Not another touchscreen phone (Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia)

Member Name: Doomii

Product:	Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia
Date:	09/04/09 (262 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 5MP camera, huge internal memory and extended external memory, style

Disadvantages: uncommon resolution, poor wifi

Another touchscreen phone, the Samsung Omnia i900 also dubbed the Iphone killer, has arrived into the market. I have owned it for more than half a year now, and I must say it's not the Iphone killer if flashy games is what you are after.

First let's talk about the specs. The Omnia runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 with 624 Mhz, and has a 3.2" wide QVGA screen (400x240). It comes in either black or white, 8GB or 16GB internet memory which is quite sufficient, but if that's not enough, it also has external memory capabilities with a MicroSD card.

The phone comes equipped with a 5MP pixel camera which is quite good, but hard to use in low-light situations. Other than that it has Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, media playing capabilities (DivX, MP33 etc) and it also comes with Samsung Touchwiz software that are on many Samsung phones nowadays.

I have to say, the Omnia feels and looks great on my hands and it's not bulky at all. I actually prefer carrying an Omnia than an Iphone, especially with its sleek professional style. As it's on windows, the interface is not as user-friendly as Apple's but there are softwares to change that if you're up to it. I have also not experienced any lag with it unlike other Windows mobile. The battery can last for approximately 3 days with light usage i.e. for phone calls/SMS.

However, the WiFi signal in this phone is quite weak. I often get disconnected after a few minutes and reconnecting is also very troublesome. Not to forget the uncommon 400x240 resolution, making a lot of softwares and games incompatible. Also, the screen is hard to read in low light, but it is still readable. The 5MP camera, while very good in some cases, goes downhill when there's no light/too much light. Another thing is the phone has no 3.5mm audio jack therefore you can't simply plug in your own headphones without first connecting through Samsung's proprietary cable.

For the phone usage itself, the clarity is good once you've updated to the latest firmware as they've changed the default volume of calls, which you can also change through the phone's registry settings. So far I have no problems hearing my calls in busy places. There are a lot of onscreen keyboards to use for typing, but Samsung's keyboard is still the easiest to use as the buttons are bigger for finger usage. There is also a stylus included but no slot to hold it, only the charm hole to hang it. Although there is a stylus included, I never use it as I find using my fingers sufficient enough. I now text using my fingers which I actually find easier compared to the usual keypads. Phone logs and data, and text messages are all stored in the internal memory so storage capacity is virtually unlimited. Contacts can also be sync to Microsoft Outlook.

The rest of the features is fortunately perfect. Even with all the cons, I actually bought another Omnia (16GB) after I lost my first one, but that was for 180 pounds. I believe you can get it for £400 for the 8GB model and £450 for 16GB right now, or else free on a 18 months contract.

This phone is not for those who are looking for the user-friendliness of the Iphone, but for those who are looking to take it one step further by exploring the possibilities of Windows Mobile which is unlimited. There are many modifications out there that can make your Omnia your dream phone.

Summary: Only for those who are willing to take it a step further.

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