Samsung Alias 2 SCH-U750 (Verizon Wireless)
Manufacturer: Samsung Part number: Alias 2
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Samsung Alias 2 is an inventive update to Samsung's previous messaging phone. Provided you can afford it, and learn how to use it, it's a powerful messaging device with reliable performance.
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CNET editors' review
Samsung Alias 2 SCH-U750 (Verizon Wireless) price range: $49.99
- Reviewed by: Kent German
- Reviewed on: 05/13/2009
- Released on: 05/11/2009
The good: The Samsung Alias 2 has an innovative keypad that takes different forms depending on how you're using the phone. Its feature set is well-stocked and its overall performance for calls, video, and music is satisfying.
The bad: The Samsung Alias 2's navigation controls take acclimation. The phone lacks Wi-Fi and POP3 e-mail access is limited to a Web-based interface. Also, adding up the various data features is expensive.
The bottom line: The Samsung Alias 2 is an inventive update to Samsung's previous messaging phone. Provided you can afford it, and learn how to use it, it's a powerful messaging device with reliable performance.
The Samsung Alias 2 is not an attempt to revive Jennifer Garner's "Alias" television show. Rather, it is the third revamp of the Samsung SCH-U740 for Verizon Wireless. Also built for messaging and sporting a dual-hinged design, the Alias 2, aka the SCH-U750, adds more significant changes than the second generation Alias. The morphing e-ink keyboard is undoubtedly the highlight, but the Alias 2 also adds a 2-megapixel camera and support for corporate e-mail syncing through RemoSync. The result is a functional and full-featured communication device with good performance. Be advised that learning how to use it will take time, and the extra data features almost make the handset uneconomical, but the result is a solid addition to both the Samsung and Verizon stables. You can get it for $79.99 with service and a $50 mail-in rebate.
Design
From the outside, the Alias 2 doesn't look like much. Straight lines and sharp angles predominate and it's noticeably bigger (4.01 inches by 2.04 inches by 0.67 inch) than most flip phones. But trust us when we say that everything is there for a reason. The bigger size and boxy shape hide all that is inside, and the extra weight (4.34 ounces) gives the phone a sturdy feel in the hand. The Alias 2 only comes in a dark gray color (the SCH-U740 is available in three hues), but we don't mind.
The external display measures 1.3 inches and supports 65,000 colors (128x128 pixels). It shows all the information you'll need including the date, time, battery life, signal strength, and photo caller ID. It also works as a viewfinder for the camera lens, which is located just above. You can customize the display's contrast, wallpaper and clock style, but the short backlighting time isn't changeable. Below the display are dedicated controls for the music player. You can use them to activate the player and cycle through your songs without opening the phone. You use these same keys to take a self-portrait with the camera.
The remaining exterior controls include a volume rocker and a voice dialing button on the left spine. You'll also find a 2.5 millimeter headset jack and a proprietary charger jack. You probably can guess that we'd much prefer a 3.5 millimeter headset jack and a standard Micro-USB charger port. On the spine are a power control, a handset locking key, and the microSD card slot.
The main display measures 2.6 inches and supports 262,000 colors (320x240 pixels). It's bright and beautiful with sharp colors, photos, and graphics. The menu interface continues to evolve, albeit very slightly, from Verizon's standardized design. In a welcome change, your picture files get a dedicated folder on the main menu--we like that you no longer have to dig into the V Cast menu to find your shots. A few menu themes are available, though the default My Place option is overdesigned. We prefer the simple icon-based interface. You can change the backlighting time, the menu font style and size, and the dial font size.
As mentioned, the Alias 2's keyboard is its star attraction. Indeed, you'll notice immediately that it looks a bit unusual. In place of a traditional navigation array and fixed keypad buttons, there are a number of square and rectangular tiles. These tiles are actually buttons that take on different uses depending on which way you've opened the phone. In vertical mode, the keys will assume one form, and in horizontal mode three different arrangements are available. The e-ink technology (as it's called) is similar to Moto's ModeShift technology, but more advanced. Instead of simply switching the backlighting on the keys, the characters on the keys actually change. So for example, a number key can switch to a letter key at the press of a button.
We're not sure how it works, but the result is an easy-to-use experience once you get the hang of it. It's also pretty spiffy and sure to be a conversation piece for the short term. We like it because it solves a big problem from which the previous versions of the handset suffered. Instead of a crowded arrangement where almost every key had to serve two different functions, the e-ink keyboard offers a much cleaner experience. Only one character is displayed at a time, and keys not in use go completely white.
In vertical mode you'll see the standard numeric keypad, plus several shortcuts for Bluetooth, the messaging menu, the alarm clock, voice dialing, the camera, the games menu, and the speakerphone. The shortcut keys stay lit when in standby mode, but most turn off when you're in the interior menus. The Talk and End buttons and a clear/back key are squashed between the keypad and the navigation buttons. Though we got used to their location after a few minutes, we had to hunt for these controls during our first test. Ideally, we'd prefer if they were a different color than the keypad buttons. Since they're also white, they're difficult to find.
Fortunately, the navigation controls are dark gray. You'll find four directional arrows and a central OK button in the shape of a cross. Above them on either corner are the two soft keys. On the whole, the navigation buttons were easy to use, but we had one complaint. Because the soft keys are quite a distance from the bottom of the display, they don't sit directly under the corresponding commands on the screen. It's not a huge deal, but it did take some getting used to. Also, in our first minutes of use we had to remember that the clear key was down in the middle of the keypad.
On the upside, the keys have a comfortable, tactile feel. Though they're the tinniest bit slick, they also have an appealing, gel-like touch. We had no problem dialing or texting, and the bright backlighting helps in dim situations. Navigation was a bit trickier as the arrow keys felt just a bit too small.
To open the phone horizontally, you must first close the flap and then rotate the handset to the left. The hinge is neither too loose nor too stiff, and we like that the flap opens a full 180 degrees. And even better, the handset doesn't wobble if you place it on a table while typing. When opening the Alias 2 in horizontal mode, the display automatically switches to a landscape orientation. It's worth noting, however, that since the handset doesn't have a true accelerometer it won't rotate when you tip the phone on its side. On either side of the display are stereo speakers.
In its default horizontal mode, the keyboard shows standard numeric keys and shortcuts for the messaging menu, the voice dialing, the camera, and the speakerphone. The calling buttons and clear control have moved to the bottom left of the keypad and the navigation buttons are on the bottom right. Below the display are an OK button and two soft keys. In this mode you can make calls and browse through the menus. The arrangement is fairly intuitive, but it will take some practice.
To switch to the full alphabetic keyboard, just press the control in the lower-left corner of the display. The keyboard switches instantly to show all letters of the alphabet, a period key, the calling controls, a clear button, a space bar, a shift control, a back button, and enter keys. The navigation arrows and soft keys remain where they were. Though this keyboard is the only one to use all keys on the phone (none are inactive), it doesn't feel crowded. In fact, we could bang out messages quickly and comfortably. A third keyboard is also available with symbols and more punctuation. Though three keyboards will result in a lot of switching back and forth, it was only tedious when typing long messages.
Features
The Alias 2 has a 1,000-contact phone book with room in each entry for five phone numbers, two e-mail addresses, a street address, and notes. You also can save a dedicated emergency number. For further personalization, you can save callers to groups, pair them with a photo and assign one of 20 polyphonic ringtones.
Other essentials include a vibrate mode, a calculator, a calendar, an alarm clock, a stopwatch, a world clock, a unit and currency converter, and a tip calculator. Though the Alias 2 isn't a true smartphone, you'll find a few higher-end options, as well. It offers stereo Bluetooth, speaker independent voice dialing and commands, USB mass storage, and a file manager. Wi-Fi, which would be useful on a messaging phone, is not an option.
As you'd expect, the Alias 2 offers a respectable number of messaging options. Besides text and multimedia messaging, there's instant messaging, chat, and e-mail. POP3 e-mail access for accounts like AOL, Yahoo, and Hotmail is limited to a clunky Web-based interface. RemoSync service offers access to push e-mail from corporate accounts as well as calendar, notes, and contacts syncing. We tried syncing our work e-mail and were mostly pleased with the results. The initial sync took a few minutes, but after that the process as pretty smooth. The service will cost you $9.99 per month. We'd much prefer to have such a cost included in an umbrella monthly data plan. The same goes for Verizon's Visual Voicemail, which is $2.99 per month. Add up all those extra costs and you get an expensive monthly plan. At that rate, it's better to get a real smartphone with a comprehensive data plan.
As an EV-DO phone, the Alias 2 supports the full range of Verizon's 3G services, including V Cast streaming video content, and the V Cast Music with Rhapsody. Both the V Cast menu and music store interface are pretty much unchanged from other Verizon phones. Player options include the usual limited shuffle and repeat modes, but V Cast Music also will recommend other songs based on your playlist. The Alias 2 includes an airplane mode for listening to your tunes while aloft.
The Alias 2 has a 2-megapixel camera. You can take pictures in five resolutions from 1,600x1,200 pixels down to 160x120, and you can choose from three quality settings. Other options are plentiful and include a self-timer, a multishot mode, five color tones, four white-balance effects, an adjustable ISO, spot metering, a brightness control, and three shutter sounds (plus a silent option). There's also a 10x digital zoom, though it's unusable at the highest resolution. The Alias 2 doesn't offer a flash, which we expect on a 2-megapixel phone. Camera quality was quite good, however, with bright colors and little image noise.
The camcorder takes clips with sound in two quality settings. You also get about the same number of editing options that are on the still camera. Clips meant for multimedia messages are capped at 30 seconds; otherwise you can shoot according to the available memory. The Alias 2 offers about 100MB of user-accessible internal memory, which is quite respectable. For more storage, the external memory slots will handle microSD cards up to 18GB.
The Alias 2 supports Verizon's VZ Navigator GPS service. You'll have to download it and pay an extra $2.99 per day of use. You can get other application downloads from Verizon using the WAP 2.0 Web browser. The Alias 2 doesn't come with any games, but titles are available for purchase. You can personalize the phone with a variety of wallpaper, clock formats, and banners. More options and additional ringtones are available from Verizon. Unfortunately, you can't use music tracks as ringtones.
Performance
We tested the dual-band (CDMA 800/1900) in San Francisco using Verizon Wireless service. As mentioned, the Alias 2 also supports EV-DO, though it is not a Rev. A device. Call quality was quite good on the whole. Conversations were clear, the volume was loud, and the consistently strong signal didn't suffer from interference or static. What's more, we were able to talk in most environments without any problems. On the downside, the sound tended to be somewhat harsh and even robotic at times. It was a minor issue, though, and it didn't distract from our experience.
On their end, callers were mostly positive. In fact, a few couldn't tell that we were using a cell phone. We made calls in noisy environments and in a quiet room. Callers noticed few changes between the two areas. However, some reported that background noise increased when we were outside; it wasn't significant, they said, and it's hardly an unusual occurrence on a cell phone. Automated calling systems could understand us, but it was best if we were in a quiet room. Speakerphone calls were fine for the most part. The sound quality diminished somewhat, but the volume was loud. Also, we could speak a few feet away from the phone and still be heard.
Streaming video quality was fine, though we've seen better on other Verizon phones. Videos downloaded quickly thanks to the strong EV-DO connection and only one clip paused to buffer midway through playing. There was some visible pixelation, but most onscreen action was pretty smooth. Also, the sound was in sync with the action on the display. It's most comfortable to watch the videos in landscape mode, even though the frame takes up only half of the screen.
Its music quality was satisfying. The audio isn't especially rich, and like many music phones there was an audible tinny effect, but it is fine for short stints of listening. Headphones will provide a better experience, though we wouldn't use the Alias 2 as our sole music device. Songs downloaded quickly from V Cast Music, and we added a 3.7MB song in about a minute.
The Alias 2 has a rated battery life of 5 hours talk time and 16 days standby time. We managed to get 5 hours and 54 minutes worth of talk time in our tests. According to the FCC, the Alias 2 has a digital SAR of 0.541 watts per kilogram.
User reviews
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Unfortunately, not much of a step up from the Alias
by CheapJustice on May 13, 2009
Pros: *e-ink buttons work very well
*groups text msgs by conversation
*bigger screen both front and main
*nice feel and lookCons: *buttons not programmable
*less useful qwerty
*no camera flash
*interface not updated much
*2.5mm headphone jackSummary: I've had the Samsung Alias (SCH-U740) for a while and really liked it, so when the Alias 2 (I'll call it A2) came out, I got one immediately. ...
Summary: I've had the Samsung Alias (SCH-U740) for a while and really liked it, so when the Alias 2 (I'll call it A2) came out, I got one immediately. It's a nice phone, and for new users might be very good, but for someone who had the old Alias (I'll call it A1), it was sort of a disappointment.
First of all, it's bigger and thicker than the A1, perhaps to accommodate the bigger screens, better camera, and e-ink technology, but it was disappointing as I was used to the very slim A1.
Let's get to the e-ink. It works great. You can see it change when you flip it open in both directions. Rarely does the keypad change slow enough that you're waiting for it (the largest delay is when opening to get a new text). The e-ink seems to remember the last orientation it was in, so if you open it vertically once, the next time the buttons will already be in vertical arrangement. It's readable, the backlight is good, and the buttons are bigger than the A1.
However, the e-ink keypad leaves much to be desired. There are often blank keys that you long to be able to program with shortcuts, or move the location of things around. The latter would be especially useful since the layout is slightly-to-very different from the keypad of the A1; different enough that A1 users will have to relearn the placement of many buttons. User programmable buttons are the biggest oversight in this iteration of the phone. Very, very sad indeed. Very sad. I can't stress this enough.
Also, the keypad is now black and white, so you'll miss the red and green visual cues of important buttons from the A1. And the buttons are mostly all one size, so the tactile cue of the A1 is missing as well (as in the A1, the Send button was larger than the others).
The QWERTY is also not as useful as the A1. As the QWERTY takes up every button, some very, very important and often used buttons are left off the QWERTY and relegated to a second layout (switched with a click of a button) including the apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, dash, *, quote marks (which there is only 1 side of oddly, there is only a closed quote mark, no open quote one), and the parentheses are in yet another layout. In the A1, you would simply hold down a button for these characters as each button pulled double or triple duty. Here, just to type "let's", you'd have to press a button to get to the apostrophe, press apostrophe, press the layout button twice to get back to QWERTY. you'll get quick at it, but it seems really unnecessary. This is a pretty large design flaw. Finally, as a last gripe about it, the OK button is in the middle/top of the keypad and is annoying to reach for with your thumb.
So besides the sadness that is the unrealized potential of the e-ink keypad, there are other disappointment. The camera is better, but they got rid of the flash that the A1 had. They changed the A1's bad input for a headphone (you needed an adapter for your headphones to plug in) to a 2.5mm jack...so you still need an adapter if you want to use typical 3.5mm headphones, AND can't use your old adapter. The music player's interface is still horrible, there is an echo when you talk that the A1 didn't have (though I like it so far as it makes it clearer to hear if you're speaking too loudly), you can't get to the video camera option by hitting the camera button twice (as you could in the A1), the calendar is still horrible to use (why can't i copy events?), I downloaded Street Fighter and the control pad doesn't really work with it in portrait mode...
That's a lot of gripes, but that's because I liked the A1 so much and got used to it. For a new owner of the A2, he/she won't have had the history and will probably like this very cool and functional phone much more than a veteran like me. The camera is nice, the dual screens are big and clear, the e-ink keypad is undeniably cool, the music player is a nice (last resort) touch if you need music, the speakers are clear, the battery life is good, the call quality is top-notch, and the phone is overall very customizable.
But alas, as much as I wanted, I couldn't give the Alias 2 much more than 2 stars. It could have been something great with programmable keys, but really missed out here.6 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Lots of usable features in a smart tight package.
by jeff1326 on May 13, 2009
Pros: Great Qwerty keyboard...excellent sound and reception...fast web browser...easy to program and customize.
Cons: All the display themes (save for "My Place") have garish colors and visual effects. The ringtones are mostly cheezy synth riffs. And the calendar alarms default to the awful VZW Default tone. SAMSUNG, just give us a simple ringer for the default!
Summary: After switching from an LG 8600, which has a clean and elegant interface (albeit with less-than-great-sound) my first impression was that the Alias 2 was fat and bloated with its ...
Summary: After switching from an LG 8600, which has a clean and elegant interface (albeit with less-than-great-sound) my first impression was that the Alias 2 was fat and bloated with its over-the-top menus and cheezy ringtones. But after taking a deep breath and spending a little time with the phone (Verizon gives you 30 days to decide if you'll keep it) I managed to customize it to my specs, using the "My Place" display and every shortcut option I could find. So now, everything I need is no more than a few clicks away.
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Cnet is too harsh on non-smartphones
by markusalkemus on May 13, 2009
Pros: This phone has a lot of great features and the UI is a drastic improvement
Cons: The camera failed to be upgraded. The standard is 2 megapixels now and anything below that is mediocre.
Summary: cnet always marks phones down that don't have wi-fi even though they're clearly not a smartphone. There aren't any non-smartphones that do have wi-fi. The iPhone is ...
Summary: cnet always marks phones down that don't have wi-fi even though they're clearly not a smartphone. There aren't any non-smartphones that do have wi-fi. The iPhone is a smartphone. All blackberries are smartphones, any phone with windows mobile is a smartphone but phones like the Alias 2 and the LG Dare aren't smartphones nor are they intended to be. The alias is a messaging phone while the Dare is a multimedia phone.
I've noted that the Alias 2 has a 2 megapixel camera and not a 1.3 megapixel camera
Updated on Nov 29, 20095 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Over all Pretty good.
by the computer genius on May 23, 2009
Pros: Key's Ease for getting into external ports, screen, rececption, Ease of texting, for me probobly the best thing is visual voice mail. Durable
Cons: Some calls still sound half duplex (some might mistake this as reception problem) but not as bad as Samsung Renown, It's hard to get the flip open with one hand (I figured it out but I still like the old way of doing things better)
Summary: Well Well Well I think I might of found I might keep (hopefully) I'ts only been one day but we will see. The phone is a phone I like ...
Summary: Well Well Well I think I might of found I might keep (hopefully) I'ts only been one day but we will see. The phone is a phone I like due to the visual voice mail (great for my business) the screen is big and guess what I understand what the other party is saying (The Latter is amazing) It still does not have the same sound quality of my Lg 8300 which sounds like a nice land line but it does the trick. I've realized these days with electronics the game is to settle instead of getting what you really want.
Hi I A few days ago I exchaged my phone that wrote about in this post for another one. the sound quality is a better and the camera is not blury so I think the orningal phone was made in mone of the lower end rice patty fields in china. LOL the only main complaint I have is the phone is slippery and llittle difficult to open also due to my big hands and there is no case to improve the grip other than that it's a nice phone
Unlike my old phone the flip is hard for me to open because the phone is slippery and too thin, however after showing it to a few people I found out you have to either open it with 2 hands or put your thumb between the crack and push up. I think I might be able to live with that I'll know more after memoral day weekend when the customers start calling.
Sound quality- Unlike the Samsung renown where I had to keep saying what what and the nokia intruge 7205 with there volume fluxuation issue I actually undertand what the other person is saying without "too much effort" It's not as good as my LG but at least we are getting someplace. While on this subject let me explain about the half duplex thing. Sometimes if there is total silance yolu hear absolutely nothing until somone talks it's like a walkee talkee.or another example of this is if a baby is crying in the distant background and the party you are speaking with is not talking the baby's voice would cut in and out depending on the volume of the voice. With the Samsung Renown the actual words of the other party when speaking got cut off while this one I'm not getting it as much It's liveable (unlike the renown) (it's a samsung thing I'm convinced because my Lg8300 never did that.
I"m not that much into the multimeda stuff but I can say the camera is ok a little bury due to movemnt after shot but nothing to worry about. One thing I like is that this phone let's you choose like clip art or frames to put around your pic (yeah I'm actually waking up from the dead)
The music thing I haven't tried that I have satlight radio off a pionner system in the car, Vcast is cool but not worth 15 month. For me a 250.00 text message scam from verizon for $5.00 is enough for me.That covers half the charge for directory assistance. I only get charged for the call not the text WOW because thats included in my 250 messages. It also covers the cost to talk to some nutty clients that only communicates by text.
Visual voice mail for me is a plus I get calls up my Royal American all day long working on computers .
Another good thing I found out by a bad thing was I dropped the phone on hard concrete after I opened it :( good news is it stayed together and it still looks good) there is a little scratch on the bottom of it (which I guess voids my warnantee on the phone but I like it anyway. If I have to rid it I only lost 30.00 because I still have my old LG 8300 :)
BTW I forgot I can text message fast with the keyboard and yes the keys look real cool I'd recomend it unless you are an old fashion person who wants simple real clear sound quality like me (But I'm learning to compromise since our goverment requested to be owned by China.) Years ago they had Analog which sounded much better and speakers that actually had more of a broad fequency range.
To sum this up I would recomend this phone. For Todays standards which is lower than years ago it seems to be the only one that I would keep. It's got great features and the build quality is good, the the sound quality is better than the avg phone out there today. I'm sure there are phones with a little better sound quality but then I"d loose it in features so for balance this is great enjoy
Updated on May 27, 20092 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very good phone for texting and everyday use
by robistro on May 13, 2009
Pros: texting, battery life, durability
Cons: no cons. I owned the original Alias liked it so much I bought the new one.
Summary: I also own the original alias which I liked so well I purchased this one on-line without seeing it in person. This phone is a little 'chunkier' than the original ...
Summary: I also own the original alias which I liked so well I purchased this one on-line without seeing it in person. This phone is a little 'chunkier' than the original and slightly longer. It also has rounded edges as compared to the squared of original version. The hinge seems to have a stronger spring action. This might be because my other phone is older, but it held up better than I originally expected. The keypad is the seller of this phone, and while amazing, also makes the phone easier for texting and dialing. Which is the main purpose I use out of cell phone. This is a great phone for the money. I have never had a problem with my battery running dead, dropped phone calls, or faulty operation from the original phone. I cant say the same for this phone as I have obviously just purchased it. But I see no reason not to expect the same quality. I dont use my phone for music, internet, or television. While some people have 'needs' for these services, I have other devices that I use for these luxuries. I have read reviews on numerous phones on the market. I still havent figured out what people expect from a 'cell phone' Maybe some just like to put down a product to get noticed.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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E-ink is at the center of this great feature phone
by jackshadow on May 15, 2009
Pros: +E-ink keys are very functional, easy to use and are a cool thing to show off
+The large display is beautiful, vivid, and easy to read
+Great Camera
+Feels very sturdy and the hinge has just the right resistance
+The voice recognition software worksCons: -It is slightly bigger than most flip phones
-Uses Samsung's proprietary charger
-2.5mm headphone jackSummary: I got the phone on the 13th of this month to upgrade from my LG Chocolate VX8550 from a very helpful Verizon store. I had found the phone on engadget ...
Summary: I got the phone on the 13th of this month to upgrade from my LG Chocolate VX8550 from a very helpful Verizon store. I had found the phone on engadget and loved the idea of the e-ink keys.
Being a college student I txt a lot and the only reason I didn't buy the phone online is that I was worried that the keys would be difficult to txt on or would feel too much like smooth plastic. When handled the one in the store all my worries were put to rest: the keys on this phone are great and easy to use. Like most reviews have said they have a soft rubbery feel to them and are big enough not to mistype on.
The screen on the phone is absolutely beautiful and is quite large. (Which does make the phone look bigger than it is while opened up in clamshell mode) It does making txting and taking photos a very easy experience and even fits a fairly large about of large font txt which is great for those with poor eyesight. Speaking of the camera, it is a very nice upgrade from the camera on my old chocolate and I really appreciate the panorama feature on it.
The speakphone on the phone is excellent. I was amazed when I used it in my car and my father who is hard of hearing was able to understand me. The voice recognition software even works well with the speakerphone while outside.
The phone is bigger than most flip phones but while closed it is similar in dimension to my old chocolate as is even thinner than it because I had an extended battery installed on my old phone. This con is also a plus because it does feel solid in your hand and isn't flimsy. The hinge also feels solid and gives just the right resistance to feel solid but not firm enough to make it hard to use.
One of the only places where the phone is a disappointment is that is uses Samsung propriety jack instead of the increasingly popular USB standard. A 3.5mm heapdhone jack would also be more welcome than the 2.5mm headphone jack but I don't use my phone for music so this isn't a big let-down to me.
I love this phone. It is just what I need: a feature phone that is great at txting and is easy to use. The e-ink keys are the center of attention on this phone and not only are a cool gimmick but are very useful as well.2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Terrible Phone
by techpirate5791 on August 31, 2009
Pros: The two-way opening and being able to operate the camera with the outside buttons for music
Cons: Extremely slow, to use the keyboard to text sometimes you would have to hit the button to change it like twice each time and several glitches like with the mobile im
Summary: I have the alias, the first one and loved it, so I thought i would get the 2nd one cause the first one was amazing, I had the alias 2 ...
Summary: I have the alias, the first one and loved it, so I thought i would get the 2nd one cause the first one was amazing, I had the alias 2 and had to switch back to my alias1 within 24hours, because it was so bad, and just have returned it. I dont see how samsung could come out with an amazing phone and then have the newer version of the phone be so terrible. Im a big fan of mobile im, and i found the most problems with this, when i tried typing in my password the capitals wouldnt work, when i was in an actual conversation it wouldnt let me scroll up to see the rest of the conversation, the only way i could do this was to save it and then look at it there, and when i went to type a message in it, i would have to hit the button to change the keyboard two times, and it went really slow. Typing overall was terrible, im pretty fast at texting and when i would go to text it wouldnt show a lot of the keys that i pressed, you had to hit it pretty hard (i text lighter because of the speed) just so it would show all the letters. The new technology isnt worth all of these problems, the alias1 is amazingly better and i DO NOT reccommend this phone at all.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great phone except for voice commands.
by davepr on July 7, 2009
Pros: 1 Voice quality is excellent
2 Easy to use and set up
3 Inside screen is sharp
4 Innovative use of e ink technology on keyboardCons: Voice command or voice recognition is not usable.
Summary: The phone works extremely will except for voice commands. When trying to use with or without my blue tooth, I get a 80 to 90% failure rate. I received my ...
Summary: The phone works extremely will except for voice commands. When trying to use with or without my blue tooth, I get a 80 to 90% failure rate. I received my first Alias 2 last week and could not get the voice command function working consistently. I tried adaptation but to no avail. I called Verizon tech support and they sent me a replacement Alias 2. I have the same problem with the replacement. Verizon does not recognize this as a generic problem for this phone. I would be interested if anyone has a solution.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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this phone is just cool
by mantra813 on May 20, 2009
Pros: I get great call quality and the key pad is great. Its a great phone if you just want to text and call.
Cons: I dont like the OS, and web based email is disappointing. the keys are small when just making a call, but the full key board is well worth it.
Summary: I have had it for a week and I couldn't be happier.
Summary: I have had it for a week and I couldn't be happier.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Thrilled with the new Alias 2!!!!!!
by jsc471 on May 15, 2009
Pros: Larger external & internal screens rock! E-ink keys are innovative & easy to see & use! Upgraded megapixels for the camera, super fast internet browsing and a quick overview of available apps are nice new features & excellent battery lif
Cons: The only thing I found to be a downer was that Samsung eliminated the external flash for the camera, however, I've taken several pictures and the quality is comparable to the 1st Generation Alias I owned. So, IMO, it's not big deal.
Summary: Two years ago, when I switched to Verizon, I purchased the first generation Samsung Alias and fell in love with it. I've held out, hoping for an upgrade to ...
Summary: Two years ago, when I switched to Verizon, I purchased the first generation Samsung Alias and fell in love with it. I've held out, hoping for an upgrade to the Alias and was rewarded for my patience with the Alias 2. I purchased it this past Monday, the day it came out, and it was free with my upgrade, 2 year renewal and a generous mail in rebate. I've been playing around with the phone every day, and getting used to the new E-ink key are a CINCH! I love the new bigger, better internal and external screens, full size Qwerty keyboard and optional apps available for the phone. I could care less that it doesn't have wifi, like someone else said, I'd rather be 3G and mobile then wi-fi and having to find a "hotspot". In call quality is excellent, and outside of the external flash being eliminated on the Alias 2, I have NO complaints at all! I'm glad I dug deep in my well patience and held out for the Alias 2!
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Samsung
- Part number: Alias 2
- Description: The Samsung Alias 2 gives you the convenience of a QWERTY keypad in a unique flip-style format. It has the same dual-hinge design that made the original Alias a hit, but Alias 2 adds a touch of magic - a Magic Key keypad using e-ink technology. In phone mode, it's a standard phone keypad. But in texting mode, the keys change into a full QWERTY keypad. But the magic doesn't stop there. The Alias 2 also has a large 2.6" QVGA display for crisper, clearer viewing, a 2.0-megapixel camera and dedicated hot keys for one-touch access to the features you use most. Who says sequels are never better than the originals?
General
- Product Type Cellular phone With digital camera / digital player
- Service Provider Verizon Wireless
- Width 2 in
- Depth 0.7 in
- Height 4 in
- Weight 4.3 oz
Cellular
- Technology CDMA2000 1X
- Band CDMA2000 1X 1900/800
- Phone Design Convertible flip
- Antenna Internal
- Call Timer Yes
- Conference Call Capability Yes
- Voice Recorder Yes
- Caller ID Yes
- Wireless Interface Bluetooth
- Additional Features TTY compatible, VZ Navigator, Chaperone parent/child, 16 GB microSD card slot, V CAST Music, Rhapsody, GPS, Speakerphone
Phone Memory
- Phone Book Capacity 1000 names & numbers
- Missed Calls Memory 90
- Dialed Calls Memory 90
- Received Calls Memory 90
Messaging & Data Services
- Short Messaging Service (SMS) Yes
- Mobile Email Yes
- Internet Browser Yes
- Included Services VZ Navigator
- EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) Yes
- Messaging / Data Features Text messages, Voicemail
Digital Camera
- Camera highlights With a resolution of 2 megapixels, this camera phone will give you higher quality pictures than other phones.
- Sensor Resolution 2 megapixels
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Digital Zoom 10
Organizer
- Alarm Clock Yes
- Calendar Yes
- Reminder Yes
- Calculator Basic
Display
- Type LCD display
- Technology TFT
- Display Resolution 320 x 240 pixels
- Diagonal Size 2.6 in
- Color Support Color
- Color Depth 18-bit (262000 Colors)
Display (2nd)
- Type LCD display - Color
- Display Resolution 128 x 128 pixels
Memory
- Internal Shared Memory Yes
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Battery, Battery door, Wall charger
Power
- Type Power adapter
Battery
- Technology - Lithium ion
- Capacity 880 mAh
- Talk Time Up to 300 min
- Standby Time Up to 336 h
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Samsung
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Samsung products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.samsungusa.com/
- Address:
105 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 - Phone: 1-800-726-7864
- Fax: 1-973-601-6001
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