volume and answer calls). Oh, we almost forgot to tell you the best part – there´s a leather case. We do fancy the thing, because it´s well-made and strewn with Swarovski crystal beads. No, not really. We just like it because it´s designed in such a way that you will be able to actually use your phone for calls without having to take it out, although this also means you won´t be able to find out who´s calling you until you´ve answered. There is a small hole for the earphone, loudspeakers are not covered as well, another small gap lets you press the middle phone button and the location of both send and end keys is marked onto the sheath itself. Well, all this comes in pretty handy, because everyone´s missed a call or two while struggling to pull the phone out. Plus, you can also use the case if your hands are wet or greasy and you don’t want any stains on your precious Jet.


And truth be told, the handset simply loves dirt. A lot. Basically, most of the people would be like “Wow, what a beauty, so cool, can I touch it!” followed shortly by “Jeez, I got the thing in fingerprints all over, hang on, let me wipe it clean”. Both reactions would be caused by one and the same thing – the handset´s made of glossy plastic and is almost pitch black. Of course, this makes it look stylish, appealing and smaller than it really is. Actually, it´s a bit taller than the LG ARENA KM900 and of almost identical size as the Viewty Smart GC900, although this doesn’t mean it won’t fit into your hand or pocket perfectly.



You can compare the Samsung Jet S8000 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Fingerprints are quite a problem with the LG Crystal GD900 as well, although it comes in a lighter color, hence they´re harder to notice. If you ask us which of the two looks more appealing, well, you will definitely give us a hard time. The Crystal sports an impressive, transparent keypad, but the Samsung Jet S8000 has a really… sexy back. Actually, the Jet was the first model of the manufacturer to feature red, light-reflecting elements. The OmniaPRO B7610 also has them and we do hope Samsung keeps lending color to their designs in the same manner.


Speaking of screens, we must say that hands down, the Jet takes the cake. The phone comes with a 3.1-inch, AMOLED screen with WVGA resolution that supports 16 mln colors and image quality is really good – we did take pleasure in just browsing pictures, enjoying all the image details - the high resolution and the warm colors contribute to a slightly romantic overall feel. Fortunately, the handset remains completely usable outdoors. The light sensitivity sensor react instantaneously and images become somewhat worn out and less appealing to look at, but you won´t need to search for the nearest shady spot to read your message, that´s for sure.

The phone display utilizes resistive technology and you can navigate through the menus using whatever object, but unfortunately, the handset doesn’t feature multitouch. As a whole, the sensitivity is really great and failures to activate what you have pressed happen quite rarely. This is also accompanied by slight vibration and sound feedback (can be turned off) that contribute to the ease of use and perhaps it´s only the iPhone and G1/Magic that have more sensitive screens. The fingerprint problem is especially evident here as well.

The spectacular mid-button is another design element that lends color to the overall look of the Samsung Jet S8000. It reflects light beautifully and is really easy to press. Its basic function is to call up the main menu from within running applications. Keeping it pressed opens the multitasking menu that we will talk about later on. Send and end keys are on either side and are both comfy to press - they are large, prominent and have enough travel.


The same goes for the other handset buttons as well. While the keys of the LG ARENA KM900 are flush with the phone body, so as not to spoil the design appeal of the phone, keys here are prominent enough, easy to feel with your fingers, comfy to press and you need just a few moments to get used to their location. As a whole, the buttons on either side of the Samsung Jet S8000 feature an ergonomic design and don’t spoil the overall impression. The volume rocker is on the left hand side, while the phone lock, along with a double button are on the opposite. The more prominent part of the latter is actually the camera shutter and the other one calls up the 3D cube on screen, but we will tell you more about the cube in the multimedia section.


The good news is that the Samsung Jet S8000 sports standard connectors only that are all located on the top side of the phone – 3.5mm jack, microUSB port protected with a small flap and we disliked having to open the back cover to gain access to the microSD slot (supports expansion cards of up to 16GB). At least the whole thing feels quite easy thanks to the dedicated rabbet at the bottom.

As a whole, the Samsung Jet S8000 is a really good looking device and this doesn’t seem to come at the expense of decreased functionality. Our only gripe is that the handset love fingerprints with unfaltering passion, because the black, glossy surface is a real magnet for them. Still, the LG Crystal GD900 remains our primary choice of a trendy gadget to bring along with us if we need to impress a lady at a night club. Why? The Jet is comparatively less noticeable, because the fancy red elements on its back are only visible in proper light.