Samsung E720 Review

Overall Rating

This phone is nice looking, easy to use, and it takes really good photos.

Sometimes people cannot understand what I am saying when I am talking on the phone.

I got my Samsung E720 mobile phone at the end of July 2005. Because I have a contract with O2 I didn't have to pay for the mobile as it comes free. I have been happy with this mobile, but the only problem I have had is that sometimes people have a problem understanding what I am saying when talking to them on the phone. My step-son also has the same problem with this phone, but other than that I don't have any other problems.

LOOK OF THE PHONE:

This phone is approximately 9cm long and 4.5cm wide, and it weighs approx 80g. The phone is dark grey and silver in colour. The front of the phone has a camera at the top with a light either side, which is the flash, and under that is the external screen (96x96 pixels). Under the screen it says 'SAMSUNG', and under that there are three keys: back, play/pause and forward. On the right side of the phone there is a button, which when pressed takes you to the camera mode. You can use this feature when the phone is opened or closed by pressing and holding. On the left side are the up and down buttons, which also control volume and a place to plug in ear piece. The bottom of the phone is where you plug the charger in. I think this is an attractive looking phone, and it is quite hard wearing too, as I have dropped my phone quite a few times and somehow I still haven't scratched it.

FEATURES:

When you open the phone you will see the main screen (176x220 pixels). In the top left hand corner it shows your signal strength, and the top left hand corner shows the amount of battery power you have. Unless you have the bluetooth on all the time the battery seems to last a long time. I usually charge my phone every second or third day depending on how much I have used the phone. You can have the date and time displayed on your phone just under where the signal and battery is shown. In the bottom left hand corner you can access the menu, and also in the left bottom corner you can access your contacts. Through the menu you access call records, phonebook, applications, browser, messages, file manager, calendar, camera and settings.

CALL RECORDS:

When you enter the call records there are six options:
1. Current contacts: This lists all your calls; dialled, received and missed.
2. Missed calls
3. Dialled calls
4. Received calls
5. Delete all: This allows you to delete all your call records.
6. Call time: This shows your last call time, total sent and total received. You can also reset all your call timers by entering a password (00000000).

PHONEBOOK:

There are seven options when you enter the phonebook:
1. Contacts list
2. Add new contact
3. Group
4. Speed dial: You can set different people to different numbers (2to9) to make it easier to call them.
5. My name card
6. Own number: You can add up to three numbers here
7. Management

You can save up to 1000 numbers on your phone and 250 on to your Sim card.

APPLICATIONS:

1. Java world
2. O2 music player
3. Voice recorder
4. World time
5. Alarm (snooze/once/daily/weekly). There are three alarms on this phone: morning call, alarm 1 and alarm 2.
6. PIM sync
7. Calculator
8. Converter: Currency, length, weight, volume, area, and temperature
9. Timer
10. Stopwatch
11. 02

BROWSER:

1. Home: This takes you to the O2 active homepage
2. Bookmarks: This gives a shortcut to different web pages
3. http:// - Here you can type in a web site you want to go to
4. WAP profile
5. Clear cache

MESSAGES:

1. Create message
2. My messages: This is where you access all your messages; inbox, drafts, out box, sent, email box and my folders.
3. Templates: You can add templates for quicker message writing.
4. Delete all: You can delete all your messages in one go, or just select so many messages which you want deleting.
5. Settings
6. Memory status: You can save 20 messages on your Sim and 200 on your phone.

FILE MANAGER:

1. Images: Here you save all your images - photos and downloaded images.
2. Videos: Here you save all your video clips and downloaded videos
3. Music: This is where you save all your MP3 music
4. Sounds: This is where all your polyphonic ringtones are saved
5. Other files
6. Memory status

CALENDER:

You have a full calendar that you can add things to: schedule, anniversary, memo and to do. You can set a hundred of each type of memo.

CAMERA:

There is a built-in mega-pixel camera with flash. There are three different shooting modes: single shot, multi shot or mosaic shot. There is a 4x digital zoom so you can zoom in and out. You can also add different effects to your picture (grey scale, negative, sepia, emboss, antique, moonlight and fog). There are also 31 frames which you can choose from to add to your picture. There is also video where you can record for up to 60 minutes. This has all the same effects as the camera, but you cannot add frames. The camera takes really good pictures, except for when it's a bit dark, and even if you use the flash when it's dark, the pictures are still very bitty. The sound quality on the videos is also quite good! I recorded my daughter laughing, and my son saying 'da-da' for my boyfriend to see, as he had not heard them before.

SETTINGS:

1. Time and date: Here you set the date and time for the phone, and choose whether you want a 24 hour clock or a 12 hour clock.
2. Phone settings: Here you access languages, short cuts and extra settings.
3. Display settings: Here you can choose your wallpaper for your main display and cover display.
4. Sound settings: Here you can set the different tones for your phone: incoming call (polyphonic or MP3), keypad tone, message tone, power on/off, folder tone, or turn it to quite mode (vibration or mute).
5. Network services
6. Bluetooth
7. Security
8. Connection settings
9. Reset settings

PRICE:

This phone costs around £199.99, but you may be able to get it free on contract.

WHAT I THINK OF THIS PHONE:

I think this is a good phone. I always have a good signal. The picture quality and sound quality are good, and it is easy to use. I would recommend this phone to anyone, and I will more than likely get another Samsung when I change my phone.