Review Samsung C110

Very rapidly, C100 became one of the most demanded models on the market. In a course of half a year, the prices for the model tended to grow and decrease unevenly in the retail networks. Having released the new C110 variant of this model with no IrDA, the company increased the shipments of this model. The similar positioning of this phone taken into account, the radical rejection of the function in demand seems to be justified. Those in need of the IrDA are welcome to choose the first model; all others should be content with C110.

Among other differences, the circular menu, which is to become standard (alternative) in many other Samsung models, should be mentioned. In some way, the set of the offered images had also changed; however, those changes are not significant. The extracts from the Samsung C100 review are to be presented below since the phones are very similar if not identical.

The keypad is located under the display. The display looks big although its resolution is 128x128 pixels (28x28mm). Due to the size, the display can read up to five text lines and one information bar. The display reflects up to 65000 colors and is made according to the UFB technology. Under the sun, the screen may go slightly “blind” though even when doors the user would not recognize all of 6500 colors. The picture on the screen looks a little blurred; the quality of the displayed colors is lower than that in the other Samsung “clam-shells”. The screen is not bad at all for the phone of its class although its dimensions remained the same as those of C100.

When you hold the phone for the first time, the thinness of its frame case may surprise you (17mm). This became possible due to the lithium-ionic battery (used for the first time in the phone of this class). Battery’s capacity is 800 mAh and as the producer claims it can work during 3 hours in the talking mode and up to 145 hours in the stand-by mode. As the testing in the Moscow Beeline network proved, the phone is capable of working for approximately four days in the case of ten minutes of talk and up to 15 minutes of using the other functions. The overall charging time of the battery is approximately two hours.

The dimensions of the phone are just satisfying; one would not identify it as big or small (111x45x17mm). The weight of 76 grams granted, you might carry the phone just as you wish. The overall form-factor is worked out well.

On the left side, the joined key of the volume control is located. The headset connector is found on the right side.

Menu

This model is equipped with the circular menu, which is becoming standard for the Samsung models. The traditional lists of the submenus are hidden within the main one. The shortcut number navigation is available.

You might opt to choose the traditional vertical menu and turn off the circular one.

Phone book. You can save up to 500 phone numbers in the phone’s memory with one name, to three phone numbers (home, work and cell one), and an e-mail address identified for each. As you enter a new file, you may choose the type of the number and enter it only then; you can access the additional number for the editing submenu and not right away. Such phone book organization stands for the pluses and minuses of its own-it all depends on the frequency of entering the files with one number only.

You can assign an entered name for one group of the phone subscribers. For each of such groups the special ring tone and an icon are set.

In the main list, you can see the numbers from both the phone memory and the SIM-card; there is a speedy search by the name. For such search all you have to do is to type in the first name of the letter; the list will display the data found first and then you can enter the second letter, etc. Such list is available for every group of the phone subscribers. You can assign the speedy dialing for eight phone numbers. Surprisingly, there is no voice recognition in this model.

Messages. You can save up to 50 messages in the phone memory. The phone supports the EMS standard, so there is a decent set of icons, melodies, sounds, and animations available. The set of emoticons is very cute-if those would normally be just happy smiling faces, now these are the faces with the corpses.

Other then that, the phone’s possibilities are standard: you can enter up to five samples of your own; the predictable T9 text entering in English is available too.

Call lists. As usual, you would find here the lists with the last dialed, accepted, and missed calls with time and date displayed for each. The fact that the same numbers are not doubled in the list makes an interesting feature of the model-the call is just moved upwards with the new date and time displayed. Consequently, there are no repetitive files in the list, which most of the users find very convenient.

Sound setting. For the ring tone, you can choose one of the six bell sounds, one of the eight animals’ calls (horse, bird, etc.), and a melody (there are 31 of them). The melodies very from the modern to the classical ones; the overall set of the melodies would satisfy the most peculiar user. Moreover, since the volume is great and all the melodies are polyphonic, there is no chance for you to remain unhappy.

There are no profiles in the phone although you can choose the alarm signal of your own (light, melody, vibrator, and the miscellaneous). In the same menu, you can turn on the minute timer, which will be working during the conversation.

Phone settings. This menu allows you to set the phone’s functions according to your taste, to choose the language of the menu, and the wallpaper for the stand-by mode (by default, there are 22 of them and all are animated). You can also set here the screen brightness and find the safety settings.

Organizer. Several applications are offered here..

The calendar in which you can enter up to one event for each day (to add more events you have to copy the file from the other day, which is not very convenient) opens up the list; you can view the monthly calendar here as well. The days for which there are events entered are highlighted with a different color; there is a quick switch to the date.

The list of the things to do contributes to the calendar possibilities. Here you identify the task and the level of its importance (high, low, normal). You can copy the tasks list into the calendar.

Alarm clock. You can set the alarm clock for the one time, everyday or weekly (from Monday to Friday and from Monday to Saturday) switch off.

Traditionally, the calculator and the currency converter are available in the phone.

Time and date. Here the current time and date are set; there is a world time function.

Network services. All the settings connected with the operator’s functions are kept here.

Funbox. The regular wap-browser of the 1.2.1 version is kept in this menu. Two games are found here as well. The applications section is here too; you traditionally set up the bowling game and the second beloved one PacMan one. The memory capacity is 1.5 Mb.

Impressions

There are no problems when the connection quality is concerned; everything is just up to date. The overall conclusions will be the same as the ones for Samsung C100. The sound in the speaker during the talk is great. The 40-tone polyphony is well heard and you would hear the ring even if the phone is somewhere in your pockets; you may not discern the sound only on the crowded street. In that case, however, the vibrator is the solution to the problem; the vibrator is not of the immense force, but you are not likely to miss it, probably partially due to the thinness of the frame case.

The lithium-ionic battery stands for the certain advantage of the phone since it alleviates the weight and allows you to use the phone for a long time. At the low rate of talks, you can use the phone for up to three to four days. The phone now works for approximately twice as much time, which actually became typical for the last Samsung models. Probably, Samsung had finally ameliorated the quality of the software and made it mostly practical.

The phone entered the market pricing 130-140 US dollars. As different from C100, there is no IrDA in this model although all other characteristics are the same. The phone would well satisfy the users, who primarily care for the phone calls, decent polyphony, and good screen. Although this model is not likely to become the bestseller of its segment, it will be in a big demand. Samsung C100 will hinder the possibilities of this phone becoming the smash hit.

Samples of ringing tones (383 Kb, mp3)