Samsung SGH-E770

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Features
The E770 is probably one of the first Samsung phones to offer the Vibetonz technology. This new feature, which is an enhanced version of the ordinary vibrate alerts, lets users customize ringtones with vibration modes. Some users may find it gimmicky, but for others, it provides an overall improved sensory experience.

To support the various multimedia functions on the handset, Samsung has included a microSD (or TransFlash) expansion card slot to complement the 80MB of built-in memory. This is probably one key feature that separates the E770 from its other similarly featured predecessors. A point to note is that microSD card, being the smallest flash memory format in the market today, is currently available only in capacities of up to 1GB, though prices of the media have dropped significantly over the past few months.

Of the various functions on the phone, the one that impresses most is the camera. For a start, stills and videos captured turn out sharp compared with many other camera-phones out there. The user experience is enjoyable, too, as the viewfinder is responsive when panning for a shot or video. The camera mode includes various shooting options such as filter effects, preset frames, multishot. What's more, the phone features an onboard image editor where users can do basic editing like adding text, emotion icons and clip art to the photo as well as resizing and cropping images. We found the E770 performed admirably in dim-lighting conditions compared with some other camera-phones.

While the Samsung supports recording and viewing of video footage in the MP4 format, it does not enable playback in full screen. So what you have is a small video file playing in the middle of the display, which is a pity since it is using only half the screen real estate.

The SGH-E770 supports the standard Bluetooth and USB connectivity options you can find on most phones these days. The Samsung also comes with a document viewer (for Excel, Word, Powerpoint, text and PDF files) and TV output function which means you can connect the handset to an external display and use it for document presentations. What's missing in the bundle though are the USB cable for connecting the handset to the PC as well as the TV output cable, which should be available optionally.

There is also a voice recorder function which is useful for recording meetings or seminars but don't expect too much from the sound quality which included slight audio distortions in our test recordings. It's a pity the E770 doesn't come with an FM tuner, which would have been a good feature addition to the phone.

Performance And Battery Life
The E770 offered excellent phone reception throughout the entire test period. Voice call quality was good, too, but we did encounter problems making calls in noisy environments due to the limited earpiece volume.

The phone lasted around two days under normal usage conditions which included a mix of games, MP3 playback, SMS texting, capturing images and making voice calls. The average battery life didn't come as a surprise considering the numerous multimedia (read battery-draining) applications on the handset and the limited 800mAh battery capacity. Hence, it would be advisable to charge the mobile everyday or carry a spare battery if you are a heavy mobile phone user.

The phone is certified to emit radiation within the safe Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limit of 0.929 W/kg.